Chuck

Jack needs to know how many sets of these to make in advance. This kind of detail takes a long time to CNC mill. The figureheads take hours. If you guys can send him a PM or reply here that you want one of the wood sets it would be great. Once he has them made I will post it here when they are ready and on the shelf. That is when you can buy them. Money is sent to pay for these through Paypal and its a painless process. You will get them in just a few days after he ships them. I had no issues at all getting the master sets I ordered. Either Boxwood or Jujubewood. Let him know which ones you are interested in. He needs to know if he has to make 5 or 10 or 20 sets of these things. The cast resin sets will be available on my website once I have them all and package them up. Chuck

That could be an issue that its wider. I hope not too much wider. The sides of the bulkheads determine placement of the ports. Also if the ply is rough which is what that looks like, you will need to fill and sand the sides of the ply so it can be painted to look decent. If when you widen the slots you make sure to keep the side that locates the port the same, and widen the other side.....you should be fine. Chuck

Nicely done 😀

THE BASEBOARD....I have mentioned this a few times....but hopefully folks will read this here. My baseboard for the model is 12" wide by 36" long. It is 1/2" thick. MDF or other really flat boards are perfect for this.

36" long and about 12" wide will do the trick. Make sure its at least 1/2" thick and not warped. MDF is perfect for this.

He was also a dear friend of mine. The nicest guy you would ever want to meet. We had many a long conversation about just about everything.....good memories from the many conferences we went to together. Its so sad and shocking. ......my condolences to his kids and grandchildren. Rest in piece my friend....I still cant believe it. Just 66 years old.

Just saw you ordered the cherry version too. How did the cedar version turn out of the stem? Got any pictures? Should have bulkhead sets in stock tomorrow or wednesday.

Mark are you going to laser cut the bulkheads? If so, might I suggest a few minor tweaks. Mostly on the bulkheads that have really thin points on the bottom where they get very narrow. If you laser cut this the bulkhead will end up being about 1/2" short on the bottom. It is better to shape the bottom like this so the laser kerf doesnt burn the bottom points away. Kit companies really need to do this because all of their bulkheads are too short when the ends come to a sharp point. You will fair the hull anyway....and they will end up being correct after you are done sanding.

It will be good to have for comparison.

only if you are up to the task. It’s up to you. I will be painting the stem but not until much later. It really helps the head rails stand out. It almost always comes out better the second time around. If anything you could just use the laser parts I have also. You know what’s involved and gave it a try., and it might be worth seeing how it comes together with the laser parts so you can see what the tolerances are of the tight joints. This way you won’t get frustrated....and possibly stop the project all together. It’s up to you depending on how you feel. You could use the one you have but if it will drive you nuts looking at it, I wouldn’t. I have been there.

Its not the pencil that is darkening the seams. Its the space between parts. If your seams are not tight, they will fill up with sawdust and mix with the glue and finish and turn very dark after hitting the pencil graphite. Tighter seams is the way to go but it doesnt look too bad at all. Its not an easy thing to scratch and get a real tight fit. Each piece needs to be fine tuned with a delicate touch until they fit super tight. At least that is the goal. But keep in mind that if you plan on painting the model like the contemporary version, most of the stem is actually painted and covered up. Not many of those seams will even show. So you could always take the same approach as the contemporary model and cut it out in one piece rather than assemble all of the individual parts. Most contemporary models are made like that anyway. It makes for a really clean worry-free stem. Chuck

Its quite pertinent to the discussion...I like the heaviness of the iron....even the small one does the trick. I like the additional surface area better too. I really dont like those small heater things. Just my preference. You can heat up a 3" length of plank quickly if not a longer section and really press it down firmly with the iron. You wont get the same affect on the plank with that.

😂..all done.....man you guys are demanding....LOL.

it works like a charm......its my method of choice.....well done!!! Its a very quick method to use. It requires few tools.....you could always use any old full sized iron. But having the smaller one is much better. You also wont get in trouble from the admiral, LOL.

Thank you Martyn!!!! If we were in a pub I would buy you a pint.

1) How long do you need to keep the iron on the wood? Not very long....you will need to experiment. Just a few minutes and move the iron back and forth just like you are ironing. If you get too much spring-back...just bend it some more. You will get a feel for it. Once you wet the strip with your finger....just dip in a container of water and run it across the strip first. When you apply the iron...it will sizzle as the water evaporates. As far as the time and temp...it all depends on the type of wood you are using. No absolutes. You must experiment. Cedar doesnt take long at all but boxwood will take longer. Some things are best discovered by experimenting on some scrap wood in your shop. Your conditions and equipment will vary from mine. The important thing is the concept. 2) How long does the wood need to cool before you unclamp it? Just a minute or so. OK - just thought of a 3rd question - if you're using a hair dryer, how long do you need to heat the wood? Same applies. It depends on the thickness and type of wood. Best way to find out is test it. Just bend a few test strips and play with it. It all depends on how hot your hair dryer is. Some folks like to use a heat gun but I find those too hot and dangerous. Should you guys give this a try please do share your thoughts and experiences in your build logs. I am certain that the answers to the questions above will differ from person to person. Like everything else, there is a learning curve!!!! So keep at it until you have that "light bulb" "ahhaa" moment. It would be good to see how you guys do this and what your opinions and experience were. Chuck

As you guys know, The decorations for the Winnie can be purchased in either milled wood or as cast resin pieces. There are 18 individual carvings so this is a large set. There is of course the figurehead.....and then there are the stern decorations, drops and trailboards. See below....although the columns are not included. These will be made via laser cutter. The columns are something that cant be CNC carved because the ones for the quarter galleries will differ from model to model. This also reduces the cost of these....which will be expensive. The figures on the two columns will be provided but not with the columns. They will be separated from them. You can buy the CNC milled carvings directly from Jack (HJX) and he will give you those details. They are available milled in two different woods. Boxwood and a Chinese Jujubewood. They look almost identical, however the boxwood versions are slightly more polished when milled. Jack will explain. The JuJubewood is much more yellow when a finish is applied. Here is a photo showing both woods....cant really tell them apart. jujubewood below... And boxwood below... The Boxwood sets will cost you.... The price of the whole set of boxwood sculptures including the figurehead is $320, including postage. Jujube $270, including postage too. Contact Jack directly for these. I am in the process of making cast resin sets in tan which dont need to be painted. They look really great. If you want to buy these instead, I dont know the final cost yet but the set will run you around $150. Here is an image of the resin cast figurehead. I dont yet have the stern castings to show.

Nicely done!!!

Check out my latest posts in my Winnie build log. I have tweaked my method a little and posted the process.

I was just asked via PM how you determine the size and shape of the curve before you bend the plank. Excellent question. Please if you have a question, dont hesitate to ask it in the open forum. I am sure many of you have the same question. Anyway....I forgot to show how I do that. But luckily I have an image from the Cheerful project. To determine the curve need, just hold the plank straight against the hull so it reveals the gap as shown below. This will reveal the curve you need more or less. I mark the widest point of the gap which is the apex of the curve. I marl it on the plank with a pencil. Then I take it to my "bending station" and position the apex under my hold down device so it becomes the center of the bend. I hope this clear. Its very hard to describe in writing. Once again you can see that the curve needed is not that severe.

One important thing I forgot to mention. I am shifting the butt joints every TWO bulkheads using a 4 plank shift pattern as is typical. Every two bulkheads. If you only shifted one bulkhead which most folks do then the resulting pattern gets to busy and distracting.

yes you can use this method. If you are using cedar, you can use a straight edge or metal ruler and a sharp blade to just cut the plank when tapering. Then finish it off with a sanding stick. Also, with the cedar there is no need to bend the strip the other way. It is so pliable that after edge-bending you are good to go.

Started planking the belts today below the wales. Let me describe how I plank at the bow by edge bending rather than spiling the curved planks from sheets. You guys should give it a try. The first belt uses 1/4" wide planking strips exclusively. They are 3/64" thick. I will break it sown into steps and hopefully this reads well. I took still photos from the port side and I will do it again using video when I plank the starboard side. 1. - Take a strip and sand the angle to fit the stem. It will require beveling. Then mark the width of the plank from your lining off on that front edge. lets taper the plank for the bow. 2. - Then mark the locations for the bulkheads (the front edge with the tick marks). Dont obsess over the locations...you can just approximate. 3. Take a scrap length of 1/4" strip so you can mark the width of the plank at each bulkhead. 4. Transfer that mark to that bulkhead mark on your plank. 5. Then connect the dots with a sharp pencil using a straight edge. Then use a sanding stick, or blade to file the taper into your plank. 6. So far so good....but as many folks do, if you tried to force this plank on the hull it wont go well for you at this point. If you force the plank against the one already on the hull, the top edge pulls away from the hull dramatically. The photo below shows this....I even dropped a toothpick in the gap so you guys can see it better. You will never be able to force that top edge down. Instead, some builder create a creative run for the plank which is historically incorrect. OR they start putting the first of about five stealers and drop planks. Not the way to go. This plank needs to be curved to fit the shape of the hull while laying flat against the bulkhead edges. Here is one way to do this. My favorite way.....EDGE BENDING> 7. To bend the plank edge-wise, create a simple hold down device for the strip (center). Its just a 3/64" thick piece of scrap with a small length glued on top. Once clamped to your bench, the planks is held down by it. Note how the top edge is curved. I also clamp the forward end of the plank and the other end while edge-bending it dry. Now you can see that the plank is starting to lift up. Bend it until it just starts to lift up. Clamp it down but use some scrap on top of the plank so the clamps dont damage the strip. I prefer dry heat bending....but if you must....just dip your finger in some clean water and run it down the area of the strip being bent. Not a lot.....just to wet it a bit. I am doing this for each plank. 8. NOW...I bet you thought I would be using a hair dryer to heat - bend this plank. I do use one.....BUT, I have since switched to something different. It works even better!!!! Its great for wider planks. I still use the hair dryer to twist and bend strips the other way. But at the bow....you only need to edge bend it. Note that the strip is already flattened out where it was starting to lift....you are ironing it flat again. Works great. This is a travel iron...its really small. They only cost about $20. I use this only for edge-bending and then switch to a hair dryer for twisting and other bends. They are not as hot as those soldering iron things with the fancy tips. Those get super hot....too hot. This small travel iron gets to around 400 degrees and you can adjust it. I use it on a pretty hot setting....around 300 - 350 degrees. 9. Below is the plank I bent in comparison to a straight plank. You dont have to bend them all that much. Sometimes when you test it on the model, there will still be lifting....that means you need a more severe bend. So take it back and bend it some more. Other times you may not have bent it to the proper curve meaning the distance from the end of the plank at the bow for the center of the curve wasnt correct. Then take it back and bend it again. No big deal. I find that the apex or center of the bend falls between the 2nd and 3rd bulkheads at the bow. As you work your way towards the keel, that location will change. The severity of the curve will also change. 10. Now I can take that strip and fit it in the rabbet and hold the plank with just one finger. No forcing. It lays flat against the bulkhead edges. But note, there will be gaps between this plank and the one already on the hull. You must tweak it so you get a tight fit with no gaps. It may require some beveling too. This is also when you check your taper to see if the plank fits within the tick marks you lined off on the bulkheads. If it needs some tweaking so you can stay on "plan" with your lining off....do that before gluing it into position. But once you have a good fit, cut the other end to length and darken the edge with a pencil to simulate the caulking. Then glue it into position. I do use CA for all my planking. Its the only thing I use it for. This plank below still needs some tweaking because there are gaps after bending. I managed to almost finish the first belt on the port side today. I have just one last strake to put on. Then I will switch to the Starboard side. I work one belt at a time on each side. Then I switch sides. Here are some photos and it is starting to come together nicely. I am sure I forgot to mention a few things on this long post but feel free to ask me any questions. This is basically how I plank every hull after lining it off. I must also mention that I bend and twist the strakes at the stern with the hair dryer to get the best fit after I establish the taper...just like I did above.

Nice progress. 😀

I should have chapter two done in a few weeks. I may not be completed with the planking but I can describe the process. Once hull is planked its the end of chapter two..... Chapter 3 will be the framing and completion of the stern transom and quarter galleries. This is where the fun really starts!!!