wyz

Don't rush the planking Edward.  Slow and steady is the way to go.  Take note of Chuck's planking tips as they are mega-helpful.  I found his travel iron tool works real well.
Tom

Welcome aboard Jan.  You chose quite an attractive model to build.  This group project has a number of talented and very friendly model builders.  Feel free to ask questions about anything, as no question is too stupid.  😉
Tom

Looks good Tom, looking forward to seeing some more progress.
JJ

I've been working hard to get Winnie ll to the point where I was at with Winnie l just prior to me hurting my back, and tonight she makes her debut.  Is this version as heavy as the first hull?  No, no way, but it's still quite weighty at 24.8 lbs.  I lightened the hull but not appreciably.  She's still a big girl!  As you can see in the first photo I brought in some "heavy-weight" tools to trim Winnie down a bit.  When I shape a hull it's standard procedure to move many of the front shop room tools to the back. 
 
     Winnie ll is different from the first version in several ways.  I removed the horizontal arm reinforce pieces in the bow and stern, the model is hollowed out a little further, and I made changes how I attach the temporary keel to the hull.  In the past I just used #4  1 1/4" Phillips flat head screws, but in Winnie ll I drilled holes and inserted 1/16" diameter Birch dowels in the bow (4 in number) and stern (5 in number).  Why?  With the wood removed from the bearding line astern there simply wasn't much room on either side of the hull for even very small screws, especially if they didn't go in perfectly centered.  Now any slight error won't matter as I can sand or carve away any visible part of a dowel.  In the bow I used them for a slightly different reason.  As I shape the curvature of the hull it's simply easier to saw through or carve away a glued in dowel instead of removing screws. 
 
     It's time to make some saw dust, but there's one more thing I have to do before I start shaping the hull.  I need my friend to help me move and mount the Jet Air Filtration System in the back shop.  Dust is going to be a serious issue when I start sanding the hull.  There is no way I'm going to start without it. 
Tom
 
 

I've been working hard to get Winnie ll to the point where I was at with Winnie l just prior to me hurting my back, and tonight she makes her debut.  Is this version as heavy as the first hull?  No, no way, but it's still quite weighty at 24.8 lbs.  I lightened the hull but not appreciably.  She's still a big girl!  As you can see in the first photo I brought in some "heavy-weight" tools to trim Winnie down a bit.  When I shape a hull it's standard procedure to move many of the front shop room tools to the back. 
 
     Winnie ll is different from the first version in several ways.  I removed the horizontal arm reinforce pieces in the bow and stern, the model is hollowed out a little further, and I made changes how I attach the temporary keel to the hull.  In the past I just used #4  1 1/4" Phillips flat head screws, but in Winnie ll I drilled holes and inserted 1/16" diameter Birch dowels in the bow (4 in number) and stern (5 in number).  Why?  With the wood removed from the bearding line astern there simply wasn't much room on either side of the hull for even very small screws, especially if they didn't go in perfectly centered.  Now any slight error won't matter as I can sand or carve away any visible part of a dowel.  In the bow I used them for a slightly different reason.  As I shape the curvature of the hull it's simply easier to saw through or carve away a glued in dowel instead of removing screws. 
 
     It's time to make some saw dust, but there's one more thing I have to do before I start shaping the hull.  I need my friend to help me move and mount the Jet Air Filtration System in the back shop.  Dust is going to be a serious issue when I start sanding the hull.  There is no way I'm going to start without it. 
Tom
 
 

Welcome aboard Jan.  You chose quite an attractive model to build.  This group project has a number of talented and very friendly model builders.  Feel free to ask questions about anything, as no question is too stupid.  😉
Tom

I've been working hard to get Winnie ll to the point where I was at with Winnie l just prior to me hurting my back, and tonight she makes her debut.  Is this version as heavy as the first hull?  No, no way, but it's still quite weighty at 24.8 lbs.  I lightened the hull but not appreciably.  She's still a big girl!  As you can see in the first photo I brought in some "heavy-weight" tools to trim Winnie down a bit.  When I shape a hull it's standard procedure to move many of the front shop room tools to the back. 
 
     Winnie ll is different from the first version in several ways.  I removed the horizontal arm reinforce pieces in the bow and stern, the model is hollowed out a little further, and I made changes how I attach the temporary keel to the hull.  In the past I just used #4  1 1/4" Phillips flat head screws, but in Winnie ll I drilled holes and inserted 1/16" diameter Birch dowels in the bow (4 in number) and stern (5 in number).  Why?  With the wood removed from the bearding line astern there simply wasn't much room on either side of the hull for even very small screws, especially if they didn't go in perfectly centered.  Now any slight error won't matter as I can sand or carve away any visible part of a dowel.  In the bow I used them for a slightly different reason.  As I shape the curvature of the hull it's simply easier to saw through or carve away a glued in dowel instead of removing screws. 
 
     It's time to make some saw dust, but there's one more thing I have to do before I start shaping the hull.  I need my friend to help me move and mount the Jet Air Filtration System in the back shop.  Dust is going to be a serious issue when I start sanding the hull.  There is no way I'm going to start without it. 
Tom
 
 

I've been working hard to get Winnie ll to the point where I was at with Winnie l just prior to me hurting my back, and tonight she makes her debut.  Is this version as heavy as the first hull?  No, no way, but it's still quite weighty at 24.8 lbs.  I lightened the hull but not appreciably.  She's still a big girl!  As you can see in the first photo I brought in some "heavy-weight" tools to trim Winnie down a bit.  When I shape a hull it's standard procedure to move many of the front shop room tools to the back. 
 
     Winnie ll is different from the first version in several ways.  I removed the horizontal arm reinforce pieces in the bow and stern, the model is hollowed out a little further, and I made changes how I attach the temporary keel to the hull.  In the past I just used #4  1 1/4" Phillips flat head screws, but in Winnie ll I drilled holes and inserted 1/16" diameter Birch dowels in the bow (4 in number) and stern (5 in number).  Why?  With the wood removed from the bearding line astern there simply wasn't much room on either side of the hull for even very small screws, especially if they didn't go in perfectly centered.  Now any slight error won't matter as I can sand or carve away any visible part of a dowel.  In the bow I used them for a slightly different reason.  As I shape the curvature of the hull it's simply easier to saw through or carve away a glued in dowel instead of removing screws. 
 
     It's time to make some saw dust, but there's one more thing I have to do before I start shaping the hull.  I need my friend to help me move and mount the Jet Air Filtration System in the back shop.  Dust is going to be a serious issue when I start sanding the hull.  There is no way I'm going to start without it. 
Tom
 
 

Please give yourself a pat on the back! Along with myself you probably have the entire site watching your model come together with envy

Thank you, Frank and Greg for your best wishes concerning my back.  Daily exercises are helping to strengthen it and make it less likely I will hurt it again.  I'm moving along at a decent pace with the model.  Yesterday I glued the first four lifts together, and today I would like to do lifts 5 through eight.  Hopefully by the end of the weekend I'll have Winnie II ready to be mounted on the building board and ready for carving.  Yes!

Thank you, Frank and Greg for your best wishes concerning my back.  Daily exercises are helping to strengthen it and make it less likely I will hurt it again.  I'm moving along at a decent pace with the model.  Yesterday I glued the first four lifts together, and today I would like to do lifts 5 through eight.  Hopefully by the end of the weekend I'll have Winnie II ready to be mounted on the building board and ready for carving.  Yes!

I've been working on a number of things such as the gun port lids, gun carriages, ladders and rudder. Today I finished the two ladders that go below the gun deck. The initial assembly was all about getting things square and locked up, using the two sides and top and bottom steps. Once done, I inserted the remaining steps. Each step needed to be beveled slightly on the bottom in order to fit into the side grooves. To keep things neat, I glued the steps to the sides from underneath the ladder with a tiny drop of slow drying 3 hour epoxy. The epoxy will eventually wick into the joint and not be seen when the ladder is installed. Once dry, I rounded off the top forward edge of each step and sanded the step overhangs flush with the sides of the ladder. After a coat of W-O-P the ladders were ready to install.
 

 
The ladders position was established in such a way that the back and bottom of the sides are sitting flush to the coaming and deck below, respectively. Four layers of the green tape was used to mark the position of the ladders top. The blue tape makes it easy to hold onto the ladder while inserting it. When installing, center the top of the ladder within the coaming and up against the bottom of the green tape. Then lower the bottom of the ladder onto the deck below. Notice where I marked the position of the ladder on the green tape.
 

 

 
Mike

Thank you Tom. Model shipbuilding is a hobby I have taken up only comparatively recently and I am conscious, first, that I have so much to learn, and secondly, that if I do something twice generally turns out better second time. I'm not quite at the point of abandoning W2 and starting W3 but I do think about it from time to time. I'm determined to make the best possible job that I can of the Winchelsea. The trouble is (a) the more experience I gained, "making the best possible job" is a moving target and (b) I look at everyone else's logs and think "if only....".
 
I am intrigued, incidentally, Tom by your unique approach to the Winchelsea build and I shall follow your blog with keen interest.
 
In the meantime...........
 

 

 
 

 



 
I'm not completely convinced by the painted panelling – but I cannot believe it would not have been painted. Surely there would is a modern fad?!
 
One advantage, of course, of painting the panelling is that you can use a little bit of filler to make good the seams. And paint can cover a multitude of modelling sins.
 
I do not like the unpainted bench seats and rudder trunk top. I'll paint those but I wonder if the bench seats should have hinged locker tops and whether the rudder trunk should also have an access hatch. Any thoughts, anyone?
 
The inside planking is pretty much done.
 

 

 
I made up one of the lovely Chapter 5 ladders. Here it is
 

 
Decking next.
 
All the best everyone
Fred
 

Working on lining off the lower hull planking underway, my hull is somewhat different than Chucks so his supplied tick strips are not quite perfect but pretty close in my case.
I keep adjusting the belt lines to get the best overall flow to the hull and to make sure that the all important stem planking has a gentle upward slope that is so hard to get just right IMO.
I think I will be playing around with this for a few more days before I’m totally happy with it.
 
Ben

Glad to hear you're back on your feet Tom.  Back problems are the worst and trying to rush recovery just seems to just make things worse.
 
I missed the conversation about the Baltic Birch and am glad everyone jumped in and said it was a bad idea.  I used baltic birch on my Winnie and fairing the inside of the hull burnt me out and put me in a building funk for the last 3 months.  If I could go back in time, I would have splurged on the National Balsa ply or ordered the bulkheads from Chuck.  Looking forward to checking back in on your progress.

Thanks Rusty and Diver for the comments.
 
Diver, to answer your question, yes I am building in an engine room.  Winchelsea will be my 4th boat built... on a boat and she comes in second For overall nautical miles under her keel!
 
I started Adding the panels to the stbd side tonight, making sure they are as close to the port as possible. A little trick I used to insure that the panels are square and lined up perfectly to the ports, I used a flat piece of wood that sits parallel to the gunport frame, glued it to the deck and wedged it in the frame, from there I can keep test fitting the panel until it fits perfectly between the two ports. When It comes time to glue it in place I can just put it up against the port with the wooden block and set the elevation and it will fit just as it’s supposed to without worrying about it moving side to side. I also used this on all the spirketting between the gunports as well. Hope Someone finds this is helpful.
JJ
 

My back is healing, albeit slowly.  I've started my second solid hull Winchelsea, but only the prep work for actual construction.  The lift templates are finished, and I'm making steady progress on the hull shaping templates.  Still, it should be a couple of weeks until I can start making sawdust again.  If I hadn't been so crest-fallen when I hurt my back I might not have been so hasty to trash my first attempt.   The lesson:  If you make a serious mistake or some other tragedy befalls you put the project down and walk away from it for a while, at least until you are clear-headed again.  Oh, how I rue the decision to not do that.
Tom

No, there will be no quitting with this project.  Thank you, Frank and Ron for your concern and best wishes.  I feel confident all of us will be moving our Winchelsea builds forward soon.
Tom

Very, very, good to hear that Tom!  Back problems are terrible, I can tell as I have some damage in my lower back on the left side. It sometimes takes me out for days or weeks! We'll be checking regurarly for your progress, as I think your work is very beautiful and methodically.
Keep on going Tom!

Ok, I'm back up and running again.  The lift templates were done last week, and I'm now in the process of sawing the lifts to shape.  Yesterday I finished the hull shaping templates with the application of their 5th and final coat of polyurethane.  I will start showing pictures again when I have something new to show, so don't expect anything until I get to the point where I stopped working on Winnie I.  With my back feeling much better it's nice to return to the shop to work on the model again.

My back is healing, albeit slowly.  I've started my second solid hull Winchelsea, but only the prep work for actual construction.  The lift templates are finished, and I'm making steady progress on the hull shaping templates.  Still, it should be a couple of weeks until I can start making sawdust again.  If I hadn't been so crest-fallen when I hurt my back I might not have been so hasty to trash my first attempt.   The lesson:  If you make a serious mistake or some other tragedy befalls you put the project down and walk away from it for a while, at least until you are clear-headed again.  Oh, how I rue the decision to not do that.
Tom

No, there will be no quitting with this project.  Thank you, Frank and Ron for your concern and best wishes.  I feel confident all of us will be moving our Winchelsea builds forward soon.
Tom

Yes Frank, I no longer have back problems, and I've already started a solid hull Winnie II.

Ok, I'm back up and running again.  The lift templates were done last week, and I'm now in the process of sawing the lifts to shape.  Yesterday I finished the hull shaping templates with the application of their 5th and final coat of polyurethane.  I will start showing pictures again when I have something new to show, so don't expect anything until I get to the point where I stopped working on Winnie I.  With my back feeling much better it's nice to return to the shop to work on the model again.

Thank you, Jeff, Edward, Vladimir, and also the "likes".  I hope to get some time to start Chapter 4 this week.  I'm looking forward to saying "goodbye" to the bulkheads!