HMS Winchelsea 1:48 by Ron Burns

[Ron Burns]

 After drooling over many many kits and model builds all over the place, a magical force directed me over to the Syren Ship Model Company. Chuck Passaro's frigate hit me almost 

as hard as when I first laid eyes on my beautiful wife. I have to build it! So far I have built a lot of card models and built 2 ship hulls from wood, based on Shipyard designs. This will be a learning experience for me and a great joy. For you guys looking in on this it might be a lesson in 'how not to do things' but I'm hoping you will point in the right direction or administer a virtual swift kick  

For tools, I am building a mini table saw with bits and pieces starting to arrive daily. I received my baltic birch ply a couple days back and I also ordered a small bandsaw as my father's day gift.  My order for the 3 chapters worth of goodies and the castings went in to Syren this afternoon.  I look forward to meeting you all when I finally get started. Thank you Chuck for a beautiful model and for our past conversations. It all struck a chord!

[Chuck]

Welcome to the party Ron!!!!  Have fun with the project and dont hesitate to ask me any questions.

[Ron Burns]

Thank you for the welcome Chuck! Here we go! It took forever for my band-saw to arrive but it's here! Word of advice to all of you other novices around...before you cut a single thing, check out your saw completely and don't trust the factory setup. The blade guides were way off on mine.  For a little saw I couldn't be happier. I'm usually so poor I can't afford to pay attention  and this was a great deal.  Anyways, silly question 1 and 2.. I have printed off the bulkheads on 20lb copier paper. Should I use a heavier paper or cover stock? What do you recommend for glue to bond the patterns to the ply? I was thinking spray adhesive but really want to be able to remove the paper after the cuts.

 

 

[Chuck]

I have used spray adhesive....it will come off reasonably well.  The other alternative is a plain glue stick. This will come free with some water.   And a straight razor blade helps too.   Plain copy paper is fine.

 

Chuck

[Wacom]

Nice looking bandsaw.

I use the self adhesive labels, the ones where the entire sheet is one large label, these stick to wood well and peel off cleanly when done.

Best of luck, one word of advice, attach a shop vac to your saw, saves disapearing under a pile of sawdust🥴

[Ron Burns]

Chuck, Reg, thanks! Weird you mentioned the label paper Reg. While looking through that 'all encompassing online store' for spray adhesive, a bundle of 100 8.5 x 11 sheets of inkjet sticker paper came up. Thanks!! I hate glue sticks with a passion from my old days of card modeling. The spray always worked a charm but these sheets are less cost than a can and they won't leave residue.  Onward!!

[Ryland Craze]

Gerry, you have picked a fantastic ship to build.  I have been following Chuck's build and the other builds on MSW and have been amazed at the beautiful models that are being built. That is also a nice looking band saw you purchased.  I look forward to following your build log.

[Ron Burns]

Hi everyone

Just a few words and a few images to show that things are progressing very slowly! Found out I have the 'Big C' and docs have me jumping through hoops preparing 

to be irradiated. As it turns out, that sweet little band saw will sit for a bit longer. I didn't have the gumption to cut out all the pieces so I imported all of the bulkhead file into Corel, created some dxf files and used a laser. I really wanted to stay away from the char but it wasn't so bad after all. As many of you have mentioned in your wonderful build postings, this ship is HUGE! I'm doing all of this in my dining room and I must say my wife has been very tolerant of my mess! I sourced out a Canadian company for the cedar to cut all of my planking. Can't be fighting with a certain Republican over softwood lumber now  Since I need to cut planking, of course I need a thickness sander and got it into my head I want to build one. So far I've got the power supply, speed controller, bearings, belts, drum, 1:2 timing pulley and motor. Just have to get my butt in gear and finish it. I only hope I can produce lumber of the quality Syren provides  Excuse the bad images. I will bring out the real camera when I get things going. Chuck, perfect advice to use the glass to ensure flatness. That entire false keel stood on its own! So far I've only freed 5 of the larger bulkheads and made the mistake of under-sizing the slots so I need to sand a fair but. Sanding is good for the soul but a tad dull after a bit. Ok then....back at it!

 

 

[Ron Burns]

Thank you kind folks for the likes. Just getting started seems to have taken forever! Here is a small bit of wisdom I will pass on to you...when importing from a pdf and creating tool paths for lasers, cnc routers etc...'Check the darn slot widths before you cut!!!' For some reason when I brought these into Corel, every corner was open so I had to close all the open segments. I printed out the bulkheads straight from the pdf and used the small scale included to make sure everything was good. I didn't check the slots!! every 6mm slot was off by a hair or 2 to the small side. I know...better looking at it than for it right? Anyways..finally freed from their sheet bondage

and filed and sanded to fit, we can get on with trimming the beard and building!! I still can't believe how this thing is designed. The entire ship balances on a 6mm spine! Thank you all for going before me as I can clearly learn from your experiences and wonderful craftsmanship

[Chuck]

That is looking really good Ron.  All ply is different.  The thicknesses vary quite a bit.  Those slot widths were made for the ply that I am using.  Thats why they may be just a hair off.   But either way it looking really good.

 

Chuck

[Ron Burns]

I don't feel so thick then  Thanks for a beautiful design, and hanging out with us to keep us going in the right direction Chuck. Gonna work on my thickness sander for a couple hours and then back at it! Wish my new chuck would get here!

[Ron Burns]

Hi everyone

First things first...Chuck, thank you for the very speedy delivery of my Chapter 4 parts and especially for the replacements you sent. When I messed up the first time I was heart broken. Well, second time around worked out OK I think. Between daily radiation and a dose of chemo, I finally got the keel together and the bulkheads glued in place. As per your suggestion I used a couple coats of satin wipe-on poly and it really makes the cedar pop. It's a beautiful color. Got a few bits of ply left to glue and then I get to fair the beast! Btw...anyone think we can stitch sail like this in 1/4 scale? (just kidding, thought this was amazing though)

 

 

[Chuck]

That is looking simply terrific. 
 

chuck

[Ron Burns]

Hi guys,

Silly question... I'm fairing the bottom side of the hull and have made my way to the stern bulkheads 25, 27 and 28. From what I gather, the plank should sit flat on the edge of each bulkhead. Going with Chuck's statement, if there is remaining laser char, it means more sanding. The step from 25 to 27 is steep but not so drastic as from 27 to 28. Should I keep sanding until the plank sits flat? When 29 gets added later, there will be a heck of a lot to remove to keep up with that angle. I hope I'm doing this correctly! 

[Greg M]

Having just gone through this, I would hold off sanding 28 any further until after 29 and the transom are installed.  If you sand 28 to the steep angle off of 27, when you install 29, you'll end up with a bit of a saw tooth pattern between 28 and 29 rather than a smooth run.  Sanding the underside of 28 at this point is a bit of a wasted effort.

[Ron Burns]

Greg,

Thank you! Would it be wise to replace 28 perhaps? Might be pain but worth it if deemed necessary.

Thanks again for the help

 

Ron

Sorry, after thinking about it, I removed the culprit for a re-make. Glad we have such resources as the knowledge that makes up these forums. I can't count the number of times I keep referencing the work here.

Edited November 21, 2020 by Ron Burns
Added a PS

[Ron Burns]

My Fair Winnie! Finally finished sanding (and sanding and sanding). Why didn't I read a bit more of Chuck's build logs and that particular conversation where he recommended using light ply over Baltic birch? Anyways, she's looking fairly respectable  I ran the stringer from bow to stern on both sides, took some measurements, compared them on both sides and against the plan.  I think we're finally ready to start framing! Sorry for the bad photography but I just couldn't wait until daylight to take them so I could finally post a bit of progress.

 

Edited November 27, 2020 by Ron Burns

[Chuck]

That looks great. Now its time for the fun part.

[scrubbyj427]

That looks really good Ron, nice curve on the framing battens. Follow it and your gunports will have a nice curved arrangement.

JJ

[Ron Burns]

Hi everyone, Just wanted to say thanks for the likes! Not too much to report except for one wee thing...Use a darn level instead of eyeballing it! I started installing the framing and completed the lower frames on one side. Man was I proud of myself! (until I moved it to the dining room table for a different perspective). Long story short, I cut out all the segments and re-did them all using a mini level. Supposed to get wiser as we get older. hehehehe:)

 

 

 

 

Edited December 2, 2020 by Ron Burns

[Chuck]

Coming along really well.  Keep up the fine work.

[Ron Burns]

Just finished up the lower framing. What symmetry! Just by putting in those frames one gets a great idea of what the ship's lines will be. Upper frames next! Sorry, not a very big update...I just get enthused

 

Edited December 2, 2020 by Ron Burns

[Ron Burns]

Hi Everyone,

 

I know...slow as molasses I am! Finally finished the upper sills and now onto the verticals. One can really see the shape of the hull taking form and I can't wait to catch up to you guys! I'm just happy my Winnie is resembling Chuck's prototype and you guy's builds so far. The piece of black hornbeam I ordered

finally arrived from just outside of Moscow. What a journey! Moscow, Poland, Canada, back to Poland and finally to me. I am hoping to use this stuff for my wales. Gonna learn how to use my bandsaw and thickness sander to get some nice planks. It's a pretty small piece at 14 x 1.6 x 1.6 inches but weighs quite a bit. I'm guessing it's from the resin it's been impregnated with. Any advice cutting this stuff will be welcome

 

 

[Ron Burns]

Another small chip out of Chapter 1...Gun ports are done! (except for painting) . I messed up where I was cutting in the 2 port on the starboard side. Not paying attention, dog wants out, wife talking up a storm. Any excuse except for my own stupidity. Well, now I have a wee bit more planking support after repairs . When I said 'a bit of sanding is good for the soul' I lied. I started fairing the inboard side of things for a bit of a change before I tackle the bollards and the stern framing. The Dremel drum is now my new friend even though it kicks up a bit of dust. 

[scrubbyj427]

Looking nice and clean!

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

On 12/1/2020 at 4:45 AM, Ron Burns said:

Hi everyone, Just wanted to say thanks for the likes! Not too much to report except for one wee thing...Use a darn level instead of eyeballing it! I started installing the framing and completed the lower frames on one side. Man was I proud of myself! (until I moved it to the dining room table for a different perspective). Long story short, I cut out all the segments and re-did them all using a mini level. Supposed to get wiser as we get older. hehehehe:)

 

 

 

 

buautiful work Ron

[Ron Burns]

Hi everyone, 

Not much at all going on other than gluing in the stern timbers and almost defecating in my pants as I did it. They made me a tad nervous! I cut out the strips from Chuck's sheet and stuck them on and then had a small epiphany...Ron, you bonehead, use the heavy card you cut the strips from to check the angles of the timbers! What a relief it was to see that the timbers come very close to the angles called for! Back when I was assembling and then fairing the bulkheads, I had removed #28 and the 2 x #29's. My original 28 had discrepancies in the stern timber angled cut-outs for some reason and I had faired it wrong as well.  

[Ron Burns]

Nothing big at all...I just wanted to show the transom as it is being built. After placing the strips from Chuck's guide and doing a few measurements, I discovered the port side outer frame was pressed down too far into frame 28. It was a small joy to dig it out and re-position it (note the sarcasm). Once the fillers were in place, it was a cakewalk to bevel and place the upper sills. Once again, Chuck made it easy for us. This is just a shot of the upper sills glued into place with another from the top down to show the slight curvature. I hope it's right!

The next thing I wanted to show was red acrylic I settled on. I grabbed 2 types yesterday. The one on the left is a cheap craft acrylic that surprisingly went on smoothly and dried flat. It is 'Decoart Crafter's Acrylic Tuscan Red'. The sample on the right is made by a local art supply chain called Wallacks. It's their version of 'medium cadmium red'. Both samples were given 2 quick coats with a slight sanding in between. I Chose the Wallacks brand as it is a little deeper in tone and has a nice satin sheen to it. I gave it a small try in the ports in the upper transom sills. 

[Ron Burns]

Small steps. I see the light at the end of chapter 1! Just faired the transom structure after installing the sills yesterday. Framing it in next...I need to by some Depends for this next stage. For some reason it makes me a tad anxious!

 

 

[Chuck]

That looks very good.