HMS Indefatigable 1794 by Blue Ensign - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - 1:64 scale

[hollowneck]

B.E.

I just broke off two of the beautiful, curvy gunport bulwarks on my Vanguard Grecian. Grrrrrrrrrr. I had glued and clipped them carefully and then whilst placing the hull back into my keel clamper, I bumped two of the projecting small clamps and bits fell to the shop floor. An easy fix however.

 

These attractive design elements will draw eyeballs but also attract careless fingers!

 

Sorry: no photographic evidence of this cock-up!

Edited June 27, 2023 by hollowneck

[Blue Ensign]

Post Forty-four

The first Band.

I am using fairly scale lengths with a 140mm maximum and around 45mm minimum lengths.

1219

I am not going for a set sequence of repeat patterns, but I am giving mind to the positions of butts on adjacent strakes.

For deck planking I will take a more structured approach.

1224

I plank side and side about, and Ca is used throughout, with a pot of Acetone handy for wiping excess from plank faces as I go along.

1251

The required shape for the bow timbers is transferred to the planks, which are dampened, tapered, edge bent, bevelled, and generally fettled to fit.

I found this necessary from around Bulkhead five to the stem.

1231

1253

One of the advantages of the Indy hull is that apart from the bow area there are long sections of using full width planks which proceeds quite quickly.

1247

Looking a bit rough at this stage, but I now need to re-mark the hull for the next band of planking.

Onwards….

 

B.E.

01/07/2023

[Glenn-UK]

Looks great, excellent workmanship as always.

[Thukydides]

It’s looking good. I particularly like the work on the wales.

[Blue Ensign]

POST Forty-five

As planking continues, I become aware of an undesirable feature developing.

The word is snying.

In this context it relates to the excessive upward curve of a plank where the centre is higher than the extremities.

1258

This is a common problem in the bow area and I note on my hull there are slight indications of it developing eight strakes down from the wale.

Probably due to deficiencies in my lining off/and or incorrect tapering, it occurs where the planks are edge bent as they round the bow, and strake upon strake, the effect is magnified.

1260

My solution is to remove a section of the last fixed bow plank, and spile in a new section to reduce the extremity of the curve for the next plank to lie against.

1261

Fortunately, the section came away cleanly without too much effort.

1262

The spiled insert is not easy to spot and is a better option than carrying on regardless with the result of visible excessive snying.

1263

With ten strakes now completed each side I am now below the waterline, and the planking runs looks better to my eye.

1268

1277

I’m about a third of the way down the hull, I will now add a further strake above the Garboard, re-check the strake arrangement, and carry on.........

 

B.E.

03.07/2023

 

[CaptnBirdseye]

Have to say, your diaries are as  inspiring as they are educational 😀

Great save and an excellent read 

[gjdale]

Neat solution to a tricksy problem BE. Looking very good.

[Thukydides]

Nice fix. I had a similar problem planking alert, but I caught it a bit earlier before it had become so pronounced and was able to just adjust the thickness of the planks to compensate.

[Kevin]

brilliant save, well done

[glbarlow]

Great work as always BE. I believe the planking problem is as much corrected by adjusting the edge bending (bend up to curve down) as it is with the tapering. I’ve found the third and fourth bulkhead are is the most challenging to get a proper fit, good idea to sort it out early, it only compounds the further you go if not. 

[allanyed]

Always a joy to check in on your build log.   Don't know if you have seen them , but there have been a couple recent posts here at MSW on diminishing the thickness of the wales as it approaches the rabbet.  Most modelers are unaware of this feature, but it is something to consider.   Your choice of course, but maybe something to think about.

Allan

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers Guys for your ongoing interest.

 

@ Glenn - wise words, it is the same on Indy, it is between 3 and five that the sny  can get excessive.

 

@ Allan -  Already in hand, I fined the wale down following fitting, and it will be done slightly more when I get around to final finishing.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

 

[allanyed]

3 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

it will be done slightly more when I get around to final finishing.

Your constant attention to detail is an inspiration to a lot of members.  
Allan

[Blue Ensign]

Post Forty-six

Planking continues.

One of the downsides of the ‘Indy’ hull is the sheer size and weight which becomes very wearing given the constant need to turn it about and shift it from inverted to upright and back again to check the run of the planking.

I’ve obviously spent too much time on small hulls in recent times, I think back fondly to those fine little fishing boats and even Sphinx, which at the time I also thought was a big beast, but seems quite small now.

 

Not moaning, just musing, - on with the show.

1290

I have now re-marked the hull with the plank widths at each reference point. Sixteen 5mm planks are now required at the two central bulkheads ‘M’ and ‘9’.

 

Another week and this is the state of play, now four months into the build.

1305

1304

I am now planking alternatively from wale down and keel up, it is a slow business and I’m achieving around two strakes a day.

1306

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1316

1318

1317

1319

I am closely watching the run of planks at the bow, and at this point I will re-mark the runs, hopefully for the last time.

1320

Tapering is now a feature from around Bulkhead 11 to the stern, but towards the keel the boards also broaden out a little.

1323

1324

Little by little the gap is closing, and the finish line is in sight. Ten strakes are now required, and another week should see the second planking completed.

 

B.E

08/07/2023

 

[Glenn-UK]

Excellent workmanship. I wish I had your patience and skill.

[Blue Ensign]

Post Forty-seven

Nearly there!

With ten strakes to go the trickiest part is the sharp bends and twists where the planks abut the stern post.

1292

In this example the plank is wider at the end than the otherwise tapered run.

1340

The planks sometimes take on a serpentine shape.

 

Over the weekend I made a concerted effort to push ahead with the planking and I put in two longish days at the workbench.

1327

The serpentine shape of the planking runs is evident here but I am now happy that there will be no crowding of the planks at the stem.

1333

I have concentrated on the bow planking as this is the most critical area, and I am pleased that there is no excessive sny as the planks follow the round of the bow.

 

Two days later……..

1363

1361

Two strakes left and they will be of pretty uniform shape - I’m relieved to see.

1351

1360

A small satisfaction to be had when both sides match.

1355

My shipyard assistant casts a critical eye over my efforts, is he impressed, hard to tell, but I'm satisfied. 🙂

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

11/07/2023.

 

[Kevin]

wonderful work, very nice indeed

[realworkingsailor]

That planking looks fantastic! I trust that nary a copper tile will ever obscure any of your hard work?

 

Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t say thanks for the “new” word to add to my vocabulary! 
 

Andy

[aliluke]

Agree with Andy - amazing planking on a very big hull where things can stray and go pear shaped very quickly. You arrested that early which is good lesson for plankers. I got a bit of strife here after covering the boxwood planking on my HMS Fly - it is just about how you want the end result to look like isn't it? Either way, this will be a masterpiece.

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Kevin, Andy, and Alistair, and for the 'likes' - much appreciated.

@ Andy - the jury is still out on the  coppering question.

@ Alistair - don't know about a masterpiece, but I'm fairly satisfied that the planking will be good enough to give me the  'unadorned' option.

 

Post Forty-eight

 

Planking completion.

1364

Two strakes to go and the hull is re-marked for the last time to shape the planks.

1365

The final strake.

1372

Last plank and completion.

1374

1375

1376

Complete. 🍾

 

Altho’ it feels I’ve spent a long time doing the second planking it has only been 25 active working days including the drop planks and Top and butt wale planking.

Not very long in overall terms for a build of this magnitude.

The work does involve several re-markings of the strake lines on the hull to keep things on track, the transfer of each reference point on the planks cut to scale, and the necessary tapering and spiling to get the fit.

There were failures along the way but the incidence of scrapping planks was thankfully low.

1380

1381

1382

1390

Onto the sanding and cleaning up the hull.

 

B.E.

12/07/2023

 

 

 

[Thukydides]

Looks fantastic BE. Really you are flying through this build. I am looking forward to seeing how using the boxwood as the yellow stripe turns out once you have everything sanded and painted.

[paul carruthers]

Couldn’t bring myself to paint my sphinx

[Blue Ensign]

Yeah, me neither

8070

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post Forty-nine

Sanding the hull

For this I’m using a combination of 120 and 320 grit papers for the initial clean up.

1391

As I go, I collect the pear dust for use in any minor gaps between the planking.

After a full day of sanding and stiffening fingers, I think I’m nearly there.

1395

1400

1402

1403

1404

1407

I’ll review it in the morning, and once I've had a general tidy up  in my office, perhaps wop a coat of wop on it.

 

B.E.

13/07/2023

 

 

[Mirabell61]

Lovely work B.E.

 

Nils

[hollowneck]

Very nice second planking job, B.E. An especially good job on conforming the one-piece wale.

She's looks just about ready for her ball evening gown (stain & WOP finish)...

Edited July 13, 2023 by hollowneck
typo...grrrrr

[Hubac's Historian]

Beautiful plank job, B.E.!

[Morten]

Nice!

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers Guy's, thanks for looking in.

@ Ron - An especially good job on conforming the one-piece wale.

Unlike Sphinx, Chris opted not to provide  a laser etched wale, and indicated use of three 5mm strips for the purpose. 

On my 'Indy' the wales are made up of four strakes of Top and Butt planking which I felt  provided a more authentic look.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post Fifty.

Time to add a coat of w-o-p.

I make my own up using spirit based Black friar clear satin Poly varnish diluted 50% using white spirit.

Applied sparingly with a soft cloth the first application will reveal those areas that may need more attention.

 Application of w-o-p darkens the pearwood, and brings out the richness, but of more importance the overall tone of the wood is uniform and consistent.

1419

1418

1416

1414

1420

The colour tone is close to what I had hoped for to contrast with the Boxwood and is not far off the patination I would aspire to achieve were I to copper the hull.

 

That’s a story for another time.

 

B.E.

14/07/2023