Group Prototype HMS Winchelsea - FINISHED - 1764 - by Chuck (1/4" scale)

[Chuck]

Oh yes....other than the first center plank all are tapered at the bow and stern.  

[Rustyj]

Very nicely laid out and explained. Looks like a lot of fun! 

[Trussben]

Another fun part of the build, lining off the deck!

[Guillermo Eduardo Madico]

Hello Chuck:

I am interested in adding two darker color strikes to the deck planking.  These will correspond to the tabbed planks (4th from the center).  I have seen this in some models. Would that be something to avoid?

Best,

G

[Chuck]

Not something that was done in reality.   It would not be historically accurate in the least.  But it is your model.   As long as you like it.   

 

Chuck

[Guillermo Eduardo Madico]

Thank you Chuck,

I am glad I asked,  I will not add those planks.

G

[Jorge Diaz O]

Good evening Mr. Passaro, I wanted to ask about the cover that appears on the Wini plan, it is observed that it is interrupted, but I understand that this is not correct, there was no staircase in that place. I have doubts about this information, sir, I hope you can clarifies, thanks.

[Chuck]

Jorge,  the break at the forecastle you see is very much typical and correct.  Later they continued it to the forecastle but early on this was indeed the way it done.  Just have a look at the many contemporary sources available. Too many to list but here are some contemporary examples.

 

[Jorge Diaz O]

Fantastic examples Mr. Passaro, very satisfied with your answer I hope to join the construction soon.

[svein erik]

On 7/19/2020 at 1:32 AM, Chuck said:

No laser cutting....this is the perfect hull and deck to learn this technique.   You wont really even have to bend them with heat.  But you could if you wanted to....these planks should bend fine when you glue them on as the curve isnt very severe at all.  I was very conservative with it.   I saw how folks had a hard time with the hooked scarphs on the Cheerful so I made it so there were just four of them.   This meant less curve to the deck planks.   

 

Below you can see that the center belt has been planked.  I simulated the seams with pencil like I did with the hull planking.  There are never any butt joints in this center belt between coamings and partners.  This is yet another common mistake seen on models and kits including on kits that provide laser etched planks.   The distance was short enough that it was always one length used between the hatches and partners.  It was stronger this way.   So no need to follow the butt joint pattern you will be developing when we line off the hull on either side of the center belt.

You will also notice in that picture above and below that on either side of the center belt I have lined off the deck using thin strips of black masking tape.   Looks familiar right?  The thin strips follow tick marks I made for the remaining belts.  I made them the same way as I did for the center belt.  Use your tick strips and planking fan.  Use the laser etched lines that represent the deck beams as you repeat this process until you have tick marks on both sides of the deck for all of the remaining belts.  The tape runs along my tick marks.   You will no doubt have to make adjustments with your tape.  Just run it off the deck and onto the margin planks as shown.

 

To finish it up.....use a mechanical pencil with a sharp point to run a pencil line down the "good side"  of you tape that follow your tick marks.......then remove your tape.

When you remove the tape it will look like this......you can do this down the entire deck but I often do just the bow area and the stern where there is a taper and we need to create the hooked scarphs along the margin planks.  Do you see where I created the hooked scarph in the outside deck plank????  I just erased some of the line that followed the tape and added a new short line to create the shape.   On this hull there will be just one along the margin plank at the bow and one more aft........by the checkered floor for the great cabin.  In addition you can mark all of the butt joints on the deck using the typical 4 butt shift pattern.   Use the laser etched reference lines for the deck beams for this and examine the plans for their locations.

Now I am ready to plank the remaining two belts on each side of the center belt to finish off the deck planking.  I will taper the planks as need to match my lining off just like we did for our external hull planking.

 

You will need just 1/4" x 3/64" strips to plank the deck and a handful of wider 5/16" strips for the planks around the coamings where you need to shape them around the tabbed areas.

 

I feel compelled to mention that you guys could absolutely change the deck planking to a more severe curve at the bow if you want to.  Just adjust the bands before you line off.  
 

Almost no kits or even most scratch builders fail to curve the deck planks like this.  Its very different than what many of you are probably used to seeing.  So I split the difference between the drastic curve at the bow and straight planking to show a more conservative curve so it wouldnt seem so drastic to all of you.  This is something you guys should play with depending on your preference as the contemporary model for Winnie shows the most severe curve I have ever seen on a deck.   Here is a look at the contemporary model of Minerva in the Rogers collection and it shows about the same amount of curvature that I am using on the Winnie.  Much less than the contemporary model for Winnie.  This also shows two hooked scarphs instead of one.   So you can get creative here.   

 

 

 

 

wonderful work as always, is it going to be rigged ? if not wil there be plans for that? 

maby i have to jump inn 😲

 

svein erik

[Chuck]

No not at this time.  Maybe a lot later down the road.   It would be too huge for me to rig.   But plans for rigging her may be done way way down the road.

 

Chuck

[Chuck]

Finally finished chapter four in its entirety.   The deck is finally planked.   There shouldnt be much much planking for a while.  Pretty straight forward from my last update.  Just follow your lining out of the deck planks and take your time.   Match the tapering and curve of each plank just like you did when planking the outboard hull.

 

I will begin chapter chapter five by getting back to some outboard details.  First the cheeks and hawse holes...then the rudder.   Afterwards it will be back inboard to add the details to the bulwarks and the guns.

 

Feel free to ask me any questions.

 

Some photos...

 

[glbarlow]

Amazing work! I see you have a new friend to keep you company on the deck.

[Rustyj]

Wonderful job on the deck. Have you given thought on how you're going to mount her yet?

[Stuntflyer]

Chuck, nice clean work as always! It's good to see you taking time from work to build. Looking forward to chapter 5. .

 

Mike

[BobG]

Simply gorgeous!

[knightyo]

17 hours ago, glbarlow said:

Amazing work! I see you have a new friend to keep you company on the deck.

I've been thinking that all MSW members should have similar representations of themselves on the decks of their builds, at the scale of their builds.  How cool would that be?  If someone had the ability to 3d print such figures, I'd purchase one of myself. lol

 

Chuck, your build looks flawless as usual; it's really fun to see these updates.

 

Alan

 

[Chuck]

Thank you guys.

 

I will be working on the cheeks next so I can add the hawse holes.   I have been contemplating a new concept for making these for quite some time.   The one thing that is always disappointing me with even the latest and most innovative kits are the head rails.  They just look awful.  Even with these so-called Chinese kits that everyone is raving about.   Once you get beyond the framing on those its basically the same old stuff.  So I am spending lots of time trying to engineer something that will finally make these less difficult to make while not looking kit-like or awful. 

 

 

 

Hopefully have an update soon.  If I stare at these photos enough I am sure I will come up with something!!  😉

 

Chuck

[KentM]

Absolutely flawless work Chuck.  An inspiration for the rest of us.

Kent

[dvm27]

I look forward to your take on the cheeks and rails with their intricate moldings. Your scroll work has already set the bar for other manufacturers

[Chuck]

Thanks Greg.  I have noticed that other MFGs are trying to replicate that already.  But they are having a hard time.  Their attempts are falling rather flat.  My guess is they will do the same and try to copy this concept next.  I have already made some great progress on the cheeks.   The main headrail is next.   If I can get over that hurdle then I will be home free.

 

Chuck

[Matt D]

20 hours ago, Chuck said:

So I am spending lots of time trying to engineer something that will finally make these less difficult to make while not looking kit-like or awful.

Chuck, I'm going to get so spoiled on this project that I won't be able to build any other kits!

[Chuck]

19 minutes ago, Matt D said:

Chuck, I'm going to get so spoiled on this project that I won't be able to build any other kits!

 

Thats my plan!!!!   

[Jack H]

21 hours ago, Chuck said:

Thank you guys.

 

I will be working on the cheeks next so I can add the hawse holes.   I have been contemplating a new concept for making these for quite some time.   The one thing that is always disappointing me with even the latest and most innovative kits are the head rails.  They just look awful.  Even with these so-called Chinese kits that everyone is raving about.   Once you get beyond the framing on those its basically the same old stuff.  So I am spending lots of time trying to engineer something that will finally make these less difficult to make while not looking kit-like or awful. 

 

 

 

Hopefully have an update soon.  If I stare at these photos enough I am sure I will come up with something!!  😉

 

Chuck

Hi Chuck! Same as you, I'm designing the head platform. It's true that the upper and lower check are a bit complicated,  then the main rail is a little better. After all, from the top view, they are straight, not curved, and then they are actually stitched together. I don't know as a kit project, the whole one will be easier to make? Then when you have finished a sample, can you consider casting with resin? I saw in the previous buildlog that the resin parts can be properly deformed to fit the hull. However, it is much more difficult for me, because I am also considering how to use CNC to process such complex parts, and I also have to consider the deviation of each model.

 

Fortunately, I'm behind you. I can refer to your method, but I can't copy yours..., which will make you angry😝

Spoiler

 

 

[Chuck]

No resin this time around.  So far so good.  I am just laser cutting them out of boxwood.   Should have some pics shortly.

 

Chuck

[Chuck]

Chapter five.....fun!!!

 

This chapter begins with the cheeks/hair brackets at the bow so we can eventually drill those hawse holes.   We need to do that before we can continue working inboard.   Then we will shape the hole in the lower counter for the rudder installation.

 

So I began by trying to prototype some cheeks and even the headrails.   We wont need the head rails until much later but I might as well get the production and mfg methods developed.  I have done so and now I will assemble the one side of the cheeks.  Pictures are below.   When I add them to the starboard side I will take more step by step photos.   I just wanted to do the first go around entirely on the port side first.

 

It all went pretty smooth.  These pieces for the cheeks and hair brackets are composed of many separate laser cut elements.   I havent added the wash cant yet or drilled the hawse holes.  Many of these pieces are not even glued on yet.  Its basically a test run.   

 

But here you can see the fruits of my labor.  Many iterations of cheeks and head rails have been made over the last two weeks.  All of these laser cut pieces have been made from boxwood.  And of course more printed friezes for these thin details.  I believe it will set this project apart from other very simplified kits on the market.   Most look overly simplified and kit-like.  I am satisfied that these do not look like a kit even though all of the pieces are laser cut.  

 

Oh and of course I had to paint the stem areas black as shown, although you could go with blue between the hair brackets.....behind the carving. 

 

 

 

[CaptMorgan]

That looks beautiful.  I really like the contrast and those friezes really add some flair to the whole thing...

Love your work....

 

[Rustyj]

That looks outstanding. So much nicer than anything I've seen in the past!

[Wacom]

A thing of beauty.

[Jorge Diaz O]

Bravo!!! Bravo!!!!