HMS Vanguard 1787 1:72 a Victory Models kit

I am getting close to finishing the planking of the top deck. And those ugly cuts I made to access the guns are covered nicely. Still needing to add margin planks.

I wanted to write about and highlight for other builders my thoughts on some of the most valuable tips and suggestions that I have learnt so far from other builders on this forum and elsewhere.
One of the most useful general techniques to aid reproducible cuts and holes is to create a custom jig to ensure uniformity and symmetry in the build.
The planking is a good example. I read about this jig to cut planks to same length reliably easily and quickly, here.

I made one and used it often. Jigs are good, but often it’s how best to make one that is challenging and other builders ideas have been very helpful.
This brings me to my next thought, many modelers show their builds beautifully in pictures but don’t always share how they achieved such a great result.
I want to share how I did things, good and bad, and in so doing help the future me and others to be better craftsmen.
As always I appreciate your interest and thoughts on my Vanguard.


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Starting to make some of the main deck furniture. I have made gratings previously including on the lower gun deck.

I have noted that the correct reproduction does not have openings adjacent to the coaming or battens

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I have refined my method with one key change. I no longer measure the exact dimensions from the plan and make the frame first.

Now, I make the grating to the closest size and shape, keeping the solid edges. Then I measure and cut the frames to fit. I use 45 degree mating corners. Once complete I add the garland channels.

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IMG_3789.jpegIMG_3788.jpegIMG_3787.jpegIMG_3786.jpegIMG_3785.jpegIMG_3784.jpegCompleted the main deck with margin planks. I used 8 x 0.5mm Tanganyka strips, not supplied in the kit. The wood colour and grain is not identical to the main planks but similar. Cutting the margin planks was very fiddly and time consuming, but worth the effort.
i then sealed the deck with two coats of Minwax Wipe on Poly. Drilled and glued all the eyelets to the deck.
In this picture all the deck furniture is dry fitted.

Preparing the guns for this deck and the capping rails next.
 
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Chestcutter said:
View attachment 414980View attachment 414981View attachment 414982View attachment 414983View attachment 414984View attachment 414985Completed the main deck with margin planks. I used 8 x 0.5mm Tangayika strips, not supplied in the kit. The wood colour and grain is not identical to the main planks but similar. Cutting the margin planks was very fiddly and time consuming, but worth the effort.
i then sealed the deck with two coats of Minwax Wipe on Poly. Drilled and glued all the eyelets to the deck.
In this picture all the deck furniture is dry fitted.

Preparing the guns for this deck and the capping rails next.
Click to expand...
Good morning. Lovely work. I enjoy the way you are achieving a realistic look with your modeling style. Cheers Grant
 
All the 9 pounder canons are dressed. I will fully rig the ones on the quarterdeck and forecastle that are visible, including rope coils. Having done the main gun deck previously I now plan to rig the guns before securing any deck furniture. Gives better access. Doing things in a certain sequence can make the result much improved and easier.
Also showing my gun painting jig. I love jigs.

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Have added the forecastle rails and now securing the 9 pounders, 18 in total. The ones behind the screen only partially rigged.

With the side rails of the focsle the parts from port and starboard are identical, and I made the initial mistake of gluing in the heads so they were identical. Afterwards I realized that the head posts needed to go in the opposite way to make them mirrored, and suitable for port and starboard. Fortunately I was able to remove the heads without breaking them.

Also worth noting that I was glad not to have secured the bulkhead screen on the bow until late in the build, as this allowed clamping of the foremost rail to fit the camber of the beam. Bulkhead now secured too.

Sequence I used for the guns is
1: Once gun is dressed add the 2mm blocks, 3 to each
2: Cut the breaching rope, 6.5cm for 9 pounders
3: Make hooks using 24G artist wire black
4: Secure first hook with small alligator clip and forceps
5: Thread through the free end of rope, needle threader is essential tool.
6: Secure final hook.

When completed secure cannon in position then secure breaching rope hooks to outer eyelets
Then rig the side and rear blocks
Finally add rope coils.

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Merry Christmas, happy holidays and to all my cyber friends on SOS, wishing you all a safe and joyous time with those you love most.
 
The holiday period has found me with some free time to work in the shipyard, and the admiral has been out finding provisions.

Have finished the rope coils and all the rigging of the top deck guns. Much of the deck furniture in these shots are still only dry fitted. Deck looks very busy now, and still no hammock cranes yet to build.


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Installed my enhanced binnacle.

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Finished the glazing and enhancement of the skylight.


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As always thanks for following along.
 
Minor update. I have several elements going at once as there are many small jobs with glue or paint drying time in between.

Of particular note is the rails along the edge of the poop deck. There are several timber uprights, all a different size, that require painting, but have to be done with care not to loose track of their part number or else the sequence of installation will be wrong.

Also still planking the 34’ launch.

And adding the stanchion rail along the gangway.

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Installed the aft forecastle rails, gratings and stove chimney. Only thing left to complete the forecastle is the belfry, but I will leave that till much later as it is a very fragile piece.

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The side rail transition from quarter to poop deck has a curve, but no part in the kit to cover this curve. So I made it freehand using a 22mm quarter dowel. I cut a 12mm length, hollowed it down and then cut it in half to give two 6mm wide pieces, which I sanded to 5mm wide. Painted black and fitted. They are not a perfect fit but some filler and paint should get them looking ok.

Also added the 4 kevel cleats on the quarterdeck, the two aft ones are mounted on the bulwark and are red, the others are deck mounted and painted black.

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Happy New Year.
 
Applied the capping rails along the gangway and the quarterdeck.

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Some close ups of the details of how I finished the transition areas.

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Also secured the hawse hole bolsters. It was a difficult piece to bend and fit, 1.5mm thick and very stiff and fragile. I did it in stages, glued the medial (closer to midline) portion first then after a few days drilled and pinned the more outward edge (lateral) to get the curve. Painted the hawse channel ochre red.

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The construction of the 34‘ launch is challenging. Planking with 0.5 x3mm strips is not easy. It’s easy to bend but harder to spline and harder to approximate to the next adjacent plank with a minimal gap. Also can’t use pins or nails as the plank splits easily.
I found that the transom piece sat at an angle compared to other bulkhead Mdf parts, and needed correcting to get a squared transom.
After the first planking layer was finished I sealed the hull with wood filler, sanded then as recommended in the instructions liberally coated the hull with diluted PVA glue. The end result was a nice smooth and firm hull, 0.5 mm thick.

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Finished planking the poop deck. Doing the margin planks I found quite challenging. I have seen some builders lay an uncut margin plank and trim it as each adjacent plank makes contact. However I decided to lay the edged planks first and try to shape and lay the margin plank last. This was a poor decision. It was difficult to transfer the shape from the deck to the plank by holding up to the margin. So I applied some masking tape and highlighted the edge with a pencil, then transferred the tape to the uncut margin plank and cut the gross shape. Then after offering up the plank many times, making cuts and sanding adjustments I got a fit. It’s ok in most bits but there are some unsightly gaps that needed filling, and to my critical eye stand out like K9 gonads.

After light sand, 240 grit, and scrape with cabinet scrapper, it’s ready to be sealed.

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More progress on the Poop deck
Installed the lower capping rail. It needs to be cut into three pieces before gluing, otherwise it’s not long enough. Also it is incorrectly numbered on the instructions, labeled 56 but it’s #95.

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Also installed all the eyelets for 6 carronades, skylight and transom knees, as well as mizzen butts.

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Had a day of building as about to go on a break and travel a bit.

With the poop deck I’m trying to sequence the build to avoid difficult access issues.

There are three sets of belaying pin racks, with two on the Poop. It took some time to find where the 7-pin rack goes. It sits fore of the main mast and I hadn’t noticed it before installing all the quarter deck furniture. To secure the rack it is recommended to insert wire pins into the rack to anchor it to the rail. This required drilling holes into the 1.6mm thick rail side-on. I had to remove the main bits to get access.

Also installed the ladders from gun deck to gangway and quarter deck to poop.

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Also assembled and rigged the carronades in readiness for installation. The bulwarks on the poop are very low, so anchored the gun rigging eyelets to the deck.

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