glbarlow

Those look really good, and I know represent a whole lot of work.

Leave the back edge of the char on bulkheads forward of mid-ship and the front edge of char on those rear of midships, that way you’re sure not to lose the proper hull shape. You may need to do more shaping at the bow and stern, use a very thin plank and slide it up and down 3-4 bulkheads at a time to check for a smooth run at that the plank makes contact with all the bulkheads. You may find as you plank you didn’t take enough, so adjust it then or if you took too much you can add shims to correct. It’s all good, relax and have fun.

Yep

These deadeyes will never see rigging so to me it’s more how they compliment the model. The dark brown is too severe a contrast and the sienna doesn’t seem to match. So for me, and my Winnie in the far distant future when I get there will be left natural. At least that’s my thought for now. I’d consider black but I’d have to see how that looked up close. The acrylic sounds very promising. Having made them from metal for Cheerful I can’t say I was looking for to metal work in the quantity needed for Winchelsea. Maybe offer a sample pack so we can see first hand before we commit …

A number #2 pencil lead has a nice effect, that’s the recommended technique for Winchelsea and what I used.

Hopefully your diligently at work still…

Thanks Frank, but no more than you and the many Winnie builders.

Modeler’s Central wants $167 for the Amati Keel Clamp which can be had multiple othe places for $79. I wouldn’t buy or trust anything from them with that kind of lopsided pricing. The best place for starter and intermediate kits is our own Chris Watton’s Vanguard Models, for advanced kits our own Chuck Passaro’s Syren Ship Model Company. I get most of my supplies from Amazon but even with international shipping I get my Admiralty paints and specialty items from the very reliable Cornwall Boats in the UK. Don’t let the old guard push you off kits, historical accuracy is nice but sometimes - especially starting out - you just want to enjoy building something fun.

I’m sure you plan to take the balsa down. The bulkheads need to all be in contact with the planks. The balsa just helps hold the shape. Also need to be sure it’s below the bulkhead tops as well, it doesn’t help anything there.

Excellent work Frank, it looks nice and tight.

Thank you. I appreciate the comment. Thank you for saying so.

So there’s an open tab for me at a bar somewhere 😂. I’m glad my log is helpful. Yours too will be an excellent reference for future Cheerful builders. I wish I’d thought of drilling the holes for the stirrups, they were a bear to line up.

Nice work, clean and sharp, both the model and the photography.

That’s the absolute rule of modeling. You aren’t on a schedule, enjoy the process.

Thank you Don. A lot of it is how good Alaskan Yellow Cedar turns out with the WOP.

Thanks Bob. I appreciate the comment.

Odd approach for bulkheads and deck planks

Thanks, I’m a ‘plankster’ at least.

Thank you Chuck, I’m a poster boy for dry heat plank bending. I appreciate all your guidance and help.

Thank you, we are definitely challenged by this wonderful model. It took me a minute to sort out the stern and then 3-4 times longer to get a fit than any other plank…fun stuff.

First Band of Planking It took two weeks, I’ve completed the first band of 6 planks on one side (and two on the other) for the main hull planking. Chuck providing us the tick strips is such a great gift. While having lined the much smaller Cheerful using a planking fan was a good learning exercise, without the tick strips provided for Winchelsea it would have taken me forever to do. As it was it was a full days work marking, making sure I had it right, then adding red ticks for my plank shift pattern and then blue marks to signify the bands. The chart tape helped me check the line. I made a few adjustments after this and will note the tape no longer stuck at the bow, so it looks ajar because it is. I started by doing two rows on each side, I wanted to be sure I was past the drop plank without the challenges I had with Cheerful. This time it went so much better. From here on I am alternating sides after completing a band. I’ve shown my plank bending station before (a raised board, clamps, travel iron and the recent addition of a craft hot air tool), here’s basically all the tools I need for planking. The dispenser for my Smith Industries medium CA, an Excel #11 blade along with a Swann-Morton #11 scalpel blade (for no rhyme or reason I’ll cut planks with either or both), the home-made sanding blocks I use to soften the inside edge of each plank where it meets the adjoining plank, pencil for marking and metal ruler for cutting. Missing is the the #2 wood pencil I use to “tar” one edge of each plank. I've recently added a new tool, double sided tape. I can hold the plank down for longer cuts required for Winchelsea without concern of it slipping beneath the metal rule as I cut. I use this spatula to apply the glue to the back side of the plank over each bulkhead. Basically I lightly “butter” the back side as I go, gluing either one, two, but never more than three bulkheads at a time depending on the place in the run. This allows me to keep the plank close, limit to the small amount of glue needed, and firmly hold the plank both to the bulkhead and up tight up against its neighbor a little at a time. My forearms are generally sore from the resulting isometric exercise at the end of the day. It’s a slow process to attach each plank this way, but it works for me and I’m sure it’s much faster than not using CA. I don’t start that process until I’ve tapered the plank per the tick marks and shaped it at the bending station strictly with heat, no water needed. As has been said, each plank is its own project. It can take me a few minutes or an hour or more to get the plank to the to lay where its supposed to be with no force added by me other than gluing it. Chuck’s method was a game changer for me, I really don’t know how I ever planked a ship before. It’s amazing how wood can be shaped with no more than a little heat. The bow is a challenge, the stern even more so. The planks there both curve (with the iron) and bend (using the hot air blower). One of many nice things is if I bend a plank too far I can just as easily unbend it. I do split or crack one now and again, but that’s my lack of patience, not the process. PS: I'm sure I've said all this in other posts, it's just so fun to share. The nice thing about wood is generally when you screw up you can fix it. The upside down Winnie slipped (not on its own, so I guess I should say I pushed it) over its foam stand and broke one of the transom posts. Fortunately it was a clean break and a little splint surgery had it back where it belonged. Note to self, don’t do that. So with that and two weeks later the first band is complete. Here it is after a light sanding. I made need a bit of an adjustment at the bow, easily done with the next couple of planks And here’s a few after more sanding and a light coat of WOP. I don’t want to sand it too much until its’ finished, but I like to get the rough spots out of the way. The first coat of WOP is soaked in like a paper towel soaks up water. I like to give the wood a little protection (from me mostly) and of course the fun of seeing how it looks. Smart money would be not to sand it at all until it’s complete but where’s the fun in that. One band complete. That sounds great until I remember there are six total bands. Back to work, more lumber to saw first. As always thank you for the likes and comments.

Just ordered a copy. For the record, ordering from you including international shipping is less than the list price in Amazon books, plus there it’s only available as a a pre-release. Having yours and Chuck’s models makes it for me.

Balsa at the bow and stern is a good idea, especially for a kit with more widely spaced bulkheads. I just saw, cut, file until it’s close then sand from there. Chisels, much as I like my Veritas mini-chisels, aren’t much help on balsa. Mechanics squares are what I use, but any solid true square object is fine. Either way you need to clamp the square tight between the bulkhead and framer, just sitting it there isn’t enough. Rule one in modeling, when you think you have enough clamps, buy more clamps.

Lines are probably attached to hooks, then the eyebolts. The deck looks great! Now having done it, I also appreciate the difference serving lines makes, well done.

In addition to using two squares on each bulkhead as I glue them, I do them 1-2 at a time, not all at once. A shim in the groove might help getting them flush with the framer. Flush and square are essential, do what it takes to get it there.