jfhealey

Hi Mike - I had my cataracts done in September. I now look out on a different world full of extraordinary light, vibrant colours and definition I'd long ago forgotten. Its a miracle opertion. I hope your second op goes well and wish you the very best outcome.

Best wishes

Fred

What a lovely idea. It's intruiging to think about the circumstances in which your message might one day be read. What sort of a world will the reader live in I wonder.

Best wishes

Fred

You are not really serious about just 100 "kits" are you? I predict a riot if you are!!!

As far as I can see this is faultless. Keep going at this standard and you will have a superb Winchelsea.

Best wishes

Fred

I've been working on the outside - the steps and the channels for both of which I cut brass scrapers. The plans show the corners of the channels rounded off but I struggled to achieve an acceptable result and decided in the end to leave them square.

 

Here is the Syren Windlass. Te instructions indicate that orientation is important. I didn't appreciate quite what that meant. You install an octagon onto a square stick so there is a risk, unless you understand what is required by way of orientation, that you will be a quarter turn out - as I was. But I don't mind. 

 Here are some overviews.

 

Best wishes everyone

Fred

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely exquisite. A model that would grace any museum collection anywhere in the world.

Fred

This is exquisite. A model that generations still to come will admire.

Fred

Could you post a photo showing what it is about the starboard side that falls below the standard you set yourself. I just want to understand how far behind the ball game I am.

Fred 

I have no idea what the answer is to your  question Allan but its a Chuck Passaro kit and I have no doubt therefore immaculately and exhaustively researched. Perhaps someone with far more knowledge than me can explain because its an intriguing question.

Best wishes

Fred

You are creating a wonderful model Chuck. I've put my Winchelsea aside while I have a go at Cheerful but, golly, looking at these pictures I can't wait to get going again. Inspirational stuff! 

Thanks chaps.

Allan - no port lids on the Cheerful save the stern chasers which have lids.

Glenn - I have read your log and all the other Cheerful logs several times over. Another really good log, well worth a read, is Cutter Alert  1777 by Dali: a fantastic build. What a incredibly useful club - is that what it is?  - Model Ship World is.

Fred

I wish I counted the difference between my port and starboard sides in hairs. Fingers is closer! 

Fred

May I second Frank's view of the lamps? I suspect they are  tricky to do in the sense that done well (beautifully executed, in the right place and to scale) they look really good and done badly they look like a plastic dolls house  - and yours look really good as does your build generally. I am sure I am not alone in thinking the standard of Winchelsea builds is remarkable. I hope Chuck is very proud of his achievement and that you are of yours.

all the best

Fred

Thank you JJ and Glenn and for all the likes.

 

I have started work on the deck. I just have the tricky hooked joints still to do. They did not come out too well on my Winchelsea but I am better prepared this time, I think.

 

I have purchased the Syren mini-kits available for the Cheerful and started putting those together. Nothing is yet fixed to the deck. Therein lies a conundrum: Is it simpler, and likely to lead to a better outcome, if all the deck fittings aare left off so the deck can be more easily sanded or should the fittings be fixed to the false deck before planking? I went for the former first because I intend to treenail the deck (in the approved Chuck fashion with a small drill, very sharp pencil and wood filler) and I want real ease of access to sand away the filler and secondly because, as I discovered with Winchelsea I am nothing like as good as I should be (and I hope I am better at it now than I was) at cutting planks to length. The downside is you necessarily omit that very fine detail where the grating coamings are rounded above deck level and left square at deck level so it is a balancing exercise.

 

Here are some photographs.

 

This is the super Syren windlass kit. I cannot bring myself to cover it in paint.

The seats of ease are not yet finished of course and will be painted in due course.

 

Have a good day everyone.

Fred

 

 

This looks absolutely faultless Frank. Superb.

Fred

Looking wonderful Glenn. You must be very pleased with her (the Winnie that is; though your wife's cutting out of the friezes looks pretty spot on).

Fred

Thank you Chuck, Glenn and JJ and for the likes.

 

Progress here is slow not least because I've had cataract surgery on both eyes. Its a miracle operation: I can see long distances with sparkling clarity and detail and without specs for the first time in 50 plus years. But reading and model work is all to pot. Over the counter reading specs are OK for reading but not adequate for model work. I have to wait a few weeks for everything to settle down before getting some prescription readers - and then with any luck I shall be up and running again.

 

In the meantime I've done those little shaped pieces at  the bow, The margin planks (too wide, I think, but I'm hoping the waterway, cannons and deck clutter will disguise that) with scarf joints ( practice required!), the companionway housing ( a bit dollshouse-ish possibly. I'm still thinking about it) and some preparation for the deck planking. I was very unhappy with my deck planking of the Winnie - all down I can see now to a lack of preparation. There is no substitute in this hobby for experience and I don't have much. But I'm learning!

 

 

There is a gentle bend in the deck planking though it does not really show in the pictures. The planking was cut in Imperial sizes by Hobbymill EU. In metric the planks I will use are a smidge over 5mm and I will sand them down to 3.5mm at bow and stern remaining 5mm at the centre. I wonder about the central planks remining un-sanded -5mm straight through as Chuck shows them and as, no doubt, is authentic. I think I prefer all of them gently curved. 

 

My deck furniture bits and pieces are winging their way across the pond from Syren as I write so I'll put those together and have a play around before deciding.

 

At the moment the only finish on the planking is sanding sealer. At some point I will have a jolly good clean up and apply a permanent finish Matt varnish I guess.

 

All the best everyone

Fred

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you CiscoH, JJ and Glenn and for the likes.

 

I started the square tuck with a problem. I had no underhang below the counter. I'm unsure how I achieved that. It meant some cutting away.

 

I decided to make the square tuck frame in one piece. That seemed easier with not much backing wood to glue to. These are trial pieces.

 

Here is another trial piece with the infill area cut away  and the one piece frame split to form the joint in the top corner. I later abandoned splitting the frame - forsaking the joint, which I doubted I could form very well, for a tidy outcome.

These are the pieces I will use. 

Here I've formed the cut out and I'm trial fitting the infills. At this stage I was going to leave the infill a little lower than the surrounding frame. I later abandoned that idea and went for flush.

 

 

An important "line" is the first plank below the square tuck. The incoming plank must flow smoothly through. Here I'm making ready.   

Both sides done.

 

The stern post resting in position.

Flush fitting the infills.

 

And here is where I am now.

 

Ready for a bit of a repaint and the treenailing the hull - which fills me with dread!

 

All the best everyone

Fred

 

 

Thanks Glen. Your post came in as I was typing. Your log is bookmarked and regularly consulted  - that's the advantage of coming fairly late to Cheerful. 

Fred

Thank you Paul and Chuck. I forgot the caulking between the deck planks on my Winnie and shall forever regret it. I won't forget this time around!

And, though I'm sure you've heard it a thousand times and more, thank you Chuck for sharing your wonderful creations and making access to the craft of model ship making so much more enjoyable than I think it would be if we had only the mass market kits to make. Is  your next project  - plank on frame! - yet anything more than a twinkle in your eye?

Fred

Thank you Chuck and for the likes.

 

I bought Syren's pre cut bulkheads. They go  together as simply as Lego bricks. I don't have sufficient confidence in my planking skills to single plank - so I opted for balsa fillets between the bulkheads. I made a schoolboy error along the way: I should have taken my measurements against the bulkhead former and filled up between the bulkheads one piece of balsa per side. I didn't: I took the measurements from the outer edge of the bulkhead and filled up a complete section on one side before turning to the other. As a result I got a bit of a wiggle on - but I spotted it in time and before the wiggle got bigger than faring the bulkheads could cope with. A lesson learned.

 

 

I intend to build Cheerful with the hatchway doors open. This is a test to see what can be seen through open doors. Answer: not much. But worth creating at least a small false deck.

 

 

I purchased the Cheerful boxwood set from Hobbymill EU. Its beautiful stuff - wonderfully accurately cut with no saw marks in sight. Highly recommended.

I oversanded the last couple of bulkheads and didn't realise until I tried fitting the piece that form the back of the square tuck. I had to re-form with wood filler.

 

The first planks go on.

 

I took a lot of care with the port openings. On my Winnie these were scruffy because of expelled glue.  I can see I should have blown away the dust before taking the picture.

Planking progress and the inner bulkheads sanded back. I used 1mm thick "planks" glued to the inside of the strakes as a sanding guide.

 

The flat sheet on top was intended to guide installing the top row of strakes for an even and flowing sheer.

 

The false deck came next. I'm building a bit out of order but I like to see those ugly interior bulkheads gone.

 

 

 

 

Planking above the wales finished.

 

 

 

The cap rails are on.

 

There is a bit of a bump above the first port opening. I later removed the cap rails and sanded that out.

 

And now the fancy mouldings and wales

Which is about where I am now!

 

All the best everyone

Fred

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm taking a break from HMS Winchelsea. For those yet to start the Winnie it's a monster requiring real dedication and stamina. And, of course, for the relatively inexperienced model maker you look back at things you've done and think: "If I did that again I think it I'd do it so much better" ( do you, I wonder ever shake off that feeling?). Aan I so want to make the Winnie really well - so a break and a re-set are in order.

 

I've decided to have a go at Chuck's ever so pretty little cutter Cheerful. I have the advantage coming late to the Cheerful of so many superb build logs to follow. This is where I am at the moment.

 

All the best everyone

Fred

 

 

 

 

Matt - how is your Winnie coming along?

Fred

Steve - I've only now caught up with your message. Thank you very much for taking the time to set that out. It's really helpful. I recently purchased the Cheerful plans and bulkheads from Chuck and the Cheerful boxwood package from Hobbymill EU who were very helpful and good to deal with. The boxwood, incidentally, from them is flawlessly brilliant. The Byrnes will have to wait a while but I'm persuaded the Proxxon is probably not the way to go.

 

Glenn - many thanks for your thoughts. I'm underway and will start a Cheerful log soon. One of the joys of MSW is the "been there and done it" knowledge of the other builders. I have read and re-read your log and many others beside. I hope I shall make a much better fist of Cheerful than I might otherwise have been able to do as a result.

 

All the best

Fred

Matt - I know exactly how you feel. I started the Winchelsea a long time ago (the posts are somewhere near the bottom of the pile now) and quickly realised that for a third ever build I was way in over my head in terms of the difference between the outcome I had in my mind's eye on the one hand and the achievable outcome my skill level suggested was achievable. So I started again - the posts are nearer the top as "Fred's W2". W2 is much better than my first effort but my expectations of my limited ability and experience continue to outstrip what I can achieve. So, like you, I'm thinking of taking time out from Winchelsea and having a go at Cheerful. I ordered the parts (including the laser cut frames - like you I scroll sawed the frames for both Winnies) from Chuck a couple of weeks ago and they arrived yesterday. I'm resolutely going to remember the basics - take it slow and steady and treat every part as a mini kit.  My preference would be to double plank Cheerful because I don't have enough confidence in my ability to achieve the sort of outcome I want to achieve from single planking - but the frames are not designed for double planking. I'm wondering whether  the answer is to cut the middle frames again on the scroll saw following the inside of the printed line (thus reducing the size by the required 1mm or so) and to let the fairing take care of the fore and aft frames. Or perhaps just fill the inter frame spaces with balsa and then fare the whole thing with a bit of wood filler as required.

 

Any way, whatever you decide Matt, best of luck and I shall follow your posts with interest.

 

May I ask: what table saw did you use? The Jim Byrnes seems the absolute stand out but does anyone in the UK know what it costs if Customs pick it out for imposition of duty? Or does the Proxxon do a decent job I wonder, I'm thinking of purchasing the Cheerful wood pack from Hobbymill Eu but I wonder how prices compare - milled v milling your own.

 

Best wishes

Fred