AnobiumPunctatum

I am not sure if I posted this yet but I want to give everyone a detailed view of the model as it will ultimately appear....hopefully.   Here is a link to download sheet one of the plans.  I am going to shoot for launching this before it is completed so it is important that you guys see what the Frigate Winchelsea will ultimately look like.   This shows the profile and stern view.   Dont worry, like all of my plans, this first sheet wont contain any parts so no need to worry about pirating.
 
Download and have a look!!!  Because the image has very fine lines so a jpg like posted above is just too light.  Click below for full size sheet.
 
Winchelseaplanone.pdf
 
 

Admiralty Models has only a few three pounder Speedwell cannon barrels left. The set of eight are CNC turned in brass with exceptional detail. Bored for trunnions (included). Barrels are 1.125" in length (32 mm). If you are planning on building Speedwell at 1:48 scale then these are the cannons you want! Price for the set is $40 US plus shipping. If interested please send a PM or respond to dvm27@comcast.net.
 

Case in point about the similarity between Cedar and boxwood.  Mike hasnt applied any Wipe on Poly to his Winnie yet.  That will be a really good comparison.  Hopefully in a Couple of weeks.   But to illustrate the color and texture between these two fine woods I can post the images below.  The first smaller (3/16" Boxwood) version of Winnie from seven years ago is on the bottom.
 
The Winnie in Cedar clearly has a richer, deeper warm tone.  But they are very similar.  When mixing some boxwood for the finer details, it blends so well that is is so difficult to tell where the boxwood was used.  This helps me exploit the use of boxwood on the thinner more delicate parts of the model without them sticking out like a sore thumb.  They will just blend in perfectly.  
 
 

That are good news. I will wait for the 1/48 scale figures. Have you also planned some sailors and gun crews?

That are good news. I will wait for the 1/48 scale figures. Have you also planned some sailors and gun crews?

I finished planking the other side up to the sheer.  With that completed, I would really like to add the second layer of the wales and the black strake.  BUT...it just makes sense to add a few strakes below the first layer of wales first.  
 
To do this, we will need to make a drop plank at the bow.  The drop plank essentially takes two strakes at mid ship and reduces them down to one strake as it enters the rabbet at the bow.  I really good example of this is shown below on this contemporary model.
 

A very similar drop plank was used on the Cheerful model as well.  They are not that difficult to lay out and make.  But having said this, I noticed that a few people building the Cheerful had some trouble making theirs.  So to make that easier this time around,  I laser cut the drop planks.  Of course this may need tweaking to fit on other models of the Winnie. It will be almost certain that the planks above it will be added slightly different on everyone's model.  But it should be very close.  At the very least, it could be used as a template and new one cut to fit your model.
 

You will notice another small tool in that photo above.  Its two 1/4" wide planks glued together.  This will be used as a gauge to mark the two strakes aft of the drop plank.  Basically you should mark every bulkhead starting with bulkhead "Q" and work your way aft.  Those bulkheads ahead of "Q" will have planks slightly narrower and tapered.
 

Then I took the "tail" of the drop plank which will end on bulkhead "Q" and did a dry fit.  I wanted to make sure a 1/4" plank would fit between the drop plank and wales....the "tail" of the drop plank is on the top in the photo below......then I checked to see if the plank fit and matched my tick marks.

 
The drop plank was glued into position.  I made sure that the "tail" ended where my tick marks indicated.  Then I continued planking the two strakes and worked my way aft.  Now I can finally add the second layer of wales and the black strake.  That will be done next and after painting the wales this model should actually start looking like something recognizable as a frigate.
 

Heres an overall view of the hull.....it will look much different once those wales are completed and painted.

 
Once again heres that contemporary model.....note how the wales are black and the black strake is left natural.  This is what I will be shooting for.  
 

 
 
 
 

Hi Ed,
 
what a really beautiful model. Congratulation for finishing her.

HI everyone,
 
I forgot to mention that my gun drafting came as part of re-drafting the Bellona in CAD. Here are a couple of screen shots of progress so far....
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark

Hi everyone,
 
I have been away, and just got back to the website. Greg, Michael, druxey and Ed, I hoped I wouldn't actually have to build it, once I drew it....;-)
 
All kidding aside, it is interesting how precise one has to be with CAD, or it doesn't get drawn at all. When I first drew it freehand in my original hand drafted drawings, I now realize I was able to fudge exactly where things began and ended, and I am sure my curves were not sections of accurate circles. Freehand has its virtues. And yet, when it is actually built at my small scale of 1:64, the subtleties of where exactly the scroll begins hardly matter. It is a lesson in understanding appropriate tolerances at different scales.
 
Wayne, I hope I didn't lead you down a rabbit-hole with this exercise. But it sounds like you learned as much as I did about interesting geometrical constructions from the 18th century and before (the volute in Classical architecture goes back to 500 BC or earlier). It is very satisfying to puzzle through a geometrical construction, and then when you draw for the final time, everything just falls into place. Obsession has its rewards!
 
This construction is also a reminder for me that our predecessors relied much more on relative proportions and geometrical constructions for forming complex shapes including an entire ship design. We don't tend to think as much today of objects in terms of their proportional relations to other objects when designing and drawing. Perhaps we lost some important ways of looking at the world.
 
And Ben, I am glad solving my puzzle helped solve yours regarding the dotted lines in the stem construction. Further evidence of why this website is so valuable to us all.
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark

Cherry wood, frame included, and many others not shown are included. I will show you the validation process one after another. I hope to give you more valuable comments.

Your planking looks absolut fantastic. I like the color of the cedar. I think it will give a really nice contrast with pear of swiss pear.

Your planking looks absolut fantastic. I like the color of the cedar. I think it will give a really nice contrast with pear of swiss pear.

Your planking looks absolut fantastic. I like the color of the cedar. I think it will give a really nice contrast with pear of swiss pear.

Have you seen the new POF kit of the Cutter Alert being made by a company called Trident?   
 
Yes, it is being made in China but as this is the first offering by "Trident" and it is an original work, this kit is perfectly fine to be built here on MSW.  Trident is not a company currently on our banned list and by all indications future kits in the works are also of original design and not pirated.  So, feel free to talk about it and maybe we will see some being built when it is officially released.
 
From all appearances this looks to be an excellent POF kit.  Here are some photos below.





 
 

I have finished planking the starboard side up to the sheer.   I will start on the port side this weekend.   As you can see now, the wales and black strake are much darker than the wood above it.  That was done on purpose so I could easily identify the wales when I add the second layer.  Having said that,  the Alaskan Yellow cedar is really nice stuff for working this large.  I like the color and its easy to work with.  This is the largest model ship I have seen made from Yellow cedar.   This will be a great test of how versatile and useful it is for ship modeling.
 



 
Chuck
 
 

Hi guys. I finally got the lower part of the quarter gallers and the counter all planked up. I didn't leave it bare and painted it to match the wales. One thing about it this time is it's easy on the eyes which makes me think that maybe just maybe I got it right or at least close to being right.  Gary
 

 
 
 
 

thanks guys....Rusty, I am just waiting til I finish planking a bit more.  Its been a long time since I had to cut around so many gun ports.  The Starboard side is a third of the way complete.   
 
You can see the five strakes of the wales and black strake which are darker.  This first layer was done this way on purpose so I could make sure that I put the second and final layers on the right strakes.  Also....the black strake can be left bright and unfinished or painted black along with the wales.  In this case the wales on the Winnie are so wide I think it would look a bit much.  So I will NOT be painting the black strake.   I am using other contemporary models like the Amazon as inspiration for this.  See below.  Imagine if you can if the black strake was also painted black on the model below.  It would be too wide and look over-bearing.  Dont forget to click on those pics of Amazon.....they are quite large and quite a treat to see this magnificent model up close.    I have these handy as inspiration while working on my model.

Oh I also made this mock up of the other carvings to display at joint clubs.   I know its not the best picture....but I thought I would post what all of the other carvings will look like.  These dont have any finish on them.

 

The lower counter was planked with laser cut strakes.  One thing I noticed on other projects is that some folks find it tricky to bend or cut these strakes to the proper curve.   This is very important because it determines the shape of the upper counter and thus the quarter gallery etc....and it just compounds from there.  So these strakes are laser cut.  I started with the top of the counter and worked my way lower where the final pieces were placed on either side of the stern post.  This will be covered over with a frieze but I added simulated caulking anyway.  I wanted to test how much would be used elsewhere.  Running a pencil along one edge of the joint was perfect.
 

The wales were stated and this is another crucial moment.  The run of this first plank will determine a lot.   The etched marks and references I made after running the batten were used to line up the bottom of the first strake.   I added this first strake with the hull upside down using 7/32" x 3/64" strips of cedar.  I still made adjustments after I finished the strake to try and get a smooth run.
 

I dont care about using a pencil to simulate tared seams on these.  This is just the first layer.  I used the plans to determine where the butt joints fall (4 butt shift).  I added this lower wale strake on both sides before working my up to complete them.  All four strakes for the wales are 7/32" wide.
 

Then it was just a matter of adding three more strakes above that one.  Note how there is no caulking but each strake was carefully added so the seams were nice and tight.  I did have to pre bend the lower two strakes of the wales at the bow edgewise.  This was done as an alternative to spiling the curved shape needed at the bow.  Its the only way you will get the planks to lay flat against the bulkhead edges.
 
I used a hold-down jig in the center as the pivot point which has a slight curve to it.  Then I clamp the plank on either side after bending it as needed.  Note the scrap wood pieces used to help prevent the soft cedar from denting.   As usual I uses a hair dryer on the hottest setting to heat up the strip and then let it cool down before removing it.  The curve you need is very slight.  No need to over bend these yet.   
 

The first layer of wales on the starboard side are completed...all four strakes.  Now to complete the other side.
 
Chuck

Revisiting the lantern...
 

 
As I prepare to leave for a short vacation, I decided to wait until I get back to start the planking.  I want to be fresh and rested before I start that.  But in the meanwhile, I have been working with Mike on some fittings and have revisited the lantern.  I wanted to try and make an all boxwood version for the larger Winnie.   So I redesigned some pieces.  This would address some end-grain issues and also account for slightly thicker windows etc.   Not that much thicker however.
I wanted to avoid laserboard all together to eliminate the need to paint any pieces because unless you are an expert painter the lantern could look sloppy.  To avoid this I began by thicknessing some boxwood sheets for laser cutting down to .015".   I was worried they would be too fragile and the windows wood break along the end grain.   But to my surprise, if they are handled carefully they hold up quite well.
 

 
The prototype is shown below.   The inside of the lantern will of course be painted red with a white candle in the middle.   I didnt even insert the acetate windows.  I am just proving out the new design changes to see if everything fits.   I havent put the hardware on the door yet (hinges and handle).  I will do that when I build another and rewrite the instructions.   But it came out rather well.   I am quite happy with it but it is an advanced little mini-kit.   You must go slow and sand everything very carefully to ensure a tight fit of the parts while keeping it clean and neat.
 

 
This prototype took me about 5 hours to assemble.  I havent drilled the vent holes in the top yet either.  These small details will be added on the next one I make.   Wipe on poly was applied as the finish.  My guess is the next one which I will actually use on my model will take longer as I add the other details and paint the interior etc.  No photoetch or laserboard.....all boxwood this time around!!!  The pictures are a bit misleading because this is still a very tiny and complex fitting to build.
 
Chuck

I took the time today, to look at your last videos. Really interesting way to show your build.
They give me a lot of motivation to continue my own build. Thanks for sharing

So what do you get PopPop on his 65th birthday when he already has everything he needs for his hobby? A paper on bulkhead model made from the pages of his own book. They even bought their own copy for the artist to make the model from the plans. If you look closely it has all the details of my model. Definitely one of the coolest gifts I've ever received!

Thank you very much!!!  And happy Easter!!!
 
I didnt feel like actually working today so I finished the starter package.  The last items to be completed were the bollard timbers.  Just like most projects, there is at least one item that will prove very tricky and challenging.  The bollard timbers arent too bad though.  They are similar in difficulty to making those "bolsters" at the bow of the longboat.   Every model has at least one or two complex parts to shape.  Its not unusual but most kits usually drop the ball on how these items are presented.
 
I believe its just a matter of breaking the process down into many steps ahead of time so mentally it becomes a lot easier.  Each individual step is not very difficult and once completed, you have shaped a very complex piece of modeling.
 
The bollard timbers at the bow are laser cut as blanks.  You need to make a pair of these that match as mirror images.  In the center, a chock spans the gap between them.   Here are the blanks which are 1/4" thick.  


Before you begin, it is important to fair the inboard side of the hull.  The bulwarks and stem need to be reduced to 1/8" thick.  You dont have to fair the entire hull inboard....just up towards the bow.   Its easier to shape the bollards after fairing and having the bulwarks thinned down.
 
Then place the bollard timber in position so the inside edge sits flush with the rabbet as shown.  But make sure you sand all of the laser char off first.  This will help keep the piece clean as you shape it.  In fact your hands should be washed and super clean once you get the char off.  You will be handling these pieces a lot and they will get dirty otherwise.
 
This piece will stand proud of the bulwark framing so that the exterior planking will be level/flush with it.  Therefore, you must create a bevel on the front and back sides.  Once placed in position, use a 3/64" thick plank that has been beveled (just like you would when planking) and position it along the bollard.  Then draw a line down the edge which will determine the bevel needed.  This needs to be done inboard as well.  Note the bollard timber on the port side is already completed.  I will attempt to make a mating pair.  There is a very detailed drawing on the plans for these parts.

The photo below shows the bevel completed on both sides.....note the finished example which I keep handy so I can make a matching pair.

Next, file the round cut-out that forms the top using a round needle file, sandpaper etc.  You can use the shape created by the laser on the other two sides to guide you.

Then draw a line just below the where you filed.  Do this on all four sides.  You will be filing a groove all around the piece.  I actually used a #11 blade to make a stop-cut on the line.  Then I chiseled a bit off towards the line on the top side.  I then rounded it off so it looks like the plan.

This is what it looks like completed.  But you will also notice that I cut a little skewed square from a 1/64" thick strip.  Its very thin but still not thin enough.  This should be glued on top of the bollard timber to "simulate" a nice carved detail.  This detail would be much harder to carve and file into the top so I cheated and glued a separate piece on top.  After I glued in position, I sanded it even thinner to about half its original thickness.  

 
This is what it looks like....below...but we are not done yet!!!  The circular slot for the bowsprit still need to be filed on an angle to match the stem.  You can position the bollard on the model and draw a line to follow when you start filing.  This is shown below.  Once that is completed the bollard timbers are finished.

They can be glued on the model and then the cross chock positioned between them.  Sand the char off before you do this.   You will also need to sand the same angle into the bottom of the chock so the circular opening will accommodate the bowsprit.  The photo shows this all done and the chock glued into position.  It was sanded flush with the bollard timbers inboard and out.
 

Remember that I am making this model out of Yellow Cedar.  You can see how well it holds an edge with these tricky timbers.  No finish has been applied yet.  But the softness of the cedar made it very enjoyable and easy to sand, file and carve.  
 
 
 

This book looks like a good Christmas present for myself