HMS Harpy 1796 (production prototype) by James H - Vanguard Models - 1/64

[Kevin]

you have been busy Jim. looks fantastic

[James H]

Last one for today.

 

Bitts

These need no explanation. They'll also be painted red before fitting to the hull.

 

 

Grates

I'm only showing one unit being built here as they all follow the same pattern, including the coaming that accepts the ladder to access the lower deck. These coamings have curved tops, and are identical in shape to those on the shipyard plans. First, we have to glue the curved top parts into place on the body.

 

I now soak all the tops and wrap around a tin until thoroughly dry. The centres are also temporarily left in place to add strength and make it easier to neatly and evenly sand the tops of the assemblies.

 

 

After sanding the units so they are smooth, the coamings can be painted black. Note that this unit has another curved part. This is where the stove chimney will protrude.

 

Until next time...

 

[AJohnson]

Great details, really like the new curved gratings. 

[Ronald-V]

9 hours ago, AJohnson said:

Great details, really like the new curved gratings. 

Me too! Great enhancement

[James H]

Update time, and possibly my last before I go on holiday.

 

As the weather here had got better, I could finally get the hull faired. With that task done, I went about fitting the inner pear prow, keel and rudder post.

 

 

 

I desperately wanted to get onto the stern, to give it more rigidity in that area. These two 0.8mm ply parts were then fitted. I drew some pencil lines to help with fitting these centrally. To curve the lower counter, and save time, I added a series of score lines on the reverse.

 

Any overhang on these parts was now sanded flush with the sides of the hull.

 

To avoid any kinks in the forward area of the ply bulwark (where the gun ports lay), I soaked the parts and then used an iron and curved block to shape them. These were then fitted/pinned dry. When happy with the positions, they had glue brushed into the joint areas. 

 

 

Planking is done in my usual cack-handed way. With this hull, the lines are very easy to plank and hardly any stealers needed to used. A first for me±

 

[James H]

Continued.

 

The hull is now fully planked, and using my usual protective tape on the inner keel areas, the whole lot was sanded smooth. I show a block, but most of the work was done with a sanding mouse, now that I feel confident enough to use it without making gaping holes. 

 

The lower stern planking sections are added. These are made up from two engraved parts.

 

 

Pear prow, keel and rudder post are fitted and wooden alignment pegs used to get the job right. 

 

 

At the moment, I'm waiting for the outer bulwarks to shrink back after soaking. I thought I'd do something useful and got this pile of copper tile made from the roll of self-adhesive copper tape supplied in the kit.

 

Me done for today!

[Kevin]

Fantastic work Jim, hope you enjoy your a well deserved holiday

[Ronald-V]

Looking great! And have a nice vacation  

[AJohnson]

Great looking ship, looks to have nicer lines than Cruizer/Snake. 
 

That cutter/guillotine looks good and solid, is it metal?  I have cheap plastic one that rocks about when cutting strip, so don’t use it much.  

[James H]

38 minutes ago, AJohnson said:

That cutter/guillotine looks good and solid, is it metal?  I have cheap plastic one that rocks about when cutting strip, so don’t use it much.  

 

All metal. Check out the review here:
 

 

[palmerit]

What is the difficulty of this kit?

[James H]

1 hour ago, palmerit said:

What is the difficulty of this kit?

It’s looking to be a Level 3 ‘Experienced’ but that is mostly due to rig. The hull itself would be a level lower, but we have to factor in the rig. 

[chris watton]

Regarding the rig, I shall add a note saying the modeller can omit any rig directly relating to sails, like sheets, tacks, clews and bowlines. If the modeller wishes, they can just add the standing rigging and runing rigging relating to yards and booms only. But the plans and blocks and thread will allow for a fully rigged model - but you don't have to, you can stop once the yard rigging (Tyes, lifts and braces) is complete.

[palmerit]

Question: Before painting wood (whether small pieces or parts of the hull or masts), do you use a primer or sanding seal (to limit the wood fibers from rising up)?

[James H]

Just now, palmerit said:

Question: Before painting wood (whether small pieces or parts of the hull or masts), do you use a primer or sanding seal (to limit the wood fibers from rising up)?

It doesn't do any harm to use a coat of varnish or sanding sealer, as long as it won't react with paint. 

 

For what you see here....no, I don't prime. I prep all parts by sanding them smooth with 320 grit paper and dusting off. That's how I do most of what you see, except for Indy's main paint scheme. I used sanding sealer on that.

[James H]

In addition, some of these paints I DO use are actually primers anyway. I use Plastikote red oxide primer, and while primer from their spray can range. 

[James H]

Been back from my hols for a week, so it's time for an update.

 

With the first planks done, the outer layer begins with the full length, engraved bulwarks. I did a short soak of the bow area before properly fitting. This was to prevent any possible crack at the top of the fore gunport. I left this to dry for 24hrs so it shrank back to normal size.

 

 

 

When it comes to gluing the bulwarks in place, some MDF port jigs are included, each designed for their specific opening. I used a few of these along the way.

 

 

The bulwarks are very easy to fit. In fact, this hull is one of the friendliest when it comes to planking and adding pre-cut parts such a bulwarks and wales. After these were fitted, the hull was planked in pear and then sanded smooth.

 

 

The wales are full length parts, and even with their strange curves when flat, they conform to the hull perfectly. The top of the wale sits along the bottom engraved line on each bulwark. The forward end of the bulwarks were soaked in water for 10 mins before being clamped/pinned to the hull until they dried out. 

 

 

A rail is now added to the top side of each bulwark. Look closely and you'll see it.

 

 

One of my favourite parts and one that signifies a corner being turned; removing the MDF bulwark ears. 

 

 

More in a few minutes....

[James H]

...continued.

 

Time for the laser engraved deck to be fitted. As you can see, the cut-outs can be left in place if you don't want to see below deck. The areas on the main deck denote the areas that need to be removed from the deck.

 

 

After test fitting, the deck is temporarily laid in place so I can mark the edges of the cutouts. This is to stop me putting glue in the exposed areas. On my build, the deck needed no adjustment whatsoever and fit the first time.

 

 

The deck is now glued into place and a few clamps applied. The 20inch clamps are great for going through gun ports and holding the deck edges in position.

 

 

Each inner bulwark is provided as two parts. The fore goes in first. It's easy enough to paint these before fitting. What I did do with the fore parts was to clamp them in place first, with no glue. I left them 24hrs so the fibres relaxed a little, making it easier to glue and clamp later.

 

 

You can see how I left paint from the areas where the spirket and ledge will fit.

 

 

Before I can fit the spirketting and ledges, I first need to fit these parts into the stern.

 

.....more in a few minutes.

[James H]

....continued.

 

The cabin/latrine doors are now built, along with the cabin sides. These are then glued into place.

 

 

Each spirketting length is also supplied in halves. The forward ones are fitted first, after pre-painting.

 

....now the ledges. These are full length strips.

 

 

With basic hull work complete, I use a 12-inch steel rule, wrapped in sandpaper, and draw it evenly over the tops of the bulwarks, levelling them.

 

 

The hull is then masked before the top rail and wales are painted black. For the prototype, I use Games Workshop's 'Chaos Black' as it has an amazing coating ability. This is from an aerosol can, hence the silly amount of masking you see!

 

More next time.

[Ronald-V]

Lovely update! Those jigs for mounting the gunport patterns in the right place are a handy detail, nice  

[brunnels]

Loving the progress, such a unique model so far.  Those MDF port jigs are ingenious, a big reason I love Vanguard models is that Chris seems to continually put a lot of thought and effort into developing solutions to minimize mistakes on the consumer end.  

[Kevin]

9 minutes ago, Ronald-V said:

Lovely update! Those jigs for mounting the gunport patterns in the right place are a handy detail, nice  

i agree, brilliant idea

[chris watton]

Wooden kits will never be as easy as plastic kits, but there are things I can do to try and make the experience less frustrating - so when compared to other wooden kits, my aim has always been to at least make them easier to build. Inevitably, the by-product is a lot more parts, though...

 

I have a cut file for the outer bulwarks with double the amount of treenails - but need to see how long they take to produce before deciding....

[AJohnson]

55 minutes ago, Kevin said:

i agree, brilliant idea

I love all these innovations on each new kit.  Harpy has very nice lines, well done Chris and Jim!   

[glbarlow]

Easier is good, so is accuracy. I’d still want a wooden model with its fair set of challenges.  

[chris watton]

19 minutes ago, glbarlow said:

Easier is good, so is accuracy. I’d still want a wooden model with its fair set of challenges.  

I think any wooden model kit that requires planking will always be a challenge to most, and for those who love it, there is and always should be plenty of scope to stamp their own mark on the build, as I see countless times in this forum.

[James H]

Update time. This more or less takes the hull up to the masting stage.

 

The stuff that still needs to be done are the chainplates, tiller post and rig, and boomkins. 

 

Here we go...

 

The first task was to ascertain the rough waterline mark and then mask up to it. From there, the hull is filled and sanded back. As this is coppered, the same level of finish isn't required as it would be for a painted hull. The copper tape places are then added and when finished, the whole lot is washed with isopropyl alcohol to remove grease, and then polished with 00000 grade steel wool. It's important to use vinyl/nitrile gloves to stop any grease getting back onto the hull. When done, it's advisable that matt varnish is used to seal everything.

 

 

The fore section of the gunwales are added, and then the catheads. The rear portions of the gunwales are then glued into place.

 

 

The side rails are added in two sections, with them running across the gun ports. Once set, the obscured gun ports are then cleaned up.

 

 

The stern is now assembled and clamped until dry, and the sales finished off at the stern.

 

 

Fenders are now added. 

 

The rudder is now fitted and the hinges fitted.

 

 

The head rails are now painted and assembled, and the depth markings painted and added.

 

[James H]

The interior of the hull can now be fitted out, starting with the port eyelets and the bulwark belaying racks and cleats.

 

The the rudder post box is added, and the small hatchway. Other cleats and parts fitted to the inner stern too.

 

And the bow stage is then fitted.

 

 

Companionway stars and housing are now added, and the grates are now fitted too.

 

Both gallows are now glued into place, as are the bitts.

 

 

Skylight, binnacle and wheel then glued in.

 

 

Ladders also fitted.

 

 

More in a moment...

[James H]

AND lastly.

 

3D printed chimney is glued in, as is the capstan and pawls.

 

 

Might as well add all those guns too!

 

 

The channels are now fitted, and the belaying pins added.

 

 

Pumps etc. fitted.

 

 

And Harpy now looks like this...

 

 

Now I need to add the finishing touches and move onto the masts.

[chris watton]

Today I decided that there will be 2 ships boats included with this kit, the 18' cutter and a 22' foot cutter (both highly detailed and accurate models in their own right). This means that if you want to hang the 18' cutter from the stern davits, you can add the 22' foot cutter to the deck - or 22' cutter on the deck, and 18' cutter on spare spars resting between gallows.

 

Jim is doing a fine job, love the shape of this hull.