HMS Winchelsea 1764 by Wyz - 1:48 scale

[wyz]

Introduction

For a number of reasons, mostly medical, I've been many years away from model shipbuilding.  I had some doubt I would ever build another model again, but very good things have happened concerning my health, and I am now entertaining the idea of starting another model.  At my age I think it might be my last model .... my magnum opus.  What ship would it be?  I always thought a mid eighteenth century British frigate might be a nice choice.  When I saw that Chuck was leading a group project for a 1:48 scale model of HMS Winchelsea 1764, a Niger class 32 gun frigate, it really peaked my curiosity.  I paid the very reasonable fee to join the group and downloaded the plans.  One look at the external sheer draft and I fell in love.  Right then I knew this was the ship I wanted to build a model of.  There was a problem though, or at least what I thought was a problem, and that was that I no longer like to build POB ship models.  For some reason I thought that building the model this way was a prerequisite to joining the Winchelsea group project.  I decided to write Chuck an email and ask him if I could build a solid hull model using a bread and butter method that would be planked over.  He surprised me by quickly writing back that he would welcome seeing a semi-scratch build done that way and that I should join the group and start a build log.  Yes!  That made my day.  So, here I am.  I look forward to this build, especially seeing what my fellow model builders are doing and corresponding with them.  This should be a lot of fun.

Edited December 26, 2020 by wyz

[Chuck]

Great to see you start a log.  I cant wait to see you get started.

[wyz]

Thanks for the welcome Chuck.  I should be posting first images soon.  I'm sure many ship modelers are wondering why I would opt to build a solid hull Winchelsea over a well-designed POB model.  That's a good question.  Certainly, accurately forming the hull this way takes much, much longer and creates a lot of wood dust .... copious quantities in fact.  Yes, without question it's a far messier and more arduous method.  Then why do it this way?  Two main reasons.  1.  I guess the best answer is that I tired of the POB method from building so many models this way when I first got involved in this avocation.  I don't want to infer that this method is just for neophytes.  We all know that's not true.  You can build stunningly beautiful POB models.  It's just not for me anymore.  2. As someone who's into sculpting I've always enjoyed subtractive methods, like chiseling away at a stone or block of wood to make a piece of art.  Well, I really enjoy the subtractive method of forming a ship's hull too, sanding and planing the wood to its desired shape.  It can be a quite physical build method, while also being sensitively tactile.

[Rustyj]

Welcome aboard. Always great to see another Winnie come to life no matter how it's done!

[wyz]

Prologue

     This is something I wrote several years ago that I feel deserves reiteration today.  Build logs are all different, as each model builder has his/her own style.  Because I most enjoy build logs where construction steps and modelling techniques are clearly and fully explained, and ones where there are lots and lots of photos, I too will do mine in this fashion.  That means my log won't automatically assume the viewers have a lot of knowledge on a particular subject, and that sometimes basic things will be covered.  More experienced builders will no doubt find some material I will talk about or show pictures of old hat, or just plain elementary.  To those model builders, of which there are quite a number, I ask that you bear with me when this happens.  At least keep the laughter and snickers to a low decibel level. 😉 In many ways my build log is geared toward a neophyte scratch builder, especially one who might be interested in trying a bread and butter construction for the first time.  Over the years I've developed a method that's proved very successful for me, albeit one that's quite messy and a bit more labor-intensive.  In this build log I welcome any and all comments, from effusive praise to biting criticism.  If you have a question I'll do my best to answer it.  When I employ a technique, and you feel there's a better way, please speak up.  Your suggestions will always be welcome.  And if all you want is some good-humored banter, well, I'm up for that too.  You can say anything that's on your mind, providing it's not an infraction in Chuck's rule book 😉 I'm not thin-skinned, so you never have to worry about hurting my feelings.  These MSW build logs have become, for me, a wonderful window into the model shipbuilding community.  They truly make the world a bit smaller by bringing us all together.    I immensely enjoy your build logs.  Perhaps you will enjoy mine also.

 

The Model

     Well, the ship and scale have been chosen, but there are still decisions to be made on how will I build the Winchelsea?  As I mentioned in my opening remarks this model will be constructed in Georgian style.  What I do is establish the shape of the lifts (each layer of wood) and then  laminate these 1" thick pieces of yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) together to form a very, very roughly shaped ship model.  I then mount this roughly formed hull to the building board in a rather unique way.  After screwing on a temporary keel eight inch wide boards are then glued to the bow and stern of the model that extend outward from the hull approximately 6".  These extensions will then rest upon 8" wide vertical pieces of wood that are bolted to the base.  During the shaping process the model is suspended off the surface of the base 1/16".  All of this will be clear when I start building the hull and you can see photos of what I'm talking about.  The beauty of this method is that it provides an incredibly stable and accurate way to mount the hull as I shape it with the help of templates.  I can take the model off the verticals, work the hull, and then replace it back on the building board effortlessly.  Because the horizontal pieces extend no further than the far side of the verticals replacing the model to the base can all be done by touch.  A blind man could do it.  What I like best is that there is ZERO movement of the hull when it's on the building board and there is 100% repeatability it goes back to the same location.  It is imperative that you have this repeatability if you are to use templates in shaping a solid hull.  I've never seen a hull shaping with the keel resting on the building board where there isn't some movement.  After the hull is shaped and the gun ports cut out I will remove the horizontal and vertical pieces and mount the hull to the base using a different method.  A permanent keel will then be attached along with the stem, cutwater and stern post.

 

     After the hull is shaped I will then plank over it using Castello boxwood (Calycophyllum multiflorum) , Swiss pearwood (Pyrus communis) and European boxwood (Buxus sempervirens).  I've decided I’m going to keep painting on this model to a minimum (wales and yards), but outside of that, not much else.  Anywhere there would be red paint I will use very lightly stained Swiss pear wood. Most "coloration" will come from the various hues of the woods I select.  I've decided to do it this way simply because it's new, and is something I've never done before.  While I haven't made a final decision I'm also contemplating rigging the model.

 

    

Edited January 18, 2021 by wyz

[wyz]

A quick question: how do you add photos to your build log.  I once knew how to do it but have since forgotten.

[Matt D]

You should see an “add files” button at the bottom of your new post window.  That will let you pick your photos to add.  Remember to click “done” after you pick them or they won’t get uploaded.

[wyz]

Thank you Matt; your help is greatly appreciated.  I should have figured that out for myself.  They simplified the process from the way it used to be many years ago.

Edited December 26, 2020 by wyz

[wyz]

My Work Areas

     living alone has allowed me to have more than one room for my model shipbuilding.  Without question, if I was married and had children, I think I would be lucky to have a shop area the size of a broom closet.  In my shop the front room is where I do most of the construction, and the back room is where I work when I'm making lots of wood dust.  Even in the back room it's imperative I run an air filter and keep the entrance door shut.  If I didn't do that there wouldn't be any place in my condo safe from wood dust fallout.

 

Front Shop

     This last year it's become very clear to me that I'm running out of shop space.  Don't laugh.  As large as the shop(s) are I'm still in need of more room.

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by wyz

[wyz]

Back Shop

     No area in my shops has received as much attention this past year as the back room.  As much time as I spend here it really needed an upgrade.  I live here when I start shaping the hull.

 

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by wyz

[wyz]

The Den

     When I'm not in my shops I'm often in my den.  Many years back I built a 4'x6' drafting table and have used it quite often in my model ship building.  All of my reference books on the subject are housed in this room.

Edited December 26, 2020 by wyz

[wyz]

     I've always had a pretty nice shop area but over the past few months I've put some serious money into making improvements.  It's to make up for those years when I was having health issues and putting no money into it.  The back room got a new slider because the old one was leaking water into the room.  I replaced all the old florescence shop lights with bright and quiet LED ones.  To better confine dust I framed off a small area behind plastic in the back shop.  I also built two new work benches for that room and put up two new peg boards.  As a 70-year-old I got tired of running up and down the stairs to answer the telephone.  Now I have a phone in every room in the house.  These improvements pale by comparison to all the new tools I purchased.  To say Santa Claus was good to me this year would be a gross understatement.   He gave me darn near EVERYTHING on my list.  I got a Jim Byrnes saw with all the accessories, a Jim Byrnes thickness sander (back shop photo #6), a Delta scroll saw, a Foredom flexshaft, a 1 H.P 12" diameter bench sander and a 1/2 H.P bench grinder with wire brushes.  He also gave me a number of nice hand power tools: a Dewalt jig saw, a reciprocating saw, an orbital sander, a multi-tool, a 4 1/2" angle grinder and a hot air gun.  Recently I dropped my block plane onto the cement floor and did irreparable damage to it, so I went out and purchased a Veritas standard block plane to replace it.  I also bought a Lie Nielsen #101 violin maker's plane.  Those are two very nice hand tools, and I'm sure they will see a lot of use in this Winchelsea build.  How lucky was I this year?  It's hard to believe Santa thought I was that "nice".  With all these new tools I'm anxious to not only get this model started but also tackle a number of household jobs I had been putting off.

Edited March 3, 2021 by wyz

[wyz]

The Building Board

     To make this model I'm going to need a really flat surface for the construction templates.  I went out and purchased a 4'x8'x3/4" sheet of furniture grade Baltic birch plywood.  Oh, it's really nice stuff.  I started building the board by cutting it to 30"x5' and adding two pieces of wooden reinforcement (2 1/2"x 1 1/2") that run the length of the board.  Four adjustable, felt bottom feet were also added.  After I did that I applied two coats of polyurethane to the board.  When completely dry tomorrow I will lightly sand with 220 grit sandpaper and then draw the station lines on the surface.  After they get put on I will apply another 3 coats of polyurethane over them.   The 5th building board photo shows the small heater I use to help dry the polyurethane.  I swing the board around 180 degrees every hour.  When the last coat of polyurethane has been applied to the top surface of the board I turn it over and do the bottom.  This is to seal the underside from any moisture absorption that might warp the board.  The next step will be to align and drill the holes for the small wooden pieces that press against the ship's keel to hold it steady.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by wyz

[wyz]

 

Templates

     To shape a bread and butter construction hull you need to make a set of rigid templates.  Years ago I used to make them from 3/32" 5 ply aircraft grade plywood but that wood has become expensive today.  With my last model I used some cheap 1/8" birch plywood and, sadly, regretted it.  The templates warped and twisted on me something awful.  What I did for this Winchelsea build was to go to a local cabinetmaker and buy a 5'x5' sheet of furniture grade 1/8" Baltic plywood. Before I can actually start construction of the model I needed to download Chuck's plans for the Winchelsea.  That's done.   I got those a few weeks ago.  When I printed these plans I had the hull shapes for each station line done on card stock, not paper.  The extra rigidity helped.  I have to say it was mega-helpful to have 8 grids per inch Mylar to trace the hull shapes on.  First I draw a center line, and then, using a square, draw a perpendicular at the bottom of the drawing.  I then carefully lay a piece of Mylar over it, lining it up with centerline and the perpendicular.  With great care I then trace the hull's shape and cut it out.  Remember to draw the keel in the right location and to add 1/16" more to its height.  This is for the distance the hull is elevated off the building board.  The Mylar cutouts are then taped to the plywood.  Carefully draw the outline of the frame on it, remove the taped Mylar and then proceed cut out and sand the plywood template to shape.  It's very important to be extremely meticulous in each step of the template making process!  There are 27 station lines so pace yourself and don't rush.

      

Edited January 17, 2021 by wyz

[wyz]

The Wood

     In all my years of building solid hull models I've never gone into a project with more and better yellow poplar than I have right now.  Some of it has been aging for a long time while other pieces are much newer.  Whether new or old it's all first class wood.  I buy my lumber from M. L. Condon Co. in White Plains, New York, and the fellow who mills my wood does a 1st class job for me.  All pieces are dressed nicely on six sides.  I always slip him $ extra for the fine job he does.  The first photo shows the yellow poplar I will use to form the hull's shape.  I have so much of the wood I shouldn't have any trouble finding stock with the perfect grain orientation.  Number two photo shows a bookshelf with plastic containers full of milled stock of various hardwoods.  In the basement I have footlockers full of various domestic and exotic hardwoods.  When you have been building models for as long as I have you accumulate a lot of wood.  I also have a goodly amount of Baltic plywood in 1/8", 1/4", and 3/4" thicknesses.

Edited December 26, 2020 by wyz

[Keithbrad80]

Wow, your work space is incredible! You’re set up to do pretty much anything! I’m looking forward to following your build.

 

Bradley

[wyz]

Thank you, Bradley.  I've been slowly building my shop since my late twenties, a little over forty years.

[Rustyj]

That's a great setup you have there. I'm suffering from workshop envy right now! 

 

I'm looking forward to your approach to building the hull.

[wyz]

Don't be envious Rusty.  It's not the shop that makes a great model.... it only helps a bit.

I'm starting to wonder if I'm the only one in this build group who is constructing Winchelsea using an alternative method.  Well, dancing to a different drumbeat is the story of my life.  Regardless of the method, I'm sure all of us will learn from one another.  I'm incredibly excited to build this model and think about it all the time.  Having Chuck as a mentor and being around so many other experienced model builders should help me from making any outrageous mistakes on Winnie, and give me lots of ideas on materials and methods.  To build a Georgian style solid hull model, using my particular method, there is just so much work to do before you can even begin to think of making sawdust.  Right now I'm making the building board, working on the templates, constructing the vertical supports and drawing the shape of the lifts on the Mylar.  LOL  It's no wonder no one else is building their model this way.  I hope and pray I live long enough to see this project to fruition.  Enjoy the holiday season Rusty .... and stay safe (Covid-19)

Tom

Edited December 27, 2020 by wyz

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

On 12/26/2020 at 6:34 AM, wyz said:

 

Templates

     Before I can actually start construction of the model I still need to do a number of things.  The very first thing to do is to download Chuck's plans for the Winchelsea.  That's done.   I got those a few weeks ago.  When I printed these plans I had the hull shapes for each station line done on card stock, not paper.  The extra rigidity helped.  Number two on the list is to make a set of plywood templates to help shape the hull.  Last week I purchased a large sheet (5'x5'x1/8") of Baltic plywood and have started this job.    I have to say it was mega-helpful to have 8 grids per inch Mylar to trace the hull shapes on.  First I draw a center line, and then, using a square, draw a perpendicular at the bottom of the drawing.  I then carefully lay a piece of Mylar over it, lining it up with centerline and the perpendicular.  With great care I then trace the hull's shape and cut it out.  Remember to draw the keel in the right location and to add 1/16" more to its height.  This is for the distance the hull is elevated off the building board.  The Mylar cutouts are then taped to the plywood.  Carefully draw the outline of the frame on it, remove the taped Mylar and then proceed cut out and sand the plywood template to shape.  It's very important to be extremely meticulous in each step of the template making process!  There are 27 station lines so pace yourself and don't rush.

i love to see old lovely transferring methods...

 tedious but there something into it wishing all luck   V. 

[Chuck]

I get my Cedar from Condon...although I bought his last boards not too long ago. Great bunch of guys.  Hopefully he will get more.  I thought about trying polar but I hate those greenish streaks.  But if you avoid using those greenish areas it looks like a nice wood choice.

[wyz]

Chuck,  I don't worry about the green, brown, purple or red streaks you occasionally see in the heartwood of yellow poplar because I plank over it with other hardwoods.

Tom

Edited December 27, 2020 by wyz

[wyz]

Vlad, tedious is a gross understatement. 🙄  It's fortunate I have the patience of Job.

Tom

[wyz]

Today I finished the building board, at least the construction part of it.  I ended up putting seven coats of polyurethane on it, five on the top and two on the underside.  The only things left to do are to 1.  drill some holes in the vertical supports and the board and secure them with bolts.  That will be done when all the lifts are glued together and I have a better idea of their exact locations.   2. The height of the vertical supports will, no doubt, need some fine adjustment. 

     I also drilled 1/4" diam. holes in the board and attached the keel blocks with 3/16" bolts and washers for some wiggle room.

Edited January 3, 2021 by wyz

[AnobiumPunctatum]

Whow, you have a really nice workshop. My shipyard has 8m² and is now also my homeoffice.

I am very interested to see your method of building a hull. It isn't very popular in Germany. I know this method only from older books about shipmodelling.

 

[wyz]

Christian, the reason this method isn't popular in Germany, or just about anywhere else, is because it takes a VERY LONG time to accurately form the hull using templates, and it creates a mountain of dust in doing so.  You absolutely need to use a canister mask in an air filtered shop room, away from your living area, if you are to attempt such a project.  This method of construction causes couples to divorce.  Also, there is an enormous amount of prep work required of the model builder before actual construction begins.  Right now I'm sanding the many templates needed and drawing the shape of the lifts on Mylar.  Only after these things are done can I begin my Winchelsea build.  I'm already light-years behind every other model builder in the group.  Despite the negative reasons one might consider making a solid hull ship model, it has, for me, a very special appeal.  I just love the physical nature of this build method.  Taking the very rough shaped hull of laminated lifts and carving it to shape with mallet and chisel (and just about any other power tool you can think of) gets me off.  When I look at that glued together block of wood I will see the smooth lines of the Winchelsea just waiting to be freed from its wooden prison.  It is, in some weird way, similar to how Michelangelo must have felt when looking at that giant slab of marble, knowing that David was within.

Tom

Edited December 31, 2020 by wyz

[wyz]

It's 30 minutes before the New Year starts and I'm so tired I doubt I'll see it in awake.  Before drifting off to dreamland I want to wish all my fellow model builders only the best for 2021.  Lord knows this last year is one to forget.  Work hard on your model, be happy, and stay safe.  Don't let your guard down with the Covid-19 virus.  Yes, a vaccine is coming, and we can see the end of the tunnel.   Let's not have a pile-up before we exit it.

Edited January 1, 2021 by wyz

[wyz]

It took a while, but I finally completed the templates.  There was a lot of work to get them just right.  I had to check them and recheck against the Mylar cutouts, and then see how they looked next to the adjacent templates.  Once I was satisfied they were accurate I then proceeded to finish them with three coats of polyurethane and a final 220 grit sanding.  I seal the templates with polyurethane to prevent moisture absorption that might warp them, and to make it much easier to clean pencil lead from them.

[wyz]

Lift Template Construction

     With the completion of these lift templates I will, at last, be ready to begin construction of the model. To make these templates I start with the 28 station line drawings of the body plan and carefully draw a vertical centerline.  Then I draw a horizontal line that marks the bottom of the keel.  That line includes the 1/16" I add for elevating the keel above the building board.  I draw another horizontal showing where the top of the keel is.  This line is also the bottom of the first lift.  Next, starting from that line, I draw horizontal lines, 1" apart going up.   These are the lift lines looking end on.  Each line is drawn using a different color.  I bought an eight color set of Pilot gel pens that worked quite well.  After these lines were drawn I measured from the centerline outward to the line that delineated the shape of the hull.  I did this for all lift lines on all 28 station line drawings.  There were over 190 measurements.  Now I had to plot these on a half breadth plan.  Actually it was a hybrid plan I made using three half breadths.  It was just easier for me to see the lines this way.  Photos 3 and 4 show this.  It is VERY IMPORTANT to plot the widest measurement of each lift.  As you go up the widest mark will be on the top of the first several lifts.  When you get to the tumblehome the widest measurement will be on the bottom of the lift.  Always check because any mistake can lead to wood cut to the wrong dimensions.  After all these lift template lines were plotted it was time to trace their shape on the 8 grids per inch Mylar.  I ALWAYS allow for an extra 3/16" to 1/4" for much of the lift, and as much as 3/8" or more to the bow and stern.   You really don't want to be too short or too narrow.  Excess wood can be easily removed, but the other way around can cost you wood, or worse, force you to start over again.  Care with drawing the Mylar templates is an absolute necessity!  Photo 4 shows a completed template, cut inside and out, over the half breadth drawing.  One of the things I've done to help me in this layout work is to draw the lift lines on a copy of Chuck's external sheer drawing.  Photo 6 shows the completed set of lift templates.  This marks the end of my preconstruction work, so now it's time to make some sawdust.

Edited January 8, 2021 by wyz

[Chuck]

Very nice start.  And a very interesting approach.