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Showing results for tags 'spiling'.
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Just out of curiosity, I was wondering how kit makers are able to provide pre-spiled planking. I have just received one such Russian kit for a longboat in card, and have seen others (such as Chuck's longboat) with laser-cut pre-spiled planks. Is this done with some computer software, or is it that when making a pre-production model the spiled planks are carefully traced, or that paper is laid on the frames or shell to achieve the same outlines? Tony -
I am about to order some sheets of wood for my upcoming build, which will be planked using the spiling method. My kit came with first-layer planks that are 5 mm wide, and second-layer planks that are 4 mm wide. I want to order enough material, so I'm wondering how much wider my raw material should be in order to properly cut out the curved planks. I have heard some people say that they used planks that were 50% wider than the originals, but this still seems a little narrow to me. Can anyone give me some advice as to what width I should be ordering, based on the widths supplied with the kit? Thanks! -
Hello, everyone! I've been taking some time to read up on all the planking tutorials offered here, and I'm trying to conceptually apply the techniques that I'm learning to my first build, which will begin in a week or two. I believe I understand the planking process in theory, but I've noticed that, with the exception of the "Hull Planking Techniques for Beginners" guide (http://modelshipworldforum.com/resources/Framing_and_Planking/plankingprojectbeginners.pdf), most of the guides seem to describe a technique in which each individual plank is spiled to fit the lined-off sections on the bulkheads. While this method seems easy to understand and certainly appears to provide a beautiful fit and a great-looking hull in the end, it requires you to use your own wood, as the spiled planks you cut out require stock that is wider than the planks that are included with the kit. This method seems ideal to me, as it puts less stress on the planks, and seems to make for an easier planking process, as long as you take your time cutting out each plank as perfectly as possible. However, I'd like to strengthen my understanding of the process used if one were to plank using the strips of wood included with the kit itself (for the sake of clarity, I've written my questions in bold). Based on the guide, it would appear that, in this case, you are to use the measurements of your lined-off bulkheads to plot a curve along the top side of each plank (i.e., the upper edge of the plank when the model is upright, with the keel on the bottom, as if the ship were sitting in the water). The top edge of the plank is then tapered along this curve (without ever tapering the bottom edge of the plank), minor adjustments are made, and the plank is moistened and heated, then bent over the bulkheads and clamped, where it is allowed to dry in order to take the shape of the hull. Once dry, the plank can be adhered to the bulkheads. Is this correct? From what I have read, the only plank to which this method does not apply is the garboard strake, which is tapered along its bottom edge to match the curve formed by the bottom edges of the bulkhead where they meet the keel. The top edge of the garboard strake (when the hull is positioned upright) is not tapered. Do I have that right? Finally, I'm curious about the wale. Is this where most people start planking, working down to the keel? Is this plank tapered at all? If so, which edge is tapered -- top or bottom? While I had originally assumed that I would simply plank my hull using the strips that come with the kit, I've become quite interested in the spiling technique, as the hulls I've seen that result from the use of this technique look amazing. My kit has not arrived yet, so I do not yet know the thickness of the planks that are included with it. If I were to acquire some 1/16"-thick sheets of basswood, would this thickness be comparable to the thickness of most first-layer planks that come with these kits, or is 1/16" too thick? I appreciate the help, guys!
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So, I've made the decision to spile all the planks for my upcoming build, as I love the look and fit of spiled planks. I'll basically be cutting each plank from a piece of sheetwood, by hand. While I will be using masking tape to trace the curve of the last plank in order to trace out my spiled plank, I'm still going to need a way to smoothly connect the dots that mark the widths of the proposed plank at each bulkhead on the other side, to complete the outline of the plank. Many people use's a set of ship's curves for this purpose, but I've been looking at the ACU-ARC adjustable curve ruler as an alternative. It looks like this: Basically, it consists of a number of flexible plastic strips bunched together. You can flex the ruler to meet the points you've marked and it will hold its shape due to the friction between the strips. You then simply trace along the flat edge to make your line. I'm wondering if this might be a better choice, since it will provide a nice smooth curve from start to finish, rather than using the traditional method of finding the best fit for a portion of the points with a ship's curve and repeating the process until the line is complete. What do you guys think? Also, one of the things I'm worried about is not currently owning a scroll saw... As it is, my only option seems to be cutting the rough shape of each plank out of the thin sheetwood using an X-Acto blade, then filing/sanding to the final shape. How easy do you think this will be with basswood and walnut sheetwood ranging from 1/32" to 1/16" thick? If I do decide to purchase a scroll saw, what type of blade should I get to smoothly cut sheetwood in this thickness range? I'm assuming I'd be looking for one with a high number of teeth-per-inch. Do you guys have any suggestions for the proper TPI range? My last question refers to the method of laying the tape in order to trace the correct curve of the last plank. I've read some descriptions of this process (and seen a few pictures), but I want to make sure I have this right. The correct method, as I understand it, is to lay the tape so that the portion of the tape that is laying on the existing plank is smooth, with no wrinkles or bends. The other edge of the tape (i.e., the portion that's hanging over the edge of the existing plank) can be a little wrinkled without affecting the accuracy of the curve you're tracing. Is that right? I've tested this method on the rim of a glass that is wider at the mouth than at the base, and I ended up with a nice curved strip that wrapped around the glass and was perfectly parallel to the rim of the glass, so it seems to be a good way of doing it. What do you guys think? As always, thanks for your advice, opinions, and assistance!
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I just finished the first and only layer of planking on my Fair American. This being my first attempt at hull planking, I am very happy with the outcome. I used the 3/16" x 1/16" basswood strips supplied with the kit. The results can be seen here: http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/10334-fair-american-by-captainjerry-model-shipways/page-3 This hull has a lot of sheer and a fair amount of drag. The distance from the keel to the wales is much greater at the stern than it is at the stem so it is clear that the planking will need to taper toward the bow, There are a few rules to follow. Too my eye, one of the most important is that a plank should not taper to less than half of it's maximum width. Pointy little planks at the bow look funny. My personal opinion is that while a plank may taper towards both ends, it should not then flair out at the end. To do so seems to indicate a narrowing of the hull in a kind of wasp waist shape. That might be done in modern high speed vessels but not on an 18th century vessel. Such a recurve line might also indicate an improperly tapered adjoining plank. I used steelers ( 2 at the stern ), and drop planks ( 2 at the bow ). I have always admired a well fitted steeler or drop plank and while my efforts are just that, a first effort, and not an example of the best, I don't understand the may posts that seem to indicate that a steeler is evidence of poor planning. Were steelers and drops not used on real ships? Was it a sign of poor design or a sloppy shipyard? Jerry (edit note) Link corrected, Try again if you got redirected to the wrong thread.- 15 replies
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I'm trying to absorb the tutorials about planking, and having trouble wrapping my head around of couple of the concepts. For starters - With a kit, you're probably given planking material - let's say it's a narrow width of about 1/4 inch. If you're working a hull where almost every plank needs to be curved in order to lay flat on the bulkheads, doesn't that render much, if not all, that material useless? I can't really believe that's the case, yet it seems to me that you'd have to cut most planks by hand out of a much wider sheet of lumber. What am I missing? I'm certainly not arguing with experienced builders; I'm just having a hard time understanding it. Does anyone know of a YouTube video where these concepts are demonstrated? I've seen a couple that "talk" about spiling, but don't show much of value. Also - what, exactly, is the point of lining out the hull (dividing it into 4 or 5 bands to be worked). Some authors go into, after this, a discussion of calculating the number of planks, for a given plank-width, in each band, but to what purpose? Isn't it just going to be whatever it's going to be? Is there a reason to have each band have the same number of planks? There must be more to this than just divide-and-conquer, but I'm not seeing it. Thanks, Mark
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