HMS Winchelsea by Rustyj - POB 1/64 - 1764 - 32 Gun Frigate

[AntonyUK]

Hi Rusty.

Wow off on another Exelent build.

Look forward to watch this grow into another Masterpiece of yours

Awaiting more photos.

 

Regards Antony.

[Rustyj]

Thank you for the kind words Antony.

 

Well I've pre fit all the bulkheads. Just some minor sanding of the slots was needed so it didn't

take as long as anticipated. Here is the first bulkhead in place. I clamp the angle piece in place

to hold the bulkhead square until the glue sets up. I do one bulkhead fore and one bulkhead

aft at a time and work my way to the center.

 

[Trussben]

Hey Rusty, I see you have that bulkhead former securely clamped, always a good idea man.

 

Ben

[Rustyj]

Oh yeah Ben. I can mess things up on my own. I don't need a twist to make it worse! 

[Rustyj]

I've been working my way towards the center and this is how far I've gotten.

 

 

While gluing them up I had a thought about putting some bracing between the bulkheads to

help stiffen them some more for when I have to fair them. I also thought it may help eliminate

any change of the hull twisting.  I took and measured the distance between the bulkheads at

the former and cut a piece of bracing and glued it towards the outer edge making sure not to

displace the bulkheads.

 

 

 

It seems to be working. I'll let you know when I finish with all of them.

[druxey]

Smart move to check with calipers, but make sure you done't get cumulative error.

[harvey1847]

Hello Rusty!

 

Way to go! Can I ask you how did you glue the stem-keel to the set of falsekeel-bulkheads? Did you bolt them together?

 

Best wishes!

 

 

Daniel.

[Rustyj]

Hi druxey, I'm hoping that by measuring at the former where there is no movement and by paying

close attention to the fit I should be able to keep a creeping error out of it. Fingers are crossed here.

 

Hi Daniel, Oops I got talking about the bulkheads and filler blocks I forgot all about adding the stem

and keel. Chuck uses a cleaver way to create the rabbet. He has you glue a 3/32" x 1/16" stripe on

the edge of the bulkhead former. It extends down the stem and continues along the bottom edge of

the bulkhead former. Once the keel and stem are added, this strip will form the rabbet. At the stern

I had to trim the former to form the bearding line. Once this was completed the stem is test fitted

against the rabbet strip and adjusted until a good snug fit is obtained. The stem is them glued to the

rabbet strip. After that the keel and false keel were glued in place too. I did not need to pin or bolt any

of this assembly in place as it was a snug fit and glued good and tight.

[Trussben]

Hey Rusty,

 

Are you going to add some support timbers across the top of the bulkhead extensions for more support so you don't break them off while fairing ( a la Confed ) ?? I think it would be a wise idea even though you cut them out yourself and not laser cut. Just a thought mate.

 

Ben

[Rustyj]

Hi Ben, I am thinking along those lines. I didn't have to do it with the Confederacy because

the extensions were thicker and the plywood was strong. With the Winnie the extensions are

thinner so there is a possibility of breakage. So if I had to guess right now I'd say I'd do them.

 

Thanks for the reminder.  

[Trussben]

Hi Rusty,

 

I was looking at the pictures again and there seem to be almost double the amount of bulkheads as the Confed? Is Chuck doing a bulkhead at every station line on the NMM plans?

If that is so then your going to get a really fair hull from it! Lucky Dog!

Chuck please chime in if possible as the Winnie is a ship I'm interested in as Pellew commanded her.

 

I'd love to see a set of her plans up close and personal.

 

Ben

[Rustyj]

Hi Ben, I don't know how  the bulkheads relate to the plans stations but there are 27 bulkheads 

on a 24" former. On the Confederacy there were 15 bulkheads on a former that was approximately

29" long. A lot more bulkheads in a shorter span.

 

As far as building her, when you are done with your 5 year project,   I know you would love her!

 

Prior to seeing the plans and starting work on her I had thought about adding balsa between the bulkheads

at the bow and stern as the twist and curve can be a bugger to maintain for us mere mortals.

 

Don't think I'll need to do that now. Time will tell.  

[Chuck]

Yupp....you are correct.  There is one for every station line.  Four times as many in a typical kit.  It will make framing the gunports easier as well.

 

Chuck

[Chuck Seiler]

Chuck,

 

    When do you anticipate this kit going to market?

[Chuck]

Never a kit...just the plans and book.  It will be a while to Seawatch Books dismay.   But they will publish a book with plans.  I will supply some materials and laser cut parts,  but not a kit.

 

Chuck

[Chuck Seiler]

   Hmmm.  Decisions, decisions.  I am eyeballing the CONFEDERACY due to it's reduced price, but I need to finish PHILLY (end of May) and SULTANA (by next year) with scratch sloop PROVIDENCE on the drawing board and SYREN in the wings.  Maybe I will forgo CONFEDERACY and wait for Winchelsea.

 

   Rusty.  You said you used craft glue to affix your templates to the wood.  Is that water based?  Doesn't it have a tendency to distort the plan, or am I thinking about something else? 

[Rustyj]

Hi Chuck S.

I'm no chemist but I don't believe the stuff I use is water based. It's Elmer's Craft Bond

Rubber Cement . It also has a warning that it is flammable and has a smell like contact

cement. Like any liquid that you put on paper it could cause distortion.  When I place

the paper on the wood I try to lay it as gently as possible and not to pull or stretch it.

If I have doubts I'll closely compare it to the plans. So far no issues for me doing it this way.

 

Well all of the bulkheads and braces have been glued in place, and it is very solid. I won't

have to worry while fairing the main part of the hull. As I move up to the tops of the

bulkheads especially the longer ones I may use some bracing on them. I'll have to see

what's what when I get there.

 

 

[augie]

Looks nice and true.

[Chuck Seiler]

That sounds like what I use.  The bottle says "rubber cement" though.  I know they make another type very much like it...more like a contact cement.  Maybe that is it. 

[Rustyj]

Thanks Augie. She came out as straight as I'll ever get it. At least she's not looking like a crescent moon.

 

Hi Chuck S. Yeah rubber cement it is. I have contact cement in the cupboard and have to make sure I

never mix them up! That wouldn't be pretty.  

[Rustyj]

Hi All,

 

Not much to report on. I have started sanding/fairing the lower portion of the hull. When I do that

I set the hull upside down on a small homemade down draft table to help contain the dust. I place

some wood blocks on the table that are thick enough to keep the tops of the bulwarks from hitting

the table and hopefully protecting them. Then it's just a matter of sanding, checking with some

planking strips, sand some more, etc etc etc.

 

[Trussben]

Sweet Rusty!

 

Ben

[mtaylor]

I like that sanding table idea.   Hmm... I have some pegboard... And it'll keep the Admiral happy.

[gjdale]

Great idea for the sanding table Rusty - need to file that one away!

[Rustyj]

Thanks Ben!

 

Mark, Keeping the admiral happy is why I made it all those years ago.

 

Thanks Grant. I mainly use it for big dirty jobs like fairing and sanding the hull planking.

Then it gets tucked away for long periods of time until needed again.

[Trussben]

Hey Rusty,

 

Will you be going to the NRG conference in Oct?

I plan on going for the first time as it's reasonably near to me in St Louis.

 

Ben

[Rustyj]

Hi Ben, Unfortunately it's a long haul for me and I won't be able to attend.

Sorry it should be a great time. I hope you get to go.

 

Ok I've been moving along just haven't been able to find time to post.

 

The hull is faired fairly close to its final shape. I still have a little work to do on

the tops of the bulkheads but I'll wait until I frame the gun ports to finish it up.

I didn't need to use any cross bracing either. The plywood was good and solid

and I was careful too.

 

I next  planked the two platforms of the lower deck with pau marfim.

 

 

After that it was time to add the bow fillers and bollard timbers. Two of the fillers

needed to be a total of 7/32" thick. While the third timber needed to be 3/16" thick.

Chuck used two pieces to obtain the 7/32" thickness, (1 x 3/16" & 1 x 1/32"), I used

my thickness sander to thin down a piece of 1/4" wood I had to the 7/16". Same result

I just used one piece.

 

 

After that it was time to make the bollard timbers. these are not the traditional way to

make them but seeing there are bulkheads and not frames only the tops will be seen.

As you can see from the plans there are different angles, thicknesses and a hole it was

a bit of a challenge. At least every piece was made twice and some three time before

an acceptable one was obtained.

 

 

 

 

 

The bollard timbers are just set in place for now. Next up it is time to start framing in the gun ports.

[BANYAN]

Coming along nicely Rusty - another fine build.  Look forward to seeing your progress on this one.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Rustyj]

Thanks Pat. Following Chucks instructions makes it much easier!  

[rafine]

Very nicely done Rusty. You're off to a beautiful start on what should be a great build.

 

Bob