Planking Clamp Use

[Worldway]

Does anyone use these?

 

 

If so, I'm curious if their worth the price.

 

I probably should have asked this question before I purchased two packs.

 

And I'm wondering if you have to predrill or you can just go ahead and screw into the bulwark.

Edited January 14, 2017 by Worldway

[skipper1947]

I used some years ago, I think I still have a few laying around. At least your photo looks like the same thing. I think I just screwed them into the bulkhead- assuming it is thick enough to take them. The problem I had was that the clamping part was some sort of soft metal that did not stand up very long before they were bent back (looking more like the 'plastic clamp' in the left had picture of your post). Eventually, they broke (after being straightened out a few times).

 

Can you tell if the metal ones look like they are made of a more sturdy metal?

 

SKip

[Thanasis]

Hi Derek. I had also bought one pack of those to find out that they might do what are promising only when the planks are in low thickness and with a gently tension of the screw.

Otherwise, as it happened for me, that small plate tends to distorting, pressing only the closer to screw side of the plank...

Now, I use those plates in a combination with board pins (instead of screws), which because of the wider base, they prevent the plate to be deformed.

As about the pre-drilling on the bulkheads, a smaller in diameter than the screw drilling, usually helps.

Thx

[realworkingsailor]

I have a set of those as well. They work... kind of. As mentioned they are soft metal, and the clamp part deforms and breaks easily. I substituted mine with cut off bits of limewood and that seems to work just as well. Also, you may wish to put some heat shrink tubing on the "knurled screw" it will save your fingers!

 

Andy

[Landlubber Mike]

I've used them and find them pretty helpful for planking in screwing them into bulkheads.  They worked nicely on the Pegasus, where the bulkheads were in MDF.

 

Like Andy said though, the cross piece is soft metal which bends, and the screws themselves can bend (I ruined a couple that got bent).  The biggest annoyance is the knurled screw though - they are really brutal on your fingers if you are trying to screw them into something like MDF.  

[amateur]

i used these pushpins lot cheaper, and essentially the same functionality.

 

Jan

[realworkingsailor]

Another great way to ruin them is to over torque the thumb screw. I had a couple of clamps that I over torqued and the screw broke free of the knurled bit. I had to break the thing to get it to detach.

 

Andy

[Moxis]

I made my own. Needs only small pieces of 2,5 mm plywood and small screws. Works great.

 

[Pierretessier]

Nice jig Moxis!

[Worldway]

When I ordered them they were backordered.  This morning I received an email saying they were back in stock and to click the link to proceed with the order.  They went up in price and from judging by the replies here and other things I have read, I won't be going ahead with the order.  I'm glad it ended up being back ordered.

 

And yes, Moxis that is a very nice building jig.

Edited January 27, 2017 by Worldway

[hornet]

I have used the plastic ones but screw shaft tends to come loose in the plastic over time. This can be remedied, in some cases, by applying heat and melting the plastic a little so it grips the shaft more tightly. Pushpins are great on the first planking of a double planked hull but tend to damage the second planking if you are not careful. I designed some of my own using plastic clothes pegs. I have posted the method of making these previously but here is the link fir anyone who has not seen it and may be interested.

 

Cheers

Steve

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/3734-planking-screws-moved-by-moderator/

[druxey]

It would be great if I could persuade folk to bend planks (by steam or dry heat) so that they would be shaped to 'sit' nicely along the hull without need for 'persuasion' by screws, clamps or other devices of torture!

[Worldway]

Hey Druxey, you don't have to convince me.  I completely agree with you.  I bought a curling iron from Canadian Tire for that exact purpose.  It's better than forcing the wood into position. I learned the hard way.

[hornet]

Hi Druxey. I have used heat and steam for over 30 years. However, there are still times, particularly on buff bows where you need something - planking screws - to hold planks in place until glue dries.

Cheers

Steve

[Steve 12345]

I can't speak from experience as I only have a couple of years but on my bounty heat and steam just would not cut it some force was required and soaking would be great if it wasent but it was so I'm not yet convinced

 

Steve

Edited January 28, 2017 by Steve 12345

[Steve 12345]

There is gotta be another steve that comments on this come on people we need a steve

[Jaager]

If a structure is to last- pre-bending and pre- shaping is necessary.

If the wood "wants" to spring out to reach equilibrium and glue is the

only restraining force, over time equilibrium is likely to prevail.

 

There is a fairly common misconception that with wood and wood

glue is is possible to "stave" a joint with too much clamping pressure.

It would take pressures that destroy the wood to do this.

Highly polished metal to highly polished metal - I can see this happening.

Wood to wood - the higher the clamping pressure the stronger the bond -

with PVA glue.  Probably the same with CA - don't use it myself.

 

With POB construction and plywood moulds, I can see a starved bond problem

with the first layer of planking - if the open edge is not pre-treated with glue to

fill the cavernous pores of the end grain.

 

I think with planking the goal should be to use as much pressure as possible

right up to the level that dents the surface of the plank.  That also means that

the surface of the clamp that bares on the plank should be a large as possible.

[apprentice]

I used to use planking clamps but stopped using them because I found sooner or later I run out of place to attach the clamps on the fames. Now I soak and bend the wood then hold it in place with pin on pre-drilled hole on the frames. I have two types of pins, one slightly thicker than the other. For the thicker pin, I pre-drill a 0.5 mm hole, for the thinner one, I use 0.3 mm drill and push the pin through. It held its place wel. After the glue dried I remove the pins. Before sanding the hull, I coated it with white glue to fill up the holes left. I don't find any problem with this procedure.  

[Jaager]

I used what Davis called hutchocks.  Pre-drill for a pin

and have a piece of scrap wood between the head

of the pin and the plank.  After pulling the pin, a bamboo

trunnel is used to fill the hole.  Brass pins.  Sometimes

they do not want to come out and have to be nipped and

filed flush.  I see a lot of French models that use brass

trunnels and am starting to like the look, so nipping and

filing all the brass seems like a good way to go.

On an old Maple planked Kate Cory, the bamboo is

standing proud after 20-30 years. Not sure if the

Maple srunk or the bamboo swelled, but if it was the bamboo,,

brass will not do that.

 

Not sure what I would do if I worked at 1:72 or smaller.

[Landlubber Mike]

Personally, I don't use the Micromark screws to force the planks at all.  I do a lot of soaking and pinning, and on my last build, spiling, to get the planks in a  pre-formed positioned so that they don't have to be forced.  I do think it's important to clamp the planks in position while they are glued to get a tight fit though, and this is where I think the Micromark screws as well as other screws, pins, etc., come in handy.

[allanyed]

If clamps must be used the clamp designs shown in the Ed Tosti's Naiad books and build logs are the best I have seen to date.

Allan

[peterbrowne]

You could modify foldback clips. 

 

[allanyed]

In the end, whatever works for each person is the best way to go, but based on experience of quite a few builders at MSW, if the planks are tapered and spiled or pre-formed using the method Chuck Passaro has described,  there really is no need for any clamps or rubber bands.  Carpenters' glue and finger pressure for about 30-60 seconds is really all that is needed.   Any kind of clamp  presents the danger of denting the planks, even if using a piece of scrap between the clamp and the plank.   Just one more opinion based on trial and error over the years.   

Allan

 

[allanyed]

Thanks Spyglass.    Overall, I think we are both on the same page.

 I have found that properly shaped planks hold fine within 30 seconds most of the time, and always within a minute using  the "yellow" version of PVA.    It all comes down to making sure the planks are pre-bent and have no spring in them. 

Allan 

 

Edited December 16, 2020 by allanyed

[allanyed]

Well, we did not get a full meter of snow like Binghamton, NY got in the past day or so, but it will be in the 40's (Fahrenheit) the next couple nights. BRRRRR.    Actually, most of my modeling years were in New Jersey and it was the same there, albeit with the furnace going in winter.  😃