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Wow, thank you all for the kind comments. They are very much appreciated and a joy to read.

Thank you Mike, much appreciated!

Finished
 
With this my 66th post and three years since I began I have finished my HMS Winchelsea. I’ve included a few final photos, in each I am reminded of the time and effort I put into that section of the model. It was important for me to get it right, I was never reluctant, or better said even if I was reluctant, I’d take it apart, tear it off and do it again, often multiple times. I like to think my hull has three sides worth of planking.
 
Like those before me I commend, thank, and appreciate Chuck for his outstanding design and quality parts from beginning to end. I appreciate his patience in answering my questions and his unfailingly providing replacement parts when I exhausted the included spares. Thanks Chuck for giving me the experience of building this amazing model.
 
While many smaller parts were provided in boxwood, the majority of the model is Alaskan Yellow Cedar. It is beautiful wood, my Cheerful completed 4 years ago continues to age into a pleasant golden tone. The AYC is just right for its color and woodworking properties, it and the boxwood blend well together.
 
In the end I decided not to include the lantern, sorry. I built it and it’s fine, my “candle” even turned out great. However, the stern with all its intricate figures, friezes, and combination of small parts is likely my favorite part of the model. I just couldn’t bring myself to deflect any part of that view, let along drill into the boxwood crest. So historical accuracy is set aside this one time, I built a little stand for it to sit on a shelf and there it will stay.
 
So here are the photos without further commentary:









My thanks and appreciation to those that have followed my log these past three years, I hope it was helpful or at least entertaining. I’m not sure what’s next, I’ll take some time to think about it. If on the other hand you’re wondering what your next project will be, Winchelsea is a great challenge to take on. It sure was for me.
 

Definitely, but that’s going to be a bit of a wait. 

Yep.  Not sure what I’ll do with myself…

Bumpkins, Completed Headworks
 
I’m nearly at a the finish line.


The bumpkins, were they drunk when they named these…, are completed and installed. Like a few others I couldn’t bring myself at this stage and in this tight area to drill thru and/or remove moulding, so I faked it as best I could. The brackets are added using black masking tape.

The figurehead, the young man, patiently waiting, playing his mandolin, in my cabinet for three years, is now permanently installed along with the extensions of the hair brackets that have waited with him
 
The model is now sitting on my pool table, temporarily on its soon to be home. I’m working on the lantern, not sure if I will include it or not, we’ll see. I’ll also dust, touchup, paint and buff where needed before the final photos.
 
Thanks for stopping by.

Thanks Ben, much appreciated from a fellow builder. 

Thanks Chuck. Doing my best to do justice to a great design. 

Cathead Supports - Head Gratings & Poop Chutes
 
It’s been a minute. I have spent four months on Chapter 12, though the shop has been closed or not visited about half of that with travel and family time. It’s almost like I forgot the rest of model with my total focus on the small real estate forward of the bollard timbers for so long. Look, there are cannons back there.
 
Cathead Supports:
Tweaking. A word we modelers use a lot.  Not to be mistaken for Tweakers, which is a whole different thing. For me Chapter 12 has been a whole lot about tweaking. Tweaking taken to a whole other level.


Nothing much to add other than sand and shape, test fit, followed by more sand and shape, test fit, and repeat. I removed two levels of moulding at the bow to get a better fit. I so enjoy the trauma of removing it without destroying the hull finish or ripping up the friezes. Not to mention the fun of getting them back on inside what has become a tight space.
 
Head Gratings:
When I first saw photos of head gratings by those who went before me I wondered how it all fit together or more precisely how I’d fit it all together. More, a lot more, of the required tweaking is how. The gratings consist of 46 separate little pieces of wood, each and every one custom fitted one by one by one. It’s also when you learn just how important was the measuring, sizing, squaring up, leveling, and fitting done in Chapters 1-5.


There was a little variance I was able to account for by adjusting and sanding a few of the pieces, the goal is symmetry and visual match of the two sides, a little of here and there isn’t noticed. the important visual element being those first gratings either side of the bowsprit be equal-distant apart. It takes a great deal of time to make it all work, cutting each of those little pieces for a tight fit. It took a long while, but it’s worth it in the end.
 
Poop Chutes:
Speaking of taking time. While the forward two to just took a little squaring up to assemble I had to take care to center, align the height from the grating, and square them up to each other.

I made a simple jig to manage this, it worked out quite well. The lid sits above the jig side pieces to create a total height of 5/16. It, along with the front piece, squares it on all four sides and with its partner. I still have to think how challenging it would have been to use these on the high seas, I think I’d wait on the back, more sheltered two myself.
 
Good time to point out I elected to use Titebond II for all the head gratings and poop chutes. I needed the setup time it provides to adjust positioning and holding power, not too short like CA, not too long like white PVA. Plus it’s stronger than the wood once it’s dry.

Although only two pieces the rearward two seats take a lot of time and patience to fit with the various angles. Like the forward two they need to appear identically aligned with the gratings and false rail, a few adjustments creates that look.



The reward, as with the rest of the model, is the historical accuracy and detail that Chuck has built into this design.
Now to remove some of the dust. Can’t say I want to fit head timbers again anytime soon, though I sure do like the way it all ties together. 
 
Also I’m not taking much time with my iphoneograhy. The glare is bad lighting, the model in reality does not have the shine seen in the photos, the white balance is all over the place.
 
Thanks for stopping by with your likes and comments - I’m ever closer to the completion, only the bumpkins and lantern to go.

Please ignore the poor photography and messy work bench. 
 
My “big wood” artist friend has completed the stand and future home for my Winchelsea. Note how the grain imitates the bow breaking the water. He intentionally selected this piece of wood for that reason. The maple inlay compliments the cedar as does the African Wenge compliment the colors of the ship. You know the Byrnes thickness sander many of us have? He has the big boy version, he ran this piece through it multiple times, routed out the edges for the inlay then ran it through several more times. 

I wasn’t sure about the lacquered finish until we set the ship on it. It reflects the underside of the boat, so that bottom planking isn’t lost from sight after all, an extra dimension for viewing. We had multiple ‘fittings’ to get the brackets just right, they are a work of art by themselves, carved from the same Wenge as the base. 

I’m really excited by the time and expertise Bill put into this. Really nice to have a friend with these skills, far beyond anything I could do and a perfect home for my Winchelsea. Now I just have to get back in the workshop to finish it. 
 

Thanks Mike.  The design and laser cutting of Chuck’s models are definitely next level. 

And just when I thought geometry class was over. I’ve managed one, let’s see if I can do two b
 
Thank you Dusan

Thank you!  As is yours 😊

Thanks Rusty, now I’m at it again, taking off those bow mouldings to fit the cat head support 😊

Thank you, I appreciate your commenting. It is certainly worth doing it again to get it right.

Thanks BE, much appreciated!

Absolutely, only one of many things I’ll never view the same on other models again. 

Main Rail, Timbers, and Lower Rail - Chapter 12
 
It’s been a while, I took some time off for summer activities but that’s not the main reason for the delay between posts. I have to say solving the first part of chapter 12; the main rails, timbers and lower rail has been the most challenging and frustrating of my three year journey with Winchelsea.


The main rails themselves are a work of art, multi-dimensional and made from six laser cut pieces of multiple thicknesses they are fun to assemble (how @Chuck cuts this stuff so small, thin, and complex is beyond me) .
 
Shaping and fitting them isn’t overly difficult. I had very little luck with rubber cement, double sided tape or even Blu-Tac so mostly I just fumbled my way through, dropping them to the floor multiple times until I got it close. As I’d learn later I spent too much time on this and ended up having to make another set more conducive to the timber set-up. The main lesson is to have all the component parts complete before making too many adjustments on each alone. It’s not like this isn’t made clear in the monograph, I should listen better.

The timbers. Here is where my peace and harmony came to a crashing end. I made many timbers, my thanks to Chuck for sending me extra, I needed them. At first it seemed straight forward; use the provided jig, cut them, and stick them on add the upper rails after cutting some nice notches for the lower rail and move on. Timber, as it turned out, is not a work I want to hear again unless its related to falling trees.


Why you might ask is it not so simple as it may appear. Because there are many, many, many angles to account for and two sides to match on top of that. The rise of the main rail at the cat tail, the angle of all three timbers supporting the main rail from cat to stem, the notches in those timbers, which aren’t a lot of fun to cut, matching the curve of the lower rail with its run from bow to stem, and the lower rail fitting flush in the notches for the later to be added cover boards (note: I used an intentionally short piece of rail to first get the timber notches angled correctly).
 
At this point I quit taking photos. There are no new ones because I was doing the same thing over and over to get it right. I could have settled on 'good enough' a few times, I hadn’t done that yet so I wasn’t now. I would also like to point out that I skipped high school geometry class whenever possible.
 
Here’s what I learned - and again the monograph doesn’t hide this point, it emphasizes it - nothing can be done serially. It all has to be done as one big puzzle assembled all together before anything is installed. Eventually my one exception was fitting the center timber (after determining its angle on my hull wasn’t the same as the jig) and working out from there. Ultimately the bigger challenge was the lower rail. Also as I noted I wasn’t having a lot of luck with rubber cement and only limited success with my ever ready double sided tape, so fumbling fingers was my path forward. I considered installing a small trampoline below my work table so the many dropped parts would bounce back up into my hands. There was a lot of touch up painting needed at the end, some of it yet to be done in the photos.
 
I seem to be making a bigger point of this than I’ve seen in other logs so perhaps it’s just my ineptness, others must have found it far easier to complete. I just have to say for the first time I really didn’t enjoy the process and I’m glad it’s behind me. As they say, and I firmly put into practice, failure is the path forward to learning.



I did get there…eventually. Ultimately the rails are a signature look and a unique complement to the model. While it would have been nice it had been easier for me, it’s all worth it in the end.


I looked at my past models and more fully appreciate how Winchelsea’s main rail design is so next level. With all my whining in this post I’m very glad I took the time to do it as best I could, now I know so much more about angles on angles. My high school geometry teacher would be proud, if he could remember the guy supposed to be in the empty seat. Plus it’s not like the remaining steps of chapter 12 are going to be a walk in the park. So on with it.
 
Thanks for stopping by with your comments and likes.

Well, that would make it more challenging. 

Thanks JJ. I’m thinking with my current progress you’ll quickly catch up. The head works are a whole new game. 

After a family trip to Costa Rica with my adult sons, our wives and grand children it’s back to building.  I left off with a reluctance to add swivel guns to the bollards.


 
I’ve stayed pretty true to Chuck’s design, so ultimately I added them.  They are kinda necessary for balance, the two on the forecastle were lonely. 
 
On to the final chapter, the head works around the bow. More to follow, lots going on in a very small space. 
 

Thank you both for the comments, much appreciated!

Thank you, much appreciated. 
 
 
Thank you!
Thank you!
 
 
I appreciate all your comments!

Thanks Rusty. One of my summer goals is to learn more about Photoshop’s new AI features. Maybe I’ll create an image of Winnie on the high seas😊
 
 

Chapter 11, the model save the headworks is complete. I thought I'd share some photos:

So many cool design features stand out. As simple as the bill board may appear it was a sharp addition. As I've mentioned, I dyed the deadeyes ebony. The dye, as opposed to black paint, allows the grain to show (though hard to see in photos) I'm pleased with how they complement the colors of the overall model.
The open deck allows a nice glimpse of the stove - such a fun thing to make I'm glad it's not completely hidden.
 
The decision is still pending on whether I place the swivel guns on the bollards. I'm not sure how I feel about the look, accurate or otherwise and I'm not completely confident drilling the holes for them to fit.  I'll revisit it as I start work on the headworks. 


The midship cannons were the last thing glued in. I was holding off while my friend and I fitted the base he's making to have a place to hold. Once the gang boards were mounted they became more the thing to avoid than cannon barrels.
 
I'm happy with my decision not to rig the guns this time around. Although I appreciate those that did, in this case I like how it provides for a nice clean look. Or maybe I just didn't want to rig 32 guns.

The transition to the quarterdeck, from the lower deck letter to the breast rail provides for a lot of detail and many, many hours of work over the past 2 ½ years. It's all worth it when it all comes together. Those posts took a lot of time. So glad I took that time. 

I made the elm tree pumps two years ago but didn't add them until the ladders, rails, gang boards, and everything around them was complete. That was a good call, I would have broke them multiple times otherwise.

The stern is when all the fun is. Between port lids, more cannon, swivel guns and predominant deck furniture there is lots to see and lots of mini-projects to get there.  

One very minor thing I'm happy with: I was able to wrap and match up paper friezes for six of the swivel guns. With the angle and only two sides showing that wasn't an option for the two on the quarter gallery roof. I'm no paint specialist but I kept playing with Winsor and Newton Cerulean Blue, Titanium White, and Grumacher Mars Black until I got a nice match with the paper frieze. I know it's a small thing, I considered going the Sherman Williams store for a computer based match but not sure what I'd do with the minimum order of a quart.

I've shown versions of this photo several times, I never tire of it. For me it's a piece of art all by itself and yet another signature tribute to Chuck's design and penchant for detail. 

So here she sits ready for the final chapter. I'm taking some time off for other summer activities, I'll see how long I can go before jumping in to start chapter 12.
 
Thanks for stopping by, your likes and comments are always appreciated.