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

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Kevin and Nipper.👍

@ Kevin,  - I think the jury is still out on that one, I'm always edgy until the first planking is done.

 

@ Nipper -  Kind of you to say so, it's not that time -consuming, there's only so much concentrated effort I can handle at a time. I take quick photos as I go along, write up the post on a word doc, and copy and paste to MSW. Doing the log is a nice break from actual building.

 

My motives are not entirely altruistic, I use my own logs as crutch to my memory. I'm at the stage of life when I think  how did I do that last time - I've just looked back on Sphinx to see what I did with the Garboard.🤔

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[Toolmaker]

Your work clearly shows the benefits of taking your time, maintaining high patience levels and a determination to not take short cuts.

Coming from a manufacturing planning background I am having to educate myself in a similar vein.

What May seem slow is often the quickest.

Loverly work.

Thank you

Paul

[glbarlow]

18 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

use my own logs as crutch to my memory

Right there with you🫣🤔

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you Paul for looking in, and your kind words.

Lovely part of the world you are based in; when I'm not  modelmaking I can often be found wandering around Snowdonia. Anglesey, and the Llyn Peninsula.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post Nineteen

Hull planking continues

I can now work out the planking runs.

If my arithmetic is right, on paper at least I will need (20) strakes of 6mm stuff and (I) of 5mm.

At the bow the planks will need to taper to 3mm.

0718

I am using the MSW download planking fan which has the added advantage of being the correct 6mm spacing at the maximum width of the base of the fan.

The provided lime strip is of a nice quality but there are variations in widths. A random sample indicates a range between 5.3 – 6.0mm and thickness 0f 1.42 - 1.58mm. These small variations do have a cumulative effect and create ridges and hollows. This is not a big issue and there is plenty of meat to sand out the irregularities.

0706

On first layer planking I use tick strips to mark the central and every other bulkhead with the planking lines.

Variations in plank widths will also impact on the marked plank runs and there will inevitably be error creep as the strakes are applied.

0707

At this point five more strakes have been added, together with another strake adjacent to the Garboard.

0713

On this build I didn’t bother to thin down the false keel in the area around the bearding line to accommodate the second planking. I thought I would follow Jim’s example and finish the first planking short, and fay it to suit the second planking against the stern post.

0714

0716

0709

Edge bending is now required on all bow strakes.

0720

0721

Not a pretty sight in its raw state, but hopefully she will emerge as a swan at some point.

0726

I will now re-mark the tick strip results in the remaining space and apply another five strakes.

 

B.E.

10/04/2023

 

 

[aliluke]

Looking good as always B.E. 

 

As an aside - where do you get those yellow (brass?) inserts for the foldback clips you use? Looks like a nifty little clamping system.

 

Cheers

A

[Glenn-UK]

1 hour ago, aliluke said:

Looking good as always B.E. 

 

As an aside - where do you get those yellow (brass?) inserts for the foldback clips you use? Looks like a nifty little clamping system.

 

Cheers

A

Amati Planking Clamp Set A7377 | Cornwall Model Boats

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Alistair, Glenn has provided you with the answer. You can make them yourself using the spring clip with  one of the handles from another inserted lengthways to provide the tongue.

 

Post Twenty

… and more planking.

0731

A couple more plank strakes are now added up from the Garboard and slowly the gap reduces. I am content that the midships gap each side remains even at 60mm.

0736

I now have ten strakes left each side to complete the first layer planking.

0729

At the stern, once I reached the stern post I began tapering; this is not a hull shape that requires wider planks at the stern.

The tick marks have been recalibrated three times to this point.

0737

0749

0751

0750

Two, maybe three days should see the first planking completed and ready for sanding, and I suspect a little filling.

 

B.E.

12/04/2023.

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post twenty-one

Light at the end of the tunnel.

I am now alternating the plank strakes from top down and keel up which should leave the final strake below the round of the hull at midships.

This is a good place to have it in case the final strake works out to be less than uniform in shape.

0752

So, Gromit, how’s it looking – RUFF.

Have faith Gromit, there’s a fair bit of fettlin’ to do yet.

0761

Five strakes now remain, and I have re-marked the ‘ticks’ hopefully for the last time.

0755

0757

Don’t say it William, I’ve heard it all from Gromit.

0760

Has it only been three weeks since I started planking, how time flies when you’re having fun. 🙄

 

Onwards…

 

B.E.

15/04/2023

 

[glbarlow]

On 4/14/2023 at 11:50 AM, Blue Ensign said:

three weeks

Winchelsea took me six months, planking is fun stuff

 

Your first planking is looking great, nice start!

Edited April 16, 2023 by glbarlow

[aliluke]

It seems when it comes to planking you are, in fact, fatigable 🙃 

 

Great work - I'd dread planking a hull of that size.

 

A

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers, Glenn, and Alistair,

 

I expect the second layer planking will take a lot, lot, longer to complete as I transfer each and every tick mark from hull to plank. My approach has been somewhat abbreviated on this first layer, but it has given me a lot of pointers to consider when I reach that stage.

 

I don’t know about ‘fatigable’ Alistair, I tend to keep at it once I’ve started, sometimes to the exasperation of Mrs W.

 

This is the largest hull I have planked since Norske Love and that was so long ago I’ve forgotten how I felt. The difference with Norske Love is that it is single planked, which without the comfort blanket of two layers, tends to concentrate the mind.🤔

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

 

Hello Spy,

 

The single lengths are 900mm long, too long in my opinion to handle the run. As I mentioned in an earlier post to halve the runs down the double middle bulkheads offends my eye.

 

I  can't bring myself to apply the first planking 'any which way',  simply because it's 'only the first planking'.  I prefer to  use a limited tick strip, edge bend, approach which gets me into the rhythm for what is to come.

 

Just one of my little foibles , but in the final analysis 'any which way' will get you there, providing the fairing and  sanding is completed to a reasonable standard.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

The planking strips are narrower and thinner for the second planking and I hope to do a reasonable butt shift pattern, and more or less scale lengths. 
 

B.E.

[glbarlow]

4 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

reasonable butt shift pattern, and more or less scale lengths. 

 

5 hours ago, SpyGlass said:

indeed actual planking lengths ?

Good call BE. The extra effort shows well, especially on a hull of this size but really on any hull. 

[Blue Ensign]

Post Twenty-two

Countdown to completion

0762

0766

Three strakes left.

0768

0769

Two strakes left and getting a little tight at the bow.

0771

I could get a fit but I decided just for the fun of it to add a drop plank here.

0774

It extends from the stem back to the fourth bulkhead.

0776

0779

One strake only left to abut the drop plank.

Things have worked out pretty well with the remaining strake sitting below the hull round.

0783

A good supply of lime was provided in the kit; I have a fair number left over, but I did use a few wider strips, to form planks like the Garboard and drop planks.

0784

0792

0790

0787

It’s now a case of sand, sand, and sand again.

 

B.E

17/04/2023

[aliluke]

Indefatigable!!! Great planking and brilliant for a first layer. What an epic hull. I now have to plank a 26' launch at 1/64 - not an epic hull at all.

 

Sand away!

 

A

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Alistair, may not be epic but planking a 26' launch is no mean feat, as I experienced with my Sphinx build.

Those Vanguard boats are great little projects in their own right.

 

B.E.

[davyboy]

Hi Maurice,top job on your first planking, Have "fun" with your sanding marathon.

 

Dave 

[Paryzek]

Looks good, nice hull.

[Kevin]

lovel 1st planking, far better than my 2nd

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you Dave, Pavel, and Kevin.

I'm quite pleased (relieved) with the way the planking has gone, but I'm still very edgy about the second lot. 

I think I'm feeling the weight of the large investment in this kit plus the expensive timbers I could potentially  mess up.

 

message to self - just get on with it!

 

B.E.

[hollowneck]

1 hour ago, Blue Ensign said:

I think I'm feeling the weight of the large investment in this kit plus the expensive timbers I could potentially  mess up.

@Blue Ensign, you have nothing to fear but fear itself...

[Blue Ensign]

Post Twenty-three

The Sanding business

0811

This is a lovely hull to sand, large enough to sweep along it with flexible sanding sheets and blocks.

0812

At the stern the planks are feathered into the false keel to receive the top layer.

0815

There were a few low spots that I filled and sanded and once I was satisfied with a blind feel test I deemed the job complete.

0819

The whole process was completed over two days, and the hull was finally given a coat of sanding sealer.

0821

Sanding sealer contains Xylenes, and is nasty stuff, best done in the open air and wearing a mask and gloves.

0822

At this point I dry fitted the stem, keel, and sternpost parts.

The stem fitted neatly into place with a light tap of the hammer, but before final fitting I was interested to see how the facings related to the curve of the bow planking.

0810

These facings of 1mm stuff are engraved with the lines that denote the various parts of the head and provide a rabbet for the second planking.

0830

I fined down the plank ends a little to provide more leeway in the rabbet.

I find it always pays to constantly look a few steps ahead in a build, and check what’s coming up.

 

B.E

18/03/2023

 

[Kevin]

19 minutes ago, Blue Ensign said:

Post Twenty-three

The Sanding business

0811

This is a lovely hull to sand, large enough to sweep along it with flexible sanding sheets and blocks.

0812

At the stern the planks are feathered into the false keel to receive the top layer.

0815

There were a few low spots that I filled and sanded and once I was satisfied with a blind feel test I deemed the job complete.

0819

The whole process was completed over two days, and the hull was finally given a coat of sanding sealer.

0821

Sanding sealer contains Xylenes, and is nasty stuff, best done in the open air and wearing a mask and gloves.

0822

At this point I dry fitted the stem, keel, and sternpost parts.

The stem fitted neatly into place with a light tap of the hammer, but before final fitting I was interested to see how the facings related to the curve of the bow planking.

0810

These facings of 1mm stuff are engraved with the lines that denote the various parts of the head and provide a rabbet for the second planking.

0830

I fined down the plank ends a little to provide more leeway in the rabbet.

I find it always pays to constantly look a few steps ahead in a build, and check what’s coming up.

 

B.E

18/03/2023

 

great job, and now to do it all again

[Beef Wellington]

Looking very good as always.  Nice feature to have the stem fascia create the rabbet.  Are you going to taper the stem, or will that mess up the figurehead fitting?  Looks like the main stem piece could be tapered before attaching the facings.

[Blue Ensign]

I'm not prepared to risk it Jason, it also has implications for the keel.

Knowing when not to meddle is a valuable skill in our business.😉

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post Twenty-four

At this point I skip sections 165-191 and move to fit the keel, stem, and sternpost pieces.

I want the keel pieces in place to modify the build board for the upright hull which will be used for most of the fitting out and detailing.

All these pieces fit together nicely.

Note: The keel facings are numbered 437/439 (Fore) and 438/440 (stern) – not as shown in the manual. The pieces are  port and starboard specific.

0832

I found the trickiest part was fitting the stem facings. I needed to further tweak the planks ends using a micro chisel to allow the facing pieces to sit flat against the stem at all points, and line up with the peg slots.

 

The hull will remain inverted for hull planking and that board has been modified to protect the vulnerable stem piece.

0833

0835

The stem protectors can be swung in and out of position.

It would be a tricky issue if the delicate figure seating at the prow was to be broken off.

0840

0841

The upright building board has now been modified to support the planked hull.

0842

0838

Indy is now secure and sitting level, I don’t want this beast moving around whilst I am working on her.

 

On with the show.

 

B.E.

19/04/2023

 

[Dfell]

The building board a clever piece of work.

Always a joy to see your work.

 

Doug

[James H]

Damn, I should let you do my first planking. I don't get within 10% of being that neat!