HMS Sphinx 1775 by brunnels - Vanguard Models - 1:64 scale

[brunnels]

I have been pretty bad at remembering to take photos the last few days, but I have been making some progress. 

 

I spent a day sanding and filling the hull.  After that was completed I glued on the keel, and stern and rudder post.  Once those were dry I glued on the laser cut coverings for the keel and stern post.  While the glue set on those pieces, I brushed on diluted glue and started on the port side laser cut pear pieces.

 

After the keel pieces had set and I had some more clamps freed up I glued on the starboard laser cut pear pieces.  I'm glad I invested in more clamps.

 

[brunnels]

Weekend catch up post.  This last weekend my plan was to get a start on the second layer of planking.  So Friday night I glued on the llower pear laser cut pieces so I could get a good start on planking on saturday.

 

 

Saturday morning came very early, my dog is in her twilight years and doesn't have full mobility, so if she is up at the crack of dawn that means I have to be up at the crack of dawn, which is fine unless I'm wanting to sleep in on the weekend.  Not a problem though, as besides changing the oil in my truck I had my schedule cleared for the day so I could get some good progress on the second layer of planking.  So waking up early just meant I had the opportunity to get more work done.

So with an audience comfortable on the office couch, I got a nice early start on the second layer.

 

Two rows of laser cut pear strips start off the 2nd layer, followed by two rows of full length strips un-tapered.

 

I then started tapering at the bow, I also cut the strips in half to make it easier to work with as I will be painting the hull white so I'm not concerned about the layout of the boards.  Also I had to add some thin limewood strips I had to the deadwood area as it was a little too thin for the planks to meet up at the stern post evenly.  @mugje Gave me a heads up on this issue earlier, and he was correct.

 

 

Here is where I left off at the end of the day sunday.  The pear is very easy to work with, and the 2nd layer is actually going much smoother than I expected. Figuring out how the boards should lay down at the stern is the most time consuming part, but now that I am about 2/3rd's the way finished the boards are laying down flat at the stern progress is picking up much more quickly. 

 

The other side has a few rows less put down, but progress isn't that much further behind.   Probably a few more nights of planking and then a couple more of sanding and cleaning up a few spots.  

[mugje]

Good progress! And yes i'm with you on the pear wood...it really is nice wood to work with.

 

Lovely dog btw!

[brunnels]

I have finished laying down the second layer of pear planks.  Just need to add some filler below the water line and then sand the hull smooth.  It's not perfect, and definitely not up to par with most on this forum, but being only my second kit to build I am very happy with how it turned out.

 

 

  

 

 

[cdrusn89]

Looks really good. I have used automotive spray primer with filler in the past. It helps to visualize the areas that need attention plus fills in any really small cracks/flaws. Need to mask off above the waterline (obviously).

 

I am right behind you.

 

Have to add the transom/keel/stem/stern post etc. then on to the second layer.

[brunnels]

My next step was tackling the gunwales. While the gunwales were pinned for 24 hours to retain the correct shape, I started to work on the stern.

 

I started with the inner lower counter piece glued with PVA.

 

Next up was the upper inner stern piece.

 

The next morning the gunwales had properly dried to retain their shape around the bow.  I glued the gunwales using PVA, and a ton of nails.  I wasn't expecting to have to use so many nails, but the piece just didn't want to lay flat on its own.  No worries though as the piece is being painted, so I could fill any nail holes.

 

While the glue on the gunwales was drying I decided to glue on the outer stern piece.  The inner stern piece was a very thin piece of wood, and I kept accidently brushing it while working on the model and I was afraid I was going to snap off part of the piece.  So I decided to skip ahead a few steps in the instructions and glue on the thicker outer piece to offer a little more protection against my clumsiness. 

 

I then added the outer piece for the lower stern.  

 

Once the gunwales glue had dried, it was time to tape up the hull and add some paint.  I'm using regular Vallejo Black.

 

 

Now time to tackle the Quarter Galleys.  Since I opened up the doors this was going to requite a bit of custom work. Taking some insperation from @Blue Ensign  and adjusting the parts as I felt best worked I decided to take a piece of lime wood and copy the outer curve of the MDF kit piece, and then cut it down so it was about 2mm wide.  

 

After checking the location of where the piece needed to sit a large number of times, I then glued the piece under the template piece.

 

I then repeated the process for the two pieces below.

 

My next step is to make a floor board, seat of ease for one side, and then add some paint before closing up the galleys with the windows. 

 

 

 

 

Edited Monday at 02:26 PM by brunnels

[mugje]

Looking good! You are making big steps! Applying the gunwales scare me a little bit lol, but yours look great  

[brunnels]

8 minutes ago, mugje said:

Applying the gunwales scare me a little bit lol, but yours look great

I was also nervous when starting them, and I used way more nails than I was expecting to keep it flat against the hull.  But knowing the piece was being painted gave me relief as paint can cover up a lot of ugliness.   

[brunnels]

More work done on the Quarter Galleys.

 

Before I closed up the Galleys I painted them with Vallejo Ivory White to match the great cabin.  I also created the captains Seat of Ease using a 4x4 piece of lime with some leftover .8mm pear on top, and a hole drilled into both.

 

Next I started to close up the Galleys with the window frame pieces.

 

Next were the outer window frame piece, and the lower counter piece.  A bit of sanding of the custom frame pieces I made was required to get the counter piece to sit flush to match the window frame.

 

I then added the upper roof piece.  This piece is intentionally oversized for fit, so it needed quite a bit of sanding to get the proper slant and to fit flush with the window frame piece below it. 

 

I then repeated the same process for the port side.