HM Armed Cutter Sherbourne 1763 by Nightdive - Vanguard Models - 1:64 - First Build

[Nightdive]

Greetings all!

 

I've had a lifelong interest in the sea, ships and maritime history, and building some sort of a ship model has been in the back of my brain for a decade or more. Late last summer I was given an old and battered model of a full-rigged ship, perhaps from the 1960's or so, and repairing her finally gave me the spark to make my first proper foray into modeling. 

 

While looking for a beginner friendly model I originally decided on Amati's Lady Nelson, but on some level I was bothered by it not being based on a real ship. Fortunately I kept browsing and eventually stumbled on Vanguard Models' Sherbourne, which seemed perfect. 

 

The kit arrived a bit over a month ago now, but I needed to order some basic tools, glues and such to get started. I still need to decide on an airbrush and paints, but that can wait until later, as it is going to continue to be too cold to paint outside for a few months.

 

 

I've taken the time to study the manual - which is very detailed, and various build logs on this forum, not only of the Sherbourne, but also other ships of the time period. If this build goes well and modeling feels like a hobby for me, I'd like to advance on to a bigger kit, maybe Vanguard's HMS Sphinx. I'm also toying with the idea of eventually building PoF models of some of the wrecks that I've been diving in the Baltic Sea. Maybe similar to this model of the Swedish ship Svärdet and the wreck models at the Vasa museum. 

 

  

 

I look forward to starting the build process soon and returning with my first updates!

[Nearshore]

Good luck on your journey. Look forward watching your progress.

 

Nearshore

[Auger]

Welcome to MSW! 

[Knocklouder]

Bob  M..

[Nightdive]

 

 

 

  

 

 

Thank you for the messages everyone, glad to be here. I made good progress on building the bulkhead yesterday, a drum sander made a quick job of beveling the parts. The rest was easy to assemble and almost all of the parts fit toghether perfectly without filing, but I did manage to snap one of the outer pearwood stern frames into three pieces. It turned out to be a tight fit and I had already applied the glue, so I tried to force it in. Bad mistake. 

 

No real harm done though, I was able to salvage the part by gluing it back together and putting it back into the pearwood sheet to cure overnight. A lesson learned about dry fitting everything, especially when I'm using the quick drying Ponal glue.

 

I'm moving onto fitting the false deck, seems that it needs some light filing, especially as it is so thin.

[Nightdive]

 

 

 

The false deck snapped in nicely after I had dealt with the problem spots with a file. It just took me a very long time to find all of them, as I didn't want to engage the snapping mechanism until I was completely sure that it was going to be final. 

 

I softened the stern counter a bit over a kettle spout before gluing it on. I also placed some fabric pads underneath the clamps to spread pressure more evenly. Then I filed the counter flush so that I could fit the stern transom. I think I made a little mistake here, it would have been better for the counter to overlap the transom and not the other way around. Now there isn't that much of a curve on the inside where the transom and counter meet. I don't think that it is very noticeable and hopefully will be a very minor flaw in the completed build. 

Edited January 27 by Nightdive

[Nightdive]

 

I was going to continue this project later this week with sanding and a couple of the subsequent steps, but I became annoyed with my transom error and decided to fix it. First I debonded the inner transom with isopropyl alcohol. Then I cut a three millimeter wide strip of pearwood and glued it to the counter to act as a replacement for the bit that I had filed off. Finally I re-glued the transom in place and pulled the counter against it with a padded zip tie. 

 

I'm pleased with the result, it definitely looks better now.

[Nick 843]

On 1/26/2025 at 2:37 PM, Nightdive said:

The false deck snapped in nicely after I had dealt with the problem spots with a file. It just took me a very long time to find all of them, as I didn't want to engage the snapping mechanism until I was completely sure that it was going to be final.

I had a good laugh (at myself) seeing your remark about this.  It was a couple of days after discovery the warp in my hull. That's what I should have done (do it slowly and properly).

Your build looks great btw; will be following it.

Nick

Edited January 30 by Nick 843

[Nightdive]

2 hours ago, Nick 843 said:

 

I had a good laugh (at myself) seeing your remark about this.  It was a couple of days after discovery the warp in my hull. That's what I should have done (do it slowly and properly).

Your build looks great btw; will be following it.

Nick

Likewise, your log had good information about the steps that I'm just getting into.

 

I spent today's hobby time cutting some sanding blocks from scrap wood with a table saw. I will try to do the fairing process slowly and carefully, and not replicating my previous experience of having to create filler pieces after removing too much.

Edited January 30 by Nightdive

[Nick 843]

I've found that flexible sanding sticks/sponges work well, especially to sand to the tighter contours.  I've made a bunch at this point from old sanding sponges and foam of different kinds, cutting to the size I want and then double-sided tape and sticking on the sandpaper.  I've needed smaller ones with Sherbourne, in particular for fairing the stern, and they've worked great.  Same with Indy, they're just upscaled because of the size of her.

 

A few in the pic below.

Nick

[Nightdive]

 

That sponge tip was a good one, thank you! I cut pieces from a kitchen sponge and those helped me work around the bow and the stern. The rest I sanded with blocks using 180 and 240 grit sandpaper in as long strokes as possible, following the curve of the hull. 

 

I also used one of the lime wood planks to see whether there were any bulkheads that didn't make full contact. The last one in the stern doesn't, but I was afraid to sand it any further. 

Edited January 31 by Nightdive

[Nightdive]

 

I tried installing the bulwarks straight from the sheet, but there were some cracking sounds and I felt that there just isn't enough give. So I soaked the parts in hot water for a couple of minutes and clipped them around a drinking glass for 24 hours. 

 

 

I'm currently dry fitting them in place, but the bulwark tabs do not exactly fit the engraved lines. The manual said that some variation due to sanding is fine, but is this too much? There's about 1.5 millimeter difference in the bow, while the stern is perfect. It's the same in the other bulwark. 

Edited February 5 by Nightdive

[JC1945]

Your model looks GREAT! You are definitely being very meticulous. I’m also building Vanguard’s HM Sherbourne as a first time builder. I’m about where you are, with many misadventures. Some of which I’ve corrected. Some will have to remain. I broke the bottom of the port side inner transom, so that and the inner counter will probably get filled and painted. Starting the second try at the first planking. BTW, on my second attempt to install the bulwarks I was able to line up the laser  marks with the bulkhead extensions much better. I test fixed multiple times and scoured YouTube for videos. There are several if you’re interested. I’m beginning to understand that I need to slow down and make sure I understand the step completely.

[Nick 843]

For what it's worth, I think you're probably ok, but I'm a beginner.  But having dry-fitted the bulwark ply sections in my messed-up build of the hull, I could at least see the issue.  I'd suggest:

Wait for someone knowledgeable to comment.

Check out the YouTube series by a guy with a moniker ModelKitStuff; he may comment on this.

If you're able, dry-fit the outer bulwark sections to see if they line up.

If they do, check the match from one side to the other.  I'm thinking that any particular reference point, e.g. gunport edges, should line up with the same reference point on the other side at 90 degrees to the centreline.  One way to do this might be the reference point's distance from a bulkhead ear; is it the same port/starboard?

 

Hope these thoughts help.

 

Nick

[JC1945]

Nick, I’m a big fan of Jason Port at Modelkit Stuff. His videos are very helpful. I’m building my HM Sherbourne as part of the channnel’s “floaty things” group build.

 

John C

[Nick 843]

Nightdive: here's the link to the video:  

 

[Nick 843]

He starts on the bulwarks at 22 minutes.  Doesn't talk about the lineup with the bulkhead ears much, just basically says what the manual says, but it may be helpful.

 

John 😄 Yep, the videos are great.

 

Nick

Edited February 7 by Nick 843

[Nightdive]

On 2/7/2025 at 12:14 AM, JC1945 said:

Your model looks GREAT! You are definitely being very meticulous. I’m also building Vanguard’s HM Sherbourne as a first time builder. I’m about where you are, with many misadventures. Some of which I’ve corrected. Some will have to remain. I broke the bottom of the port side inner transom, so that and the inner counter will probably get filled and painted. Starting the second try at the first planking. BTW, on my second attempt to install the bulwarks I was able to line up the laser  marks with the bulkhead extensions much better. I test fixed multiple times and scoured YouTube for videos. There are several if you’re interested. I’m beginning to understand that I need to slow down and make sure I understand the step completely.

 

Thanks JC, I'm trying to be meticulous, especially at this point of the build, since as a new modeler I don't yet know what sort little errors will cause major issues later on. Still need to learn patience and how to handle the model more carefully, I too managed to break part of the stern. The starboard counter cracked in half when fitting the bulwarks. Luckily it was along the laser etched line, so it can't really be seen from the side that matters. I'm glad that it is now sandwiched in between the bulwarks for some protection.

 

On 2/7/2025 at 12:46 AM, Nick 843 said:

If you're able, dry-fit the outer bulwark sections to see if they line up.

If they do, check the match from one side to the other.  I'm thinking that any particular reference point, e.g. gunport edges, should line up with the same reference point on the other side at 90 degrees to the centreline.  One way to do this might be the reference point's distance from a bulkhead ear; is it the same port/starboard?

 

Hope these thoughts help.

 

Nick

 

I did pretty much this, and concluded that it's probably fine as long as the gun ports and other features are identically located on both sides. There was also only about 1 mm of extra bulwark on both sides of the stern, so I can't be too far off. Doing any extra sanding wouldn't have fixed anything, only moved the point where the bulwarks didn't match the etched lines, and made the hull shorter. 

 

Those tutorials by ModelKitStuff have been useful, I've also binged Tagliamare's videos on the Sherbourne. 

 

 

After many dry fits I glued the bulwarks on, let them cure for 24 hours, and then brushed some watered down PVA from below. 

 

Looks pretty good to me. Now, onto planking.

[JC1945]

The planking videos on Modelkit Stuff are very good. Jason shows how to lay every plank on one side. Tagliamare Videos are also helpful, and quite a bit shorter.

[Jase]

On 2/6/2025 at 10:46 PM, Nick 843 said:

For what it's worth, I think you're probably ok, but I'm a beginner.  But having dry-fitted the bulwark ply sections in my messed-up build of the hull, I could at least see the issue.  I'd suggest:

Wait for someone knowledgeable to comment.

Check out the YouTube series by a guy with a moniker ModelKitStuff; he may comment on this.

If you're able, dry-fit the outer bulwark sections to see if they line up.

If they do, check the match from one side to the other.  I'm thinking that any particular reference point, e.g. gunport edges, should line up with the same reference point on the other side at 90 degrees to the centreline.  One way to do this might be the reference point's distance from a bulkhead ear; is it the same port/starboard?

 

Hope these thoughts help.

 

Nick

Thanks for the shoutout for my channel (Modelkit Stuff). I have a good number of first time builders following the build.

[Nightdive]

 

Hello everyone, I'm back after a break from modeling for other projects. To be honest, I also kept procrastinating this step, as I knew that planking would be a challenge.

 

I'm twelve planks in and it seems to be going fairly well so far. I've roughly followed the planking method that Jase presented in his Sherbourne video series; starting from the centre, marking the spot where the plank starts to overlap the previous one, then beveling the plank from that point onward. Chuck Passaro's planking videos and GlennUK's very detailed Sherbourne build log have also been very helpful.

 

 

I've beveled the first two planks by 2.5 mm and the next two by 2.0 mm. Everything has been glued with PVA with CA only for the last bulkhead (no. 17).

There is more clinker effect in the bow than I had hoped for. I need to step up my edge-bending game for the second planking.

 

Edited August 15 by Nightdive

[Nightdive]

 

First planking done! It took some measuring and planning, but I was able to finish it without creating terribly irregular last planks. 

 

 

[chris watton]

That is a very neat job, a lot neater than mine!

[Thukydides]

Yes great job on the first planking.

[AJohnson]

Really good work so far, your planking is very good and will be nice foundation for the second planking. 

[Nightdive]

Thank you for the encouraging comments! I hope that the second planking goes well too. 

 

 

Sanded with 180 grit paper. I also used a little bit of filler at the bow to ensure a snug fit for the second layer of planks.  

 

 

I have some thoughts and questions about paints, as I need to order them soon, and I'd appreciate your opinions. 

 

This is completely new to me, so I've done some research by reading older discussions on this site. If I've understood correctly, there is no single correct mix for the ochre paints or the "white stuff". The colours varied in real life, and it's ultimately up to the modeler's taste. So I've decided to go for more muted colours for scale effect, plus it looks better to my eye in other models. My current paint selection is Admiralty Paints’ red ochre for inner bulwarks, AK off-white for the white stuff, and AK smoke black for wales.

 

I originally wanted to paint the sides with Admiralty Paints' yellow ochre. It seems fairly close to HMS Victory's current colour scheme, which I like personally, and it could be a nice little nod to the connection between these two ships.

 

However, after looking at these contemporary cutter models, I'm no longer so sure about painting the sides at all. 

 

 

In this thread, it was mentioned that yellow or red sides were mandated by the Navy Board in 1777, so I suppose it's theoretically possible that the Sherbourne was painted yellow in the last years of her career. My question is, if I choose to paint the parts, can they be thinly airbrushed so that the lasered details will remain visible?

 

Also, would it be historically inaccurate to paint the depth markings, horseshoe and stern fish plate white at the same time as I airbrush the hull?

[Desertanimal]

Can’t answer your color questions other than use what looks good to you. 
Airbrush is a great tool. You will be able to see all your details. 
Are those other items PE? I have not built Sherbourne. If they are Photo Etched you will probably want to chemically blacken them instead of paint. If you are not familiar there are plenty of posts about doing it.  It will give a nice look and be more permanent than paint. 
Chris

[ERS Rich]

Late to the party.

 

Your ship looks good.

 

The clinkers happen when the planks at the stem have not been tapered enough and are pulled towards the keel to fit.  It’s ok.

 

Look into using small files to shape wood.  Get round, half round and flat.  More precise than sanding, and faster.  Fill in the clinker gaps with sandable wood glue and shape the hull with the files. 
 

Paint.  Sealing the wood is a must.  Shellac works well and dries fast.  Make up some board samples, try one coat of shellac, then paint.  Two coats shellac then paint.  The shellac coats slowly fill in the grain.  
 

Yes, the thin airbrush coats show the grain nicely.

 

You are doing good work.  Keep going.
 

In the end hull imperfections are practically unnoticeable when the ship is mounted or on the stand.  Remember if it looks good from a foot away it’s ok.  
 

The rigging on this model dominates, most people will notice and be impressed with the rigging and the deck.  
 

Make choices to your taste.  Your family and friends are not going to say your shade of Ochre is off.

 

Good luck.

 

-Rich

[ERS Rich]

One more thing, the way you soaked and clamped the bulwark around the jar is spot on.  The same can be done with hull planks.

 

Cheers

[palmerit]

I'd go with an airbrush. You can do multiple light coats and the etching on the pear pieces really does come through. You could probably get the same result by thinning down paints and applying with a brush but I haven't tried that on a Vanguard model. I do touch ups with a brush, but I haven't painted a full Vanguard ship with brush paint. I did use brush paint on some of the Model Shipways models I built, and their paint was pretty thick, but it seems to look okay given that these were larger scale work boats. I think at a small 1:64 scale, it would be harder to not show brush lines that would be completely out of scale I think.

 

If you already have non-airbrush paints you'll want to play around with how much to thin them to get the right consistency so that you don't clog the airbrush. I like Vallejo Air paints, which are formulated for an airbrush. I still thin them with a combination of thinner, retarder, and something else - the formula I use is on my Sherbourne log. 

 

I have an Iwata Eclipse HP-CS airbrush which is highly recommended. It's not cheap (not the most expensive, but up there). I've seen Badgers recommended that are cheaper. I would steer away from an Amazon no-name when it comes to airbrushes and get a real one from a reputable brand. Airbrushes have high engineering tolerances. You might get luck with an off-brand, you might not. There are tons of good web sites and YouTube reviews on air brushes - what to buy, how to use them, how to clean them after they clog (and they will sometimes clog).

 

I did get a no name compressor. Literally, it's "NO-NAME Brand". https://spraygunner.com/products/cool-tooty-airbrush-compressor-with-tank-by-no-name-brand It's worked well for me.

 

I also got a spray booth so I could spray in the house. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MGGYH2W?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2&th=1 I can't say this is the best version out there, but it works for me, and I when I bought it it had a pretty good discount price on it. I followed the prices for a while to get a deal. I don't have the exhaust vent going outside but into a large bucket with some water and detergent in it. I googled around and found that as a way to spray inside when you can't easily vent outside. I started with a "spray booth" made from a cardboard box in the cellar but then decided to move back into the house. 

 

wrt the PE parts, I'd definitely look into blackening. My first attempt I just airbrushed them and the paint peeled right off. Second attempt I used Vallejo primer and then painted and the paint peeled off again. More recent I've used Tamiya enamel thinner in a shake can (I don't want to mess with enamel in my thinner) followed by Vallejo air paints and it worked a lot better doing that with little thinning. A Fine Scale Modeler YouTube video showed different ways to airbrush PE, which is how I found the Tamiya shake can. But since you kind of need to keep the PE parts in the sprues when air brushing, you end up having to file the parts after you remove them from the sprues and then need to try to repaint them, and that's a bit of a pain. If you just take them off, file off the debris, and then blacken them, that's probably the easiest to do (and likely ends up with the best look) - I have to say I haven't tried blackening myself yet. Next model.