HMS Harpy 1796 by Blue Ensign – Vanguard Models - 1:64 scale

[TJM]

Hi B.E. 

 

Very interesting tests with the copper patina. I have heard that a water solution of 2% urea with a few drops of ammonia will make a good patina. I guess this will emulate the 'natural' approach , but is perhaps more controlled and can be tuned in terms of strength of the solution and ratio between urea and ammonia. I will try that myself when I get the chance! 

 

BR

TJM

Edited February 18 by TJM

[SaltyScot]

IMHO, I think urine a good spot where you are, B.E., leaving it as is I mean  

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you Mark, TJM,  and Alan.

@  TJM - I was hoping to avoid the nasty stuff like Ammonia and Copper sulphate, and even the option of hard boiled eggs would require a large bag to  to hold the hull, and a fair bit of puff to inflate it.

@ Mark - I'm in no hurry to follow this up.

@ Alan -   I have kept the test samples exposed to air pinned to my plan board, I will leave them to mature.

0394

You can see the current state compared to the virgin plates for the Rudder.

 

B.E.

 

[TJM]

Hi B.E. 

 

I understand your caution - I am a chemist, so I am biased 😉.

 

I must say I actually like your results, especially the lower square example. But I would much prefer to use a few select chemicals than the all natural route to achieve the result!!

 

But your untreated hull also looks great as is - I am very much enjoying following your build!

[hollowneck]

4 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

You can see the current state compared to the virgin plates for the Rudder.

 

Nice exposition on your copper patina trials; close - but no cigar (yet). I agree that the coppering on your Harpy looks just fine as it stands. Mother Nature will do the rest. Your chemistry trials reminded me of my own that I also abandoned. This photo taken after approximately two years after placed on her pedestals. These are the questionable "domed" copper plates from Caldercraft, circa 2012/13.

[Blue Ensign]

That's a cracking shot of your 64, Ron, and the copper colour is spot on for what I'm after.

Love the small details - lead sheathing on the stem and Tompions in the Hawse holes. 👍

 

Post 39

Thinking about the deck

As with Indy and Sphinx I want to leave as much of the lower deck open to view as is practical.

The ply sub-deck gives the basic shape to be over-planked but the area will be increased sufficiently to house the carronades.

0384

At the bow around the Fore-Mast I have cut away an area to show more detail of the forward cabins.

This necessitates adding carlings to the deck beam behind the mast to support the mast partners.

Retro fitting carlings  is a little tricky.

 

The centre line of the boat will be planked where necessary between the various fittings.

Hatchways and Companionways will be fitted before planking.

 

Chris has designed these to fit within the etched deck cut-outs, directly on the beams, so I don’t need to  make adjustments to the height of the coamings etc.

 

The first job is to make up and fit the grating sets. 

Quite time consuming the assembly and fettlin’ of these items, there is a lot of heavy char to be removed. It pays to take time, they will be prominent features of the Upper deck.

0435

For the first time on a build, I have not had to add a round-up to the head ledges of the coamings, Chris has included this feature in the parts.👍

0393

Veneers wettened and clamped around a suitable former, in my case a plan tube, are used to cover the  coamings/ head ledges.

The instruction suggest leaving them for 36 hours before use, but I blast them with the hair dryer and leave overnight.

I perceive on the gratings a sort of ribbed effect I have not noticed on previous builds. They benefit from a light sanding to reduce this.

0402

The Instructions suggest that rounding the gratings isn’t necessary; I found it of benefit, and I applied the hairdryer treatment but without dampening the grates.

0404

Main Hatch

0432

The only issue I had with assembly was with the Fore grating and stove chimney cover.

I had to add side pieces to get a good fit.

All these fittings are in their raw state at present.

 

When going off-piste with the decking it is advisable to check out all the fittings to ensure sufficient deck planking is in place.

0423

0424

Here the riding bitts and standards are dry fitted.

I will need to support the standards with decking.

0412

Additional carlings were required to support the small steam grating above the stove grate, which otherwise just sits on the etched deck.

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Not sure what the small cut-outs on this grating are for? They almost look like a fault.

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All the char will now be removed and the centre line fittings glued into place.

 

B.E.

19/02/2025

[Blue Ensign]

Post 40

Prelude to planking.

0449

I have spent a morning cleaning up just these five fittings. The Char proved very stubborn.

0446

I do intend to paint the coamings Black, but I prefer to keep the insides bright, which proved to be the most difficult to clean.

 The gratings will be given the w-o-p treatment.

0443

I decided I couldn’t live with the kit small steam grating set-up (on the right) so I re-made one more to my liking.

0459

Looking a lot better now.

0452

I can now proceed to planking.

0460

I think my assistant is telling me it’s time for (his) lunch.

 

B.E

20/02/2025

 

[SaltyScot]

1 hour ago, Blue Ensign said:

I think my assistant is telling me it’s time for (his) lunch.

 

Ha, I have an assistant like that too. He just lays on the guest bed in that room and just stares at me too when he wants something. This is him - meet Cooper  

 

 

 

Edited February 20 by SaltyScot
Pic added.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 41

Planking the gundeck Part 1.

I start with a margin plank cut from some Boxwood sheet using the kit deck pattern to form the shape.

0465

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It is only needed for the forward hull curve, for the remainder 4mm strip will be used.

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The kit deck pattern provides a useful template for marking the  positions of the centre-line fittings.

0480

The Capstan step, aft companionway, and skylight are designed to  sit atop the deck pattern whereas the Hatchways sit upon the beams.

0487

I added a base to the Capstan step to bring it up to the correct level; it was then glued to the beams along with the hatchways.

0483

These were glued sequentially using the deck pattern to ensure correct alignment.

 

This is where it starts to get tricky, imagining a complete run of planking but leaving non connective areas unplanked, without giving the impression that they would not align were they planked.

I am generally using a combination of 3.4mm. 4.5mm wide boards, but wider strips may be required in placed.

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0489

I am starting at the centre line between the Fore Ladderway and the Main Hatch.

0493

Here the planks are supported only by the deck beams and as I’m using slightly thinner boards (0.6mm) care must be taken to avoid putting too much pressure on them. Once I move onto the sub-deck areas there is no issue.

 

I next need to fix the Inner counter boards at the stern. These need to be in place to get a tight fit of the deck planking against the lower counter pattern.

0495

The Upper counter panel required some adjustment to fit, made tricky by the fragility of this piece.

0496

On my build there is a gap between the lower counter and the sub-deck, but the fit against the upper counter is as it should be, a nice tight line.

 

Movin' on......

 

B.E.

22/02/2025

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 22 by Blue Ensign

[Blue Ensign]

Post 42

Deck Planking Part 2

With the counters in place I concentrate on the aft deck section.

Once the centre planks are in place I begin to taper the planks.

0500

0513

This is done by eye, the objective to get a curve that runs parallel to the outer deck line.

 

At this point I  move to the Bow section.

0503

0505

Apart from the four planks either side of the centre, the other are all tapered and nibbed into the Margin planks.

0509

The area of the sub-deck remains to be planked but the indication is that a fair run of planking will follow.🤞🤞

0511

Looking a bit rough at this stage and very much w-i-p. 

Hopefully this belies the end result once the deck is scrubbed,  or rather scraped up, to a reasonable finish.

 

B.E.

24/02/2025

 

[chris watton]

The holes on the small fore grating are not mistakes, they are to take the anchor hawse.

 

 

Edited February 24 by chris watton

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Chris, for the clarification.

I initially thought of that but discounted the idea  for passage of the Hawse because immediately below is the Galley stove hearth. Didn’t seem a good idea to have  wet and messy 4½” cables rubbing around the stove – to where? Or indeed with the ship at anchor fouling the grate.

Did you have specific evidence for that being the entrance point for the cables?

 

But your post has had an unintended benefit in that it has highlighted an error I have made related to the hawse.

No one seems to have picked up on it, but I placed the Main Hatch the wrong way around, mistaking the holes for the Gallow timbers for Hawse access holes. On  every ship model I have built the anchor cables run back to the main hatch before  going below to be stowed, and I instinctively placed the gratings to suit that arrangement.

That issue has now been rectified.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[chris watton]

No specific evidence, no, so you can change the position if you wish - but the holes in the gratings wasn't an error.

[SaltyScot]

As others have mentioned for themselves numerous times, this is why I LOVE this forum!!

[Blue Ensign]

14 minutes ago, chris watton said:

No specific evidence, no, so you can change the position if you wish - but the holes in the gratings wasn't an error.

Hi Chris, if you look at my part (above) compared with the Manual photo you posted  I think you may see why I originally thought it was a ‘fault’ in production rather than an error in authenticity. Some tiny sections appear to be missing.

I already had what I thought were the hawse spaces in the Main hatch gratings.

No problem, I will stick with my replacement fitting.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[chris watton]

Here is a screenshot of the cut file with this part on:

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post 43

Deck Planking Part 3

The first full length planks port and starboard that run along the unplanked area are put into place.

0520

They are fitted in one piece bow to stern in order to maintain the subtle curve fore and aft.

Butt joints at a scale 30’ are marked post fitting.

0521

Planking progresses outwards, tapering towards bow and stern, wedges are used to hold planks in place.

0522

0526

Two strakes remain to be fitted each side.

0533

Another day should see completion of the deck planking.

 

B.E.

26/02/2025

 

[wvdhee]

Looking great!

[Blue Ensign]

Post 44

Completing the deck planking.

I firstly fit Hooded planks for the penultimate strakes at the Bow and Stern.

0535

0537

This provides better spacing for the final strake against the Margin plank.

0538

The final plank requires spiling for which Tamiya tape is used to provide the shape.

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0554

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0549

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A full day to fit the final planks, and around six days  in total.

Not quite finished as the deck requires scraping and sealing with a flat varnish.

 

B.E.

27/02/2025

[harlequin]

very nice......i must add this kit to my future builds, although I have another 3 on the shelf after I have finished Endeavour.

 

[Fritzlindsay]

Does Harpy also have a waterway between the margin plank and spirketting? 

Thanks

Fritz

[SaltyScot]

Well worth the six days effort I would say. It looks nice and neat. Good job sir.

[RossR]

Nice job on the planking.  Looks great.   Definitely worth the time you put into it.  

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers Guys.

@ Fritz, thanks for looking in, separate spirketting and Quick works panelling is provided in the kit, but I've not seen a kit that supplies a waterway.

I usually do a representation of a waterway including  scuppers, but I've yet to reach that stage.

 

Post 45

Detailing the deck

Time to get some paint down.

0573

0563

I used Vallejo Black/grey(168) for the coamings.

The slightly pinkish look to the Counter isn’t representative of the true colour.

0562

Dry fitting the inner bulwarks, forward section an excellent fit. I used the gunport jigs to ensure alignment.

0577

I pre-painted the inner bulwarks before fitting. I used Vallejo Flat Red (031)

The longer aft section was trickier to fit, getting it into place before the glue set, whilst aligning it with the ports, and sheaves that run thro’ the hull.

0583

Again the port jigs proved useful.

Towards the stern I did note that the run of the bulwark  didn’t quite meet the deck, but it’s more important to get the ports lined up. Any adjustment will be done once the Spirketting is fitted.

0593

0594

Only one thin coat of paint has been applied prior to fitting.

 

B.E.

28/02/2025

 

[Blue Ensign]

Post 46

Detailing the deck cont’d

Before the spirketting is fitted it is necessary to fit the doors to the aft deck structures.

3532a

These have been fitted out with Syren hinges and handles.

 

Side panels for the deck structures (Parts 60/61)

3533a

Any hopes for a close fit were quicky dispelled, no doubt due to the peculiarities of my build.

0560

A card template was used to get the required shape which due to the differences precludes use of the outer framing pattern in its supplied form.

3534a

The shape was cut out of 0.6mm fret and lines drawn to represent the boarding at 3mm intervals. These were scored with a scalpel blade, and lined with pencil.

0604

The frames were made from 3mm strip also cut from the fret.

3541a

Trimming of the forward edge.

0609

3545a

Lower Counter

I wasn’t happy about the fit at the stern where the decking meets the lower counter; it looked unfinished and from a practical carpentry aspect was a poor arrangement.

3547a

I added a shaped Margin to butt against the plank ends and  fayed into the lower counter. This part has been painted along with the counter.

3551a

Onwards….

 

B.E

02/03/2025

[SaltyScot]

30 minutes ago, Blue Ensign said:

I wasn’t happy about the fit at the stern where the decking meets the lower counter

 

The first thing that popped into my mind on seeing this was, "Just put a quarter round on it like we do with baseboards in construction"  Silly me.

[Blue Ensign]

Hi Mark,

A quarter round may have been an option had the lower counter had a more convex  shape, but sadly not.🤔

 

Post 47

Roof boards and Capping rails – which is the chicken, which is the egg.

I had been thinking of adding the roof boarding at this point.

Again this is a slightly oversize pre-printed shaped board.

0621

However, the plan would indicate that the Capping rails run directly over the outer edge of the mdf  roof line, but…..

0618

On my build the mdf deck structure rises above the Gunwale on the outer side. Whether this is an expected thing or a peculiarity of my build I’m not sure.

0623

The instructions are not expansive on this aspect, but it appears that the outer edge of the structure need to be flush with the gunwale to allow  a fair run of the capping rail.

There is no indication of trimming the capping rail at its aft end.

0625

Some trimming of the board will be necessary.

 

It strikes me that it may be better to fit the capping rail before the roof boards.

This does not concur with the build sequence where adding the boards is some 34 steps before the capping rails are added, but it makes sense to me.

I can’t think why the cappings shouldn’t be added at this point, and it is the route I will take, having made the outer roof line edge flush with the gunwale.

 

B.E.

03/03/2025

[ECK]

I actually sanded the roof edge back and also sanded down the bulwark down as the davits later take up the whole width of the capprail. See below

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you ECK, those photos are very useful, and a nice job you have done on the roof boards.👍

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 48

Adding the Capping rails

Following on from Post 47 I am adding the Capping rails, but there a few preliminaries to attend to.

The spirketting and top rails have been fitted and painted.

The Gunwale tops have been levelled and sanded smooth.

0627

The Bowsprit opening at the Bows has been fettled and a Bowsprit section along with the stop have been temporarily put into place.

0637

The short forward sections of Capping rail are then glued into place.

I next assemble the Catheads and use them to mark the distance for the placing of the long section of capping. I am not fitting them at this point.

0633

At the stern I have levelled off that area of the deck cabin structures to allow fair run of the capping rail to meet the transom.

I notched the transom to allow free passage of the rail, it splintered a little but that is of no consequence as the outer transom pieces fit over.

0642

0641

Easier without the boarding in place to line up the capping at the stern.

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0649

0645

I didn’t think it necessary to paint the rail prior to installation but I did run the edge of a chisel tipped waterproof marker along the inside edge.

 

Movin’ on…

 

B.E.

04/03/2025