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Questions about Plank Lengths


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I bought a Kit.   Caldercraft HMS Snake.   This is my first ever Kit.    Why are the planks in a kit installed full length?  

 

A wooden ship 106 feet long would be planked with numerous planks placed end on end to reach the 106 foot length.  Even the local fishing boats being built in my area are planked with much shorter planks. 106 foot vessel would require at least 10-12 planks placed end to end. It would be impossible to lay a single plank 106 feet long.

 

1. Per Kit directions, why are the kit planks laid full length?

 

2. Should I cut a full length plank into sections?

 

3 If I cut the long planks into 5-10 sections, would it make a difference in the build?  If so how? 

 

 

Starting the Model Shipways U.S. Brig Syren

Working on the Caldercraft HMS Snake

Completed Scratch Built of Russian Armed Merchant Ship Neva 1801-1805

Scratch Commercial Fishing Vessels

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It is easier and efficient at the mfg level to provide the planking at lengths close to box length.

It is stock material and the actual planks should be cut off as needed in the length needed.

The longer the stock, the better, since this is efficient and produces less waste in left over - too short - material.

It would be impractical to try to predict low long to make each plank so that the end is on a mold.

The plank size and shape should be predetermined by using large index cards as material and fitting

that to the molds - starting with strips the width of the wood stock.

 

  If a wide piece of card is laid stem to stern post - allowed to lay naturally and then cut  to plank width -

it will often resemble a snake as it curves and recurves.  If actual trees could have been had and handled

at those lengths, the width needed to provide the curves would lead to unacceptable waste in "spilled" material.

 

As for bending - doing it in the thin dimension- so that the planks lay on the molds and to not want to spring up is a good thing.

Bending thru the thick dimension is against what the wood wants to do and it will try to twist.  I am guessing that kit planking

is not wide enough to allow much spilling and the unnatural bends are necessary.

NRG member 45 years

 

Current:  

HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - Navall Timber framing

HMS Beagle 1831 refiit  10-gun brig with a small mizzen - Navall (ish) Timber framing

The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842
Flying Fish 1838  pilot schooner -  framed - ready for stern timbers
Porpose II  1836  brigantine/brig - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
Vincennes  1825  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers assembled, need shaping
Peacock  1828  Sloop-of -War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Sea Gull  1838  pilot schooner -  timbers ready for assembly
Relief  1835  ship - timbers ready for assembly

Other

Portsmouth  1843  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Le Commerce de Marseilles  1788   118 cannons - framed

La Renommee 1744 Frigate - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers

 

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Take a look at the planking articles that are 'pinned' on this site, David. In reality, planks were generally 24' 0" to 28' 0" long. There were a number of rules about where the plank butts occured - it wasn't a random thing. Kits have their quirks and shortcomings, among which is simplifying. It will be easier to plank in shorter lengths, but read up on things first!

Be sure to sign up for an epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series  http://trafalgar.tv

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This is a convention kits have done for years.  Most kit builders prefer using these long strakes.  If you want a more realistic planking pattern cut them to the length that works for you.

David B

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Should I leave my plank lengths as long as I can?

 

I see many people are using a single plank to cover the full length of the boat from bow to stern when possible.

 

When I made a scratch ship, I used very short planks.  My model was 24 inch long. I used 5-8 planks per row across.   I followed how actual wood boats were being built.  Which seemed to work for me.  But since it was my first build, I was not sure which was best. By using short planks I found it was easier for me to bend and shape them. Plus I didn't need to many clamps.

 

I am trying to learn the right way.

Starting the Model Shipways U.S. Brig Syren

Working on the Caldercraft HMS Snake

Completed Scratch Built of Russian Armed Merchant Ship Neva 1801-1805

Scratch Commercial Fishing Vessels

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A quick search indicates that this is a double planked POB hull.  The first layer is for support and is totally covered by the outer layer.

Looks do not really matter - but avoiding hollows does.  Plank length here is your choice. Longer may be better given the distance between moulds.

 

For the "real" planking - 20 - 25 foot length is probably realistic.  The longest I have seen was for deck planking for 19th c. USN  at 40'.

This was Southern Pine - those trees tend to grow tall and straight and the planking runs are straight for decks and the planks do not need to be so wide.

 

Look in the data base here on the NRG home page - there are planking instructions there.

 

Hollows can be avoided by filling the "too wide" spaces between the moulds with supporting material.

NRG member 45 years

 

Current:  

HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - Navall Timber framing

HMS Beagle 1831 refiit  10-gun brig with a small mizzen - Navall (ish) Timber framing

The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842
Flying Fish 1838  pilot schooner -  framed - ready for stern timbers
Porpose II  1836  brigantine/brig - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
Vincennes  1825  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers assembled, need shaping
Peacock  1828  Sloop-of -War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Sea Gull  1838  pilot schooner -  timbers ready for assembly
Relief  1835  ship - timbers ready for assembly

Other

Portsmouth  1843  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Le Commerce de Marseilles  1788   118 cannons - framed

La Renommee 1744 Frigate - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers

 

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In actual practice, there wasn't a fixed length for the planks in a ship. It very much depended on the availability of materials, so a rigid rule is almost impossible to establish. I most of the time choose a length of 120 mm for my planks. Why? just because 120 can be divided exactly by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 and this sometimes facilitates some calculations. :)

There aren't but two options: do it FAST, or do it RIGHT.

 

Current Project Build Log: Soleil Royal in 1/72. Kit by Artesania Latina.

Last finished projectsRoyal Ship Vasa 1628; French Vessel Royal Louis 1780. 1/90 Scale by Mamoli. 120 Cannons

 

Future projects already in my stash: Panart: San Felipe 1/75; OcCre: Santísima Trinidad 1/90;

Wish List: 1/64 Amati Victory, HMS Enterprise in 1/48 by CAF models.

 

So much to build, so little time!

 

 

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In actual practice, there wasn't a fixed length for the planks in a ship. It very much depended on the availability of materials, so a rigid rule is almost impossible to establish. I most of the time choose a length of 120 mm for my planks. Why? just because 120 can be divided exactly by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 and this sometimes facilitates some calculations. :)

 

Thanks......that makes sense. 

Starting the Model Shipways U.S. Brig Syren

Working on the Caldercraft HMS Snake

Completed Scratch Built of Russian Armed Merchant Ship Neva 1801-1805

Scratch Commercial Fishing Vessels

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