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I share your pain.  Making any joint match almost flawlessly is a talent that seems to elude me.

 

I find that I should cut out one half then fit it on top of the other half and mark the matching outline with a very fine pencil.

I then cut (scroll saw and/or chisel), file and sand (in that order) to fit.

Leave the "nose" end extended a bit.

The pencil outline will be just outside where I need to be.

If I can get that to match it allows me to bring (sand or chisel) the nose in a little bit for the final fit.

 

I still cannot make them perfect and tight but the real build was not.

It will take a lot more practice for me to "get it".

 

Alan

Alan O'Neill
"only dead fish go with the flow"   :dancetl6:

Ongoing Build (31 Dec 2013) - HMS BELLEROPHON (1786), POF scratch build, scale 1:64, 74 gun 3rd rate Man of War, Arrogant Class

Member of the Model Shipwrights of Niagara, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada (2016), and the Nautical Research Guild (since 2014)

Associate member of the Nautical Research and Model Ship Society (2021)

Offshore member of The Society of Model Shipwrights (2021)

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This is where mill is very handy - I can easilly make joints on 2-8 planks at the same time (assuming the same thickness), and they would be perfectly fit in all dimensions, tight and with a consistent angle. It takes about 8-10min for the batch including the setup. And no need for the careful markup - just make sure that all planks have the same angle in the mill vice.

Without mill, it was a lot of fitting, took around 30min per joint (instead of 10 for a number of joints), and it was hard to get tight fit on a thick stock.

Cutting perfect scarfs by hand is a skill to learn, doing it with a mill is a simple procedure that does not require any skill. Easy-peasy! :) One of the biggest reasons that pushed me to buy the mill.

 

Here are some basic pictures of the process. I use a wooden "template" that fits under the planks inside the vice to ensure correct angle.

 

post-5430-0-69487600-1471555846_thumb.jpeg

 

post-5430-0-97441800-1471555863_thumb.jpeg

 

post-5430-0-29840300-1471555890_thumb.jpeg

Edited by Mike Y
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Dennis

If you want the best videos I have ever seen, go to utube and look up "daves" or "dave stevens" videos. The build he does is the Caustic

"daves" is on modelshipworld

If you can't find him or the videos, send me PM and I will look for the links

His videos are outstanding, everthing is very clear and spot on.

Joe

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This is where mill is very handy - ...

Cutting perfect scarfs by hand is a skill to learn, doing it with a mill is a simple procedure that does not require any skill. Easy-peasy!

Probably, but you need to know how to work with a mill first!!!

Carl

"Desperate affairs require desperate measures." Lord Nelson
Search and you might find a log ...

 

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Nice and easy - if you happen to have a mill and know how to set it up properly , Mike!

 

True, and it is also a matter of taste - some prefer to master the hand tools, some prefer to use mills for such precision tasks

 

 

Probably, but you need to know how to work with a mill first!!!

Well, this sort of task does not require any milling experience - it was my first thing to cut, worked like a charm from the first attempt.

Just fix the plank in the vice, follow the steps, re-measure twice if not sure, done!

No intricate setup.

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Accurate mark-out with a very sharp, hard lead point and very well sharpened tools are the keys to a tight-fitting joint.

Agreed, although fro me at least I find a nice sharp knife point rather than a pencil works better, especially on dark woods. Changing from an HB lead to 4h helped but I still find myself scoring a light cut as a mark wherever possible.

Making sure the backs of your chisels are flat and polished helps to see if you are on your line and perpendicular to your cutting surface.

Sam

Current Build Constructo Enterprise

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I posted some instructions for making close fitting joints at http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/11685-how-to-get-close-fitting-connections/#entry357279.

 

I agree with Capt. Chaos, you need to use a scoring knife to layout joints accurately, especially for scaled work.  Even for cabinet scale woodworking (dovetails, tenons, etc), I use a scoring knife to layout the joints to ensure a tight fit.    To use an Aubreyism, pencils ain't in it.

Bruce

Stay Sharp - Stay Safe

Judgement comes from experience:  experience comes from poor judgement.

  • USS Constitution: Scratch build solid hull 1:96 scale
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Dave also has a good tutorial on doing this by hand in his Alvin Clark log in the Scratch area.   The key will be to find the one method that works for you.

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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