Chuck

Thank you Rusty and Captain Hook for your kind comments and thank you to all the 'Likes'.
The coloring work continues slowly.
In parallel, I made progress on the installation of the windlass.
Just follow the steps described in the instruction manual.
The windlass templates are glued on the 4 sides of the cedar stick.

I  took advantage of having a perfectly horizontal seat to drill the 8 holes provided for the windlass bars.

The superfluous wood is removed using a cutter then the whole is refined with sandpaper

The angles of the 8 holes were squared using a mini chisel. The paper is moistened and easily removed.

Finally the ends are gradually shaped and the right length for inserting the windlass in the brackets is reached.

The windlass temporarily positioned.


 
 

Sure the lighter one is cedar.....other than the slight color difference they both look and perform the task beautifully.  Keep in mind I just took this with my phone.   But you get the idea.
 

 
Chuck

I forgot to mention that I will not be drilling the deck for the masts since there wont be any.  I simply painted the circles black on the false decking.  The partners are really thick and then there will be the mast coats so these holes will be pretty deep.  So it will look nice and neat this way and nobody will ever know.  AND they are so deep that if anyone was crazy enough to rig her, that they would be sufficiently deep enough to stick your masts into.
 

I forgot to mention that I will not be drilling the deck for the masts since there wont be any.  I simply painted the circles black on the false decking.  The partners are really thick and then there will be the mast coats so these holes will be pretty deep.  So it will look nice and neat this way and nobody will ever know.  AND they are so deep that if anyone was crazy enough to rig her, that they would be sufficiently deep enough to stick your masts into.
 

I have completed all of the partners and coamings......I can almost start planking the deck now.  I forgot one last detail which I will show you guys soon.   But here are some pics. 
 
The foremast partners are made from laser cut parts and then I added the bolts.  I used 15 pound filament for those.  Use a #75 drill bit for the holes.
 
You can also see the base plate for the stove.   You have a few options with this.  I have laser cut a nice base for you.  At this time the base was most likely just a large iron plate....but in some cases they used flagstone or slate.  If you want to depict the iron plate....just flip it over and paint it matte black.   But if you want to show some slate or flagstones, I have laser etched the other side with a stone tile pattern.
 
Simply paint it matte black first but keep the coaming natural.  Then use some weathering powders on the tiles to make them only slightly lighter.  Leave the etched grout lines (which are deeper) dark black.   But use some grays and rust colors to make a subtle stone base.  Dont over do it!!!
 
The main mast partners were done the same as the fore mast partners.   None of these are glued in position yet but I will be doing so soon!!!






Any comments or questions!!!!!!!

Sure the lighter one is cedar.....other than the slight color difference they both look and perform the task beautifully.  Keep in mind I just took this with my phone.   But you get the idea.
 

 
Chuck

I forgot to mention that I will not be drilling the deck for the masts since there wont be any.  I simply painted the circles black on the false decking.  The partners are really thick and then there will be the mast coats so these holes will be pretty deep.  So it will look nice and neat this way and nobody will ever know.  AND they are so deep that if anyone was crazy enough to rig her, that they would be sufficiently deep enough to stick your masts into.
 

Chuck, thanks for showing the side by side of the gratings.  And Guillermo, thanks for asking about it.  I’ve been really enjoying the cedar on this project.  It is so easy to work with and looks terrific.

That is how it is done.   No tricks.  Just careful step by step.  Nicely done.

Sure the lighter one is cedar.....other than the slight color difference they both look and perform the task beautifully.  Keep in mind I just took this with my phone.   But you get the idea.
 

 
Chuck

I forgot to mention that I will not be drilling the deck for the masts since there wont be any.  I simply painted the circles black on the false decking.  The partners are really thick and then there will be the mast coats so these holes will be pretty deep.  So it will look nice and neat this way and nobody will ever know.  AND they are so deep that if anyone was crazy enough to rig her, that they would be sufficiently deep enough to stick your masts into.
 

Sure the lighter one is cedar.....other than the slight color difference they both look and perform the task beautifully.  Keep in mind I just took this with my phone.   But you get the idea.
 

 
Chuck

I forgot to mention that I will not be drilling the deck for the masts since there wont be any.  I simply painted the circles black on the false decking.  The partners are really thick and then there will be the mast coats so these holes will be pretty deep.  So it will look nice and neat this way and nobody will ever know.  AND they are so deep that if anyone was crazy enough to rig her, that they would be sufficiently deep enough to stick your masts into.
 

I am not even sure this thing as designed can be built.  It is only 8" long.  But I basically drafted it exactly like my barge kit.  The only difference difference is it will be carvel planked.   But I drafted it with frames to be built in a jig just like the barge kit which is 19" long.  I must be nuts trying to build it with floors and futtucks.  I may change that but I am curious if it can be done.  What do you think????  Too ambitious.  It will certainly be a detailed almost stand alone kit.  
 

Thanks Dirk.
 
Rigged the anchors today.
 

 
Also made the entry way stanchions.  These were made just like the belaying pins.  They were turned in my dremmel.  I started with a 1/16" strip.  I drilled the hole forst while it was square and then turned the four stanchions.   They were painted black and then made to look like metal.   I wont add the rope from them because they always lay funny.  They are not heavy enough to lay correctly and leaving them like this is much neater.  They werent glued in yet when I took the photo below.  
 

 
And that about does it folks.   After 3 years or so I have completed the Cheerful.  I enjoyed myself a great deal and learned so much with this project.   Here are some preliminary images of the completed model.   Hopefully I will find time to make the base and case soon.  But now its onto the barge.....
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not even sure this thing as designed can be built.  It is only 8" long.  But I basically drafted it exactly like my barge kit.  The only difference difference is it will be carvel planked.   But I drafted it with frames to be built in a jig just like the barge kit which is 19" long.  I must be nuts trying to build it with floors and futtucks.  I may change that but I am curious if it can be done.  What do you think????  Too ambitious.  It will certainly be a detailed almost stand alone kit.  
 

The work on the cockpit seats continues.

The center bracket on the transom has been added.  To make it easier to put the knees on each side, I used a small structure created from some scraps.

Wood filler is then used to seal the inevitable small interstices.


It's time to get my brush back...
 

Sure the lighter one is cedar.....other than the slight color difference they both look and perform the task beautifully.  Keep in mind I just took this with my phone.   But you get the idea.
 

 
Chuck

I forgot to mention that I will not be drilling the deck for the masts since there wont be any.  I simply painted the circles black on the false decking.  The partners are really thick and then there will be the mast coats so these holes will be pretty deep.  So it will look nice and neat this way and nobody will ever know.  AND they are so deep that if anyone was crazy enough to rig her, that they would be sufficiently deep enough to stick your masts into.
 

I have completed all of the partners and coamings......I can almost start planking the deck now.  I forgot one last detail which I will show you guys soon.   But here are some pics. 
 
The foremast partners are made from laser cut parts and then I added the bolts.  I used 15 pound filament for those.  Use a #75 drill bit for the holes.
 
You can also see the base plate for the stove.   You have a few options with this.  I have laser cut a nice base for you.  At this time the base was most likely just a large iron plate....but in some cases they used flagstone or slate.  If you want to depict the iron plate....just flip it over and paint it matte black.   But if you want to show some slate or flagstones, I have laser etched the other side with a stone tile pattern.
 
Simply paint it matte black first but keep the coaming natural.  Then use some weathering powders on the tiles to make them only slightly lighter.  Leave the etched grout lines (which are deeper) dark black.   But use some grays and rust colors to make a subtle stone base.  Dont over do it!!!
 
The main mast partners were done the same as the fore mast partners.   None of these are glued in position yet but I will be doing so soon!!!






Any comments or questions!!!!!!!

Back to the Winnie....
 
To make the gratings for the gun deck you will need 3 packages of my cambered grating mini kits.  I will not be including these in the package for chapter 4 because I sell them in either cedar (less expensive) or boxwood.   Both would work and you guys can choose.  You will also need the grating jig.  One jig should last you the entire project.
 
To start, figure out how many cambered laser cut grating strips you will need to fit the space in your coaming.  Only build what you need.  For example this grating below on left side needed just seven grating strips in the jig.  My coaming were designed so each grating will fit perfectly when finished.  So dont use more than the space needs.
 

Then use the supplied strips and press them into the notches carefully.  You will notice they will probably be too tight at first.  This is by design.  You need to run some sandpaper down the strip until it becomes a nice press-fit into the notches.  Once again only use the number of strips you need.  In this case 13 strips pressed firmly in position...
 
At this stage you should look it over to make sure no grating strips went crooked while you were fitting the batten strips.  If they did your holes wont be equal in shape and size.  Fix those now using a toothpick if they lean over.  Its easy to do.
 

Then paint on some watered down tite-bond.  Get it in all the nooks and crannies.   Not too thick.   If the holes start clogging....add more water.
Wait about 2 minutes but not so long that the glue will dry.  You want to carefully pry the grating free of the jig before it dries and is glued to the jig!!!
 
Then clean up the jig for the next grating.   But you are not done yet.  Brush more glue on the bottom underside of the grating.  Set it aside to dry fully.
 

Now you are probably saying.... how in world will these ugly dirty gratings look good.  Right now they look awful.
 
Snip off the excess from the perimeter and file the sides smooth.  Check the fit in the coaming.   Then start sanding the top surface.  In the center photo below you can see I have sanding that grating only on one side.  The finished grating can be seen coming to light.
 
The one on the right is completed.   These are cedar gratings by the way.   Now should you sand the bottom too?   You dont have to.....BUT, I am sure you have seen those contemporary models and have seen how thin they are.  I wouldnt recommend going too thin.   But it does change the way the grating looks in the coaming.   
 

 
And here are the finished coamings with the gratings in position.   
 

ANY QUESTIONS????

Leopard!!!!  No thats not gonna be a choice.   Its going to be a long while before I tackle a project as large and complex as the Winnie again.   I am going to do a few smaller subjects after this one guys.   The number of laser cut parts and designed elements is about four times more than you will find in most or all kits of this size.  Thats a lot of parts!!!   I want to simplify after this one is done.
 
And I still have to produce a POF cross section for Winnie!!!!  I just want to see if I can tackle the design challenge to give you something new with the cross section.  I think it could be a nice extension of the group project as well.
 



 
Chuck

I forgot to mention that I will not be drilling the deck for the masts since there wont be any.  I simply painted the circles black on the false decking.  The partners are really thick and then there will be the mast coats so these holes will be pretty deep.  So it will look nice and neat this way and nobody will ever know.  AND they are so deep that if anyone was crazy enough to rig her, that they would be sufficiently deep enough to stick your masts into.
 

Looks good but that window glazing will get so dusty on the inside and impossible to clean.  I wouldnt add it until much much later.  No need to do it now at all.  I have also just switched to black on the top of the roof after much contemplation.  It looks better to my eye and make the fancy rail stand out much more.   See the photo below. Something to consider.
 
Chuck
 

Today I planked the inboard stern.  There are five strakes.  They are all laser cut with the proper curve.  Note that I started with the top plank so it would be flush with the bottoms of the windows.  We will be adding a thin sill and some molding later on top of this to finish it off.   Excuse the dust!!!  But each new addition does clean every up a bit and make it look nicer covering up all of the frames and bulkheads.  I also decided NOT to high light the seams between these planks as I think they would look too busy.  It will look cleaner this way with the paneled rudder trunk and benches in front of it.

Also not how the bottom three planks dont span the entire width of the stern.  The center will be left open for the rudder and this whole area will be covered with the paneled rudder trunk.   In fact we will be adding the rudder real soon.
 
But first I want to get the deck planked.  So next up was adding the margin planks.  These are also laser cut with scarfs.  But be aware that it is unlikely that these will fit your model perfectly.  There will be so many differences in the way each of you fair inboard and create the inboard shape of the hull.  So some of you will no doubt have to use them as a starting point to trace them and cut new ones to fit your model.  Its not very hard to do.  They are 3/64" thick. The aft section against the transom was positioned first.  The aft edge was beveled to fit snug against the transom.

Then I started adding each of the four sections along each side.  Starting at the bow and working my way aft.
 

Next up I will add the waterway which will be a 1/16" x 1/16" strip that is angled on the inboard side.  You know the drill.  Its the same way as done with all of my projects.   Once that is done I will start building the platforms and coaming down the center of the deck so I can plank around them.  Here is how she looks now.  Testing the deck beams too!!!