HMS Speedy by usedtosail - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - Scale 1:64

[Theodosius]

I think it was a very good decision from you to correct the position of the wales! The fashion pieces will gain some profit of that, but IMO more importand is, that you have the right distance between the wales and the chain plates.  If you're wales are to high and the later on addet  channels are in the right position, the chain plates will not end right on top of wales, but stick out, and you will have more trouble fixing that! :-).

 

Besides of that your Speedy looks realy good! And I'm very noisy to see how the sails will come out! 🙂 

 

[usedtosail]

Thanks Theodosius. I hadn't thought about the channels yet. I think for most of the length of the hull the wale was in the right place, based on the guide marks supplied on the bulwark extensions. It was probably the last couple of inches that were too low.

 

Here is the corrected wale planks and fashion pieces. I need at least another coat of black paint on them and a little clean up on the hull planks.

 

 

I cut the three sails (spanker, main and fore topG) from the frame. For these sails I separated them but did not cut them at the edges when removing them from the frame.

 

 

I found it was easier to cut the excess sail material from the sails while they were off the frame. Cutting around the loops was still a bit tricky. Here are the sails ready to use.

 

 

I have put the sail making equipment away until I have the masts and spars made, as I need more accurate dimensions for the courses and topsails. I have approximated these dimensions from the plans but since it takes many weeks to make each sail I want to make sure I don't have to remake any.

[usedtosail]

I finally was happy with the ends of the wale pieces and the fashion pieces, so I added the little trim pieces to the swivel gun supports. Instead of using the supplied laser cut pieces I painted a then strip of wood yellow ochre and cut each one out from it. You can see what's left at the bottom of the photo. I did it this way because I know I wouldn't have been able to keep each of the laser cut pieces organized and painted.

 

 

Next I will be adding the swivel gun bases to the rails and drilling the holes for the brackets. I have also started to make the taffrail.

Edited January 15 by usedtosail
Bad spelling

[usedtosail]

I bent two pear strips for the taffrail since one layer was not thick enough to be even with the ends of the side rails. I glued the mast crutches to the transom sides and then notched the end of the taffrail pieces to fit around them. I was able to clamp these while they dried using clamps that fit into the ports in the transom. Later I glued the three rail trim pieces onto the transom and touched up the black paint on these pieces.

 

 

I then glued the pintles into the holes in the stern post to attach the rudder. I glued the tiller onto the rudder from inside the deck.

 

 

With the transom finished I can now focus on the head rails. I painted the head rail pieces with yellow oxide paint , which I am using instead of yellow ochre. I then added a strip of black down the insides of the PE pieces. I used a very small brush and cleaned up the excess black paint on the raised parts using a damp Q-tip. In order to be able to push the soft PE strips through the slots in the stem, I filed a point of sorts into the end of a thicker piece of brass strip and used it to clean out the slots first. The starboard hawse piece was in the way of the back slot a bit, so I moved it slightly and glued it back on.

 

 

You can see that I have the model in a Keel Clamper stand, which helps me tilt the model for these steps, but I am going to put it back into the wooden stand as soon as I can. I am worried that a good push to either side will separate the glued on keel from the rest of the hull. I do have it clamped on the dead wood in the back but the front clamp is on the keel.

Edited January 23 by usedtosail

[TJM]

On 1/21/2024 at 7:44 PM, usedtosail said:

I bent two pear strips for the taffrail since one layer was not thick enough to be even with the ends of the side rails. 

I should have done that as well on my Flirt! I noticed it a bit late and elected to add a bit at the ends to make them long enough. Your way is better! But interesting to see that others have found these pre-cut parts a bit on the short side! I thought it was just a mistake I had made (still may be, of course...!)

 

Looking very nice!

[usedtosail]

I have finished working on the bow area for now. I will add the boomkins at a later time. Nothing really to talk about here as everything went together pretty well. One thing I did do was use the mill to make some simulated sieves in the catheads. I also added an eye bolt to each cat head so I can rig blocks to them to hold the anchors. They also filled the otherwise laser cut unused holes in the cat heads.

 

 

 

Next up I will be adding the outer stairs and depth markings.

[usedtosail]

I added the outer stairs and the depth numerals to the hull. I put some black paint on the copper numerals that were added over the copper plating so they would show better.

 

 

 

Next I am on to the deck fittings.

[usedtosail]

I have the hatch coamings and other deck fittings that fit around the larger holes in the deck ready to go. I used some sandpaper round a coffee can to sand the deck round up into the bottom of the larger fittings. These are just dry fit for now.

 

 

I am now working on the bitts and windlass.

[usedtosail]

I finished the bitts and windlass but put them away before taking pictures. I then made up the capstan, pumps and swivel guns. I am going to put 8 swivel guns per side, unless that looks too crowded. I certainly don't want to fill all the swivel gun supports.

 

 

The capstan went together so nicely. The laser cut pieces just fit together do problem. The pumps weren't too hard either, except when I cut the middle pieces from the PE I cut off the pin that is supposed to be glued into the side of the shafts. To compensate I drilled a hole into the top of the shaft and glued the part of the pump into the hole. I also glued the pump to the side of the shaft using CA and held it until the glue dried. They seem to be attached well but I don't want to risk catching anything on them so I will wait until much later to add them to the deck.

 

Now I am working on the cannons. I cut out all the pieces, which took a while, and started cleaning the char off the carriage sides. I am using a sanding block on the flat edges, a small Swiss flat file on the steps, and a small round file for the curved portion. I am also opening up the slot for the bolt on the back sides using a very small flat pointed file.

 

 

I am going to use a mandrel to hold the wheels while I spin them to remove the char and a small file to carefully remove the char from those small pieces.

 

One thing that confused me some was that the supplied carriage sides are different than those shown in the instructions, as you can see here:

 

 

But, the PE caps (part PE-3 in the image) are also supplied. To me the supplied sides already have the cap as part of them. I did try adding the PE cap over that part of the side but it does not conform well to the wood. So I think I am going to paint that part of the wooden side black and not add the PE part. If this isn't correct, please let me know.

 

 

[Nipper]

2 minutes ago, usedtosail said:

If this isn't correct, please let me know.

 

You're quite right!  There is the same arrangement for the Sphinx.  Chris has designed the built-in caps, so you paint them as you have guessed.  Separate photo-etched caps are very fiddly!

 

Nipper

 

 

[rlb]

Tom,

 

I don't know what the directions call for, but it seems odd to me that the caps are laser cut into the carriage sides.  I think it would be better if you sand that off, so it looks like the red carriage to the right, and then use the pe caps bent over the cannon trunnions, although it would be more fiddly as Nipper says!

 

Ron

Edited February 11 by rlb

[usedtosail]

Thanks for the responses Nipper and Ron. I made a jig like I usually do to glue up the sides and axles, but in testing it out I realized that if I use the sides as they are I have to put the cannon barrel in the sides before I glue them to the axles. This also means I need to paint the individual parts before glueing so I don't have to paint around the barrel. I am painting three sets of carriage parts now and will try assembling them as is, but if I find it too awkward I may do as you suggest Ron and file or cut off the wooden cap part of the sides.

[Nipper]

You have to do what works best for you, as we all do!

 

I glued the front and back axles to one side of the carriage first, then painted all those plus the other, separate, carriage sides. Then I painted the barrels and when all was satisfactory I glued the assemblies together.  Which worked best?  I think I would prefer to paint the whole carriage assembly first rather than the two halves, but I definitely preferred not to have to attach the separate caps.  The built in caps look neater to me but probably the whole job took a bit longer.  Not that time really matters.

 

You could make one of each method and decide which works best, before going on to complete them all.

 

Nipper

 

 

[usedtosail]

I painted the cap black on the three sets of carriage parts to test the assembly and then built three carriages using the jig I made. I have to say they went together easier than I thought, even with having to cannon barrel in between the two sides as I lined everything up. I also like the look, so I will use the carriage sides as is.

 

 

I still need to add the bolts, wheels, and quoins to these but I don't anticipate problems with them. I went ahead and started painting all the carriage parts red. I also used a toothpick as a mandrel in a Dremel tool to sand the char off the wheels.

[usedtosail]

Cannon production is in full swing. I have been painting the sides and axles of the carriages. I used a small file to make the axles round where the wheels fit on. I painted the parts in two batches, but I managed to paint mostly left sides in the first batch so I could only assemble a few carriages from the first batch. Not sure how I managed that.

 

 

When assembling the carriages, I add the cannon barrel and the bolt through the sides before gluing them to the axles. I found this easier than trying to add the bolts later. I then add the quoin, wheels and eyebolt in the back axle. I am making up the breach ropes off the cannon, as you can see in the above picture. I slide on a ring bolt, two eyebolts, and another ring bolt to a piece of 0.025" line, then seize the ring bolts to the ends. I don't fix the seizings yet so I can adjust the length of the breach line. I then open up a loop in the middle of the breach line and slip it over the cascabel of the cannon. I glue the two eyebolts into the holes in the carriage sides, then adjust the length of the breach rope to be about even with the end of the barrel. Here are the first three cannons ready to be installed. I'll glue them down first then glue the ring bolts on the ends of the breach ropes to the holes in the bulwarks. I'll also add empty ring bolts to the other two holes at each gun port. For this model I am just rigging the cannons with breach ropes.

 

 

I drilled out all of the holes along the inner bulwarks for the cannons and cleats so they are ready to go. I also have the pin rails ready to be painted after adding pins to each one.

[usedtosail]

I have finished all the cannons and most of the rest of the items for the deck and inner bulwarks.

 

 

I will start by gluing the cannons down first then attaching the breech ropes to the bulwarks. I will also be adding the cleats and ringbolts to the bulwarks at the same time.

 

 

I will be adding the pin rails after all the lower items are installed on the bulwarks. Then I will add the deck fittings and the ring bolts for the training tackle. For these I used the rings from the kit but with a piece of 28 gauge wire bent through it. This will be placed in a hole in the deck so that the eyebolt doesn't protrude from the deck. I saw this method in one of @Chuck 's latest posts.

 

 

 

[chris watton]

I kept the PE cap squares just in case some modellers preferred to use them, instead of the now intergrated caps. I never liked the PE caps, sometimes way too fiddly, more so on the smaller size guns (and so easily lost)!- but I leave it up the individual modeller to choose, rather than taking that choice away completely. There was room of the new PE to keep them, so I did.

Edited February 27 by chris watton

[usedtosail]

Chris I am glad you provided both cap squares. I was really happy with the way the painted wooden cap squares looked when painted black and much less fiddly, but having both options was good.

[usedtosail]

Making progress on the deck and bulwark fittings. I have secured the cannons and attached the ring bolts on the ends of the breaching lines to the bulwarks. I have also added the tackle ringbolts to the bulwarks, as well as the metal and wooded cleats. The starboard pin rails are installed too. I installed the first couple too low but was able to remove them and move them up higher so the tops of the belaying pins were above the rails.

 

 

I drilled out the marked holes in the deck (thanks Chris) and pushed in the deck ring bolts I made. Here is how they came out.

 

 

[Theodosius]

The tackeld guns look great!

[usedtosail]

Thank you Theodosius.

 

I have to give another shout out to @chris watton on the ladder kits that came with this ship kit. Again they are different than what is shown in the original instructions, but they fit together sooo nicely and look great when completed. The steps fit into the side rails with just enough pressure so that they hold together even before gluing. These were the easiest ladders I have ever built and also the best looking. Thanks again Chris.

 

 

[chris watton]

Well, when designing Speedy back then, it was more like a legacy type kit, as the laser cut wood was was to be limewood and sub contracted, and some Amati fittings, like ladders. I think only 20 were made like that before I realised I wanted better....

[usedtosail]

I added pins to the channels and glued them to the hull. I added the deadeyes to the chain plates and slipped them into the holes in the channels, then used a piece of dowel with a string on it to get the angles of the chain plates. I drilled holes in the wales and glued in cut off nails to hold them. You can see that I was only able to get the top holes on the wales for the large deadeyes. The height of the channels is set by the lower edge of the gunport and the position of the wales was marked on the outer bulwarks so I am not sure why they didn't match up unless the chain plates are a little too long. I went ahead and added a nail through the lower holes under the wales which looks OK to me. These holes are come out under the deck so I could use a whole nail for them, unlike the chain plates for the small deadeyes that go through the bulwark. These holes have to be pretty shallow so they don't show on the inside, so it is tough getting the small cut off nails into these holes.

 

 

 

I will be adding all the deck items next. My kit came with wooden gratings along with the PE ones. I am using the wooden ones, which I gave a coat of wipe on poly. They fit the coamings perfectly and look great. I am also adding the cannon balls to the rakes on the coamings before adding the coamings to the deck.

[wvdhee]

Looks like the channels are a little too low, assuming Speedy is the same as Flirt. That's maybe why the chain plates end up below the wales.

Here's my Flirt with channels flush with gun ports.

Edited March 10 by wvdhee

[Theodosius]

Hi usedtosail,

 

I'm very sure, that your channels ar'nt too low, but your wales are to high!

 

You changed it at the back of your model, but now your wales don't run smoth and parales to the sheer line! The first picture from the back of the ship at #64 shoes, that your replaced wales fall down at the end of the ship, but they should have gone up in a smooth line.

 

You said that you have used the pre-painted marks to place the wales in the correct hight/spot. I'm sure you did that! But than, I'm afraid, you did not place the second plank of the wales UNDER the first one but ON TOP of it. That would explain why you had not enoug room for the fashion peace, it would explain why the top of your wales are only roughly one plank under your gun ports, where there should be a space of something about two planks, and lastly it would explain why the chain plates don't fit as intended.

 

Well, if you just shortend the now too long chain plates, no one would ever see what happened here 🙂 

 

Beside that, äh, feature, your model looks realy good! Nice fitting colour selection you did there too!

 

EDIT:

 

I looked more closely at more of your photos:

 

#67 (first picture): on the most left gun port there is barly one plank between the underside of the opening and the top of the walel. The second one, ther is room for a good plank. Third: one and a half. Fourth: nearly the needet two ones. Perhaps you just managed to aplly a not wantd extra curve into it. 

Edited March 10 by Theodosius
more observations

[usedtosail]

Thanks for your responses guys. 

 

On 3/10/2024 at 5:45 PM, Theodosius said:

You said that you have used the pre-painted marks to place the wales in the correct hight/spot. I'm sure you did that! But than, I'm afraid, you did not place the second plank of the wales UNDER the first one but ON TOP of it.

I know I didn't do that. After taking more measurements yesterday I think this is a cautionary tale about small errors adding up - the wales are a bit too high, the channels are a bit too low, the bottoms of the gun ports may have been filed down a bit too far, etc. creating about a 2mm error in the location of the chain plates. Oh well, time to move on.

 

I added the rest of the deck fittings today, which was pretty straight forward. The aft ladder was too tight in the coaming so I filed the sides of the coaming and deck a bit until it fit nicely. The anchor lines I made from 0.076" line I made when I built the Duchess of Kingston model.

 

 

I am going to build the ship's boat next but also the masts at the same time. I have four sails still to make and I have to make them one at a time, so I would like to get started on them soon. But I need the exact heights of the mast sections and stays to size them accurately.

[Theodosius]

Glad you found out what went wrong! I have such things too, and did'nt fix them, because no one will ever see it. But, I allways want to know what I did wrong, so that in the future I know how to not make the mess again :-).

 

A pro po again: your model is beautiful just the way it is! 🙂 

 

[usedtosail]

I have started building the cutter using the parts that came with the kit. My kit came with two keels pieces, one in MDF the same width as the frames and a thinner one in pear. I glued the frames to the thinner one but the slots are bigger than the keel, so I also used some thin CA with the wood glue to help hold the frames to the keel. The two transom pieces fit perfectly though as their slots were cut for the thinner keel. The instructions say to plank with 3mm wide strips, but my kit only came with 4mm pear strips for all planking. I have enough end cuts from planking the hull so I ripped these down to 3mm using the Byrnes saw.

 

 

I have also shaped the two lower masts and one of the topmasts (they are both the same on this ship according to the plans). I started by shaping the square sections by hand using files, then used the lathe to shape the round sections. No pictures yet though.

Edited March 13 by usedtosail

[jereremy]

I'd check with Chris about that missing planking. If it is like the standalone kit, it should be a .6mm laser cut sheet that also contains the oars, rudder, and knees.

[usedtosail]

I do have the sheet with those items Jeremy, but it does not include any planks. The instructions say to use the same planking as used on the hull.