Timmo

Timmo, as someone who used to work in logistics with FedEx Ground, there are a number of potential reasons. The first one that comes to my mind is the possibility that the shipping label somehow came off the package (happens way more often than you may think) and having to do research to find out where your package is going to -- or there is the fact that some labels just become unreadable with the scanners being used and having to guess at some information. Another possible issue could be going through Customs. Some packages just take longer even if the shippers writes on the outside what is inside. There also are some shippers that just don't provide tracking of tracking which I know is a inconvenience to anxious recipients.

I started the rear elevation by comparing the AOTSD rendered drawing with the photo on kit box. You can tell that the kit version has used the AOTSD drawings to base their design on but there seems to have been some value engineering on the go. The kit version has lost some of the depth. The windows appear to be a different proportion and are a bit too square. The springing point of the side arches over the spandrel windows look like they have been shifted over and the decorative elements has been simplified and watered down.
 

 
I had a look at the ply template supplied and decided that it needed too much surgery and wasn't worth saving. I drew up an alternative on the computer and then 3D printed a new template. I then started to form the various steps and pilasters using walnut planks. I 3D printed some of the mouldings and decorative pieces as they were too delicate to be made out of any of the woods that I had to hand. The 3D printed parts are a bit ropey but they are the best that I can produce using the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technology printer that I have. I should really invest in a Digital Light Processing (DLP) printer to improve the resolution.
 

 

 

 

 
I painted everything with the garish blue and the decorative elements in gold. The gold was a big mistake. I should have rather used real gold leaf or yellow ochre instead. I repainted some of the mouldings in yellow ochre but the I don't want to risk repainting all of the decorations. I built up the upper counter using walnut planks. I really should have curved these but for some reason I didn’t. I did not like the look of the photoetch brass letters supplied so I thought that I would try my hand at painting the name which seems to be what happened in practice. It came out a bit shaky but if you look at it from a distance and squint your eyes it is acceptable. I took the dremel to the corners to provide a recess to accept the figures.
 

 

 

 
For the windows I also went down the 3d printed route. I notice a lot of the windows offered in kits consist of a set of photoetch mullions where they encourage you to stick some acetate on the back of and then glue on the model. In order to simulate a real window they should supply two sets of frames, one thicker than the other, which you can then use to sandwich the acetate. My initial grand idea was to provide a sub-frame where I could place each individual pane of glass cut from acetate or glass from a slide cover. The plan was that the slight variations in placement would have caused a realistic window effect as the light reflected off them. I managed to cut out one pane and then had to lie down for a while to recover so I gave up on that idea. It probably would have been feasible at a scale of 1:48. I reworked the sub-frame so that I could install the acetate in one piece.
 

 

 

 

 
This is the fascia mounted on the model compared to the two references. It looks like a marginal gain on the kit version but I am still not happy with the decorative elements. I would like to replace the figures but sourcing them is problematic. I may go and rummage through some Toy/Hobby shops to see if any of them have a range of small plastic maidens striking heroic poses.
 

 
 

Hi Reg,
Any change in the shipping situation? Keen to see more of your fine work and I’m also at a loose end and considering starting a Winnie.

A diversion here-
That trip to collect my grandfather's stock of timber netted more than expected. Most of it is rimu which has a lovely warm red glow for the heart timber sort of like pear for those in the northern hemisphere. There's also some outer stock with a lighter colour. The grain might not be tight enough for smaller pieces of ship fittings but I'll be keen to try to work some in somewhere in future builds.
My father will be kept in woodwork for many years to come with that pile.
 

 
Also while on the trip I uncovered a forebear of mine was also a ship modeller.
A copy of a newspaper clipping , date unclear, of my great grandfather in his later years with one of his efforts.

Reg, Have you tried NZ post Youshop? 
You get USPS or whoever to ship to the NZ Post depot inthe US,  Oregon I think, and they onsend it from there. It caters for all the people like us at the quiet end of the earth that some people won't ship to or those who only do domestic.
I've used it before with goods from companies in the States that use one of those mad US Postal service calculators that makes the shipping 10x the cost of the item. It's worked well without much cost.
However, the item probably needs to be commercially packaged/ labelled. as I suspect it relies on scanning tech. I tried it once for a friend in the states sending me some scale rope in an envelope with a handwritten address and coding for the depot and it disappeared.
 

Looks Great! This is the first picture I have seen that really relates the size of this Winchelsea build. 

Good work Reg. That's a busy looking gundeck of very tidy weapons.

Lovely work Reg. 

I’m continually impressed whenever I check in on you build Reg. That’s money well spent in your expert hands and you are also answering questions I’ve been wondering about like the fruitwood gel. Eagerly awaiting more.

Just found your build nzreg and pleased to see a Winchelsea in 'un zed'.  
It's coming along really nicely and that planking looks great. 
I've been very tempted to start one myself, especially since Chuck changed tack and made it a group project.
However, I'd better make use of the plans I've already got and finish what I've started...
 
Good luck with the build.
 
 

It's been a while but Enterprise sits with her masts finished but stored and her framing and building stocks safely hidden away. 
 
Here's the reason...  my new boat is taking shape- a 14ft ilur class sailing dinghy. 
Hoping to have her launched around the end of the year and then back to the Enterprise next year at some stage once I need something to build again. Also, after spending all the family treasure and garage space on this one I'll need to reduce scale of size and money again. 
 

Continuation 
 

 

 

 
Pawel

That’s great work and a string of very educational posts Jason. Glad to see her back underway. 
The spreadsheet idea seems so obvious and is something I’ll store away for future. 
Coincidentally I’ve been fitting decking to a 1:1 scale sailing dinghy and spent a day working out tapers and spacing for a measly five planks. 

That’s great work and a string of very educational posts Jason. Glad to see her back underway. 
The spreadsheet idea seems so obvious and is something I’ll store away for future. 
Coincidentally I’ve been fitting decking to a 1:1 scale sailing dinghy and spent a day working out tapers and spacing for a measly five planks. 

Ours seem to be fairly salty seadogs.  Here's one in the canoe. 

It's been a while but Enterprise sits with her masts finished but stored and her framing and building stocks safely hidden away. 
 
Here's the reason...  my new boat is taking shape- a 14ft ilur class sailing dinghy. 
Hoping to have her launched around the end of the year and then back to the Enterprise next year at some stage once I need something to build again. Also, after spending all the family treasure and garage space on this one I'll need to reduce scale of size and money again. 
 

go on then, another one...
The ominous torpedo ballast keel is visible when in the pool, unlike local lakes etc. I'm interested to see whether Enterprise's greater hull capacity and bouyancy will allow a bit more internal ballast and something that will be less yacht-like underneath her. 

That’s lovely work Jason

Looking good. What number is the humbro yellow?

This is really quite incredible quality.

This is really quite incredible quality.

Hello dear colleagues! Here is another Enterprise-class frigate completed. Most likely this will be the last frigate of this type. The frigate "Sphinx" 1775. Scale 1:36.

I decided to design and make the stove before I put any more beams in position.  I just wanted to have it ready when its time to glue it in permanently.  Usually when I design new mini-kits like this I have to make five or six of them.  I got lucky and this time everything went together perfectly on the first go around.  Unfortunately I didnt take any construction photos so I am going to have to make another one anyway.
 
Maybe it will come out even better the second time around.
 
Here are some photos.   Except for a 1mm brass rod and a bit of 24 gauge black wire, this stove kit is made entirely of boxwood, yellow cedar and laser board.  The pulley is laser board for example.  The close ups are pretty brutal but on the ship it looks really nice.  It was hard to photograph a black stove so you guys can see all the details.
 

 

I thought it might be a good time to get this post in as it covers a number of tasks that I've been working on.
 
Starting with the gun port lids.
 

The first step was to get these two planks fitting correctly
 

The last plank is placed underneath so that the bottom edge can be traced
 

The final result with all three planks in place
 

When adding the frieze, the top section is cut away so it can be registered with the frieze below.
 

Final result with lid lining attached, painted and ready for hinge
 
Pinned cleats to the bulwarks.

 
Transom windows and sills 

 

 
Mike

After what seems like forever, I've finally finished making up the guns. I'm seeing eyebolts and ringbolts in my dreams. Now it's on to the gun rigging.
 
Bob