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Blue Ensign

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  1. Blue Ensign
    Post Twenty-three The Sanding business 0811 This is a lovely hull to sand, large enough to sweep along it with flexible sanding sheets and blocks. 0812 At the stern the planks are feathered into the false keel to receive the top layer. 0815 There were a few low spots that I filled and sanded and once I was satisfied with a blind feel test I deemed the job complete. 0819 The whole process was completed over two days, and the hull was finally given a coat of sanding sealer. 0821 Sanding sealer contains Xylenes, and is nasty stuff, best done in the open air and wearing a mask and gloves. 0822 At this point I dry fitted the stem, keel, and sternpost parts. The stem fitted neatly into place with a light tap of the hammer, but before final fitting I was interested to see how the facings related to the curve of the bow planking. 0810 These facings of 1mm stuff are engraved with the lines that denote the various parts of the head and provide a rabbet for the second planking. 0830 I fined down the plank ends a little to provide more leeway in the rabbet. I find it always pays to constantly look a few steps ahead in a build, and check what’s coming up. B.E 18/03/2023
  2. Blue Ensign
    Thank you Dave, Pavel, and Kevin. I'm quite pleased (relieved) with the way the planking has gone, but I'm still very edgy about the second lot. I think I'm feeling the weight of the large investment in this kit plus the expensive timbers I could potentially mess up. message to self - just get on with it! B.E.
  3. Blue Ensign
    Amazing the difference a butt shift pattern makes, the starboard side is going well. 👍 B.E.
  4. Blue Ensign
    Thanks Alistair, may not be epic but planking a 26' launch is no mean feat, as I experienced with my Sphinx build. Those Vanguard boats are great little projects in their own right. B.E.
  5. Blue Ensign
    Post Twenty-two Countdown to completion 0762 0766 Three strakes left. 0768 0769 Two strakes left and getting a little tight at the bow. 0771 I could get a fit but I decided just for the fun of it to add a drop plank here. 0774 It extends from the stem back to the fourth bulkhead. 0776 0779 One strake only left to abut the drop plank. Things have worked out pretty well with the remaining strake sitting below the hull round. 0783 A good supply of lime was provided in the kit; I have a fair number left over, but I did use a few wider strips, to form planks like the Garboard and drop planks. 0784 0792 0790 0787 It’s now a case of sand, sand, and sand again. B.E 17/04/2023
  6. Blue Ensign
    The planking strips are narrower and thinner for the second planking and I hope to do a reasonable butt shift pattern, and more or less scale lengths. B.E.
  7. Blue Ensign
    Wishing you a quick recovery Chuck, take your time and get well. B.E.
  8. Blue Ensign
    Hello Spy, The single lengths are 900mm long, too long in my opinion to handle the run. As I mentioned in an earlier post to halve the runs down the double middle bulkheads offends my eye. I can't bring myself to apply the first planking 'any which way', simply because it's 'only the first planking'. I prefer to use a limited tick strip, edge bend, approach which gets me into the rhythm for what is to come. Just one of my little foibles , but in the final analysis 'any which way' will get you there, providing the fairing and sanding is completed to a reasonable standard. Cheers, B.E.
  9. Blue Ensign
    Cheers, Glenn, and Alistair, I expect the second layer planking will take a lot, lot, longer to complete as I transfer each and every tick mark from hull to plank. My approach has been somewhat abbreviated on this first layer, but it has given me a lot of pointers to consider when I reach that stage. I don’t know about ‘fatigable’ Alistair, I tend to keep at it once I’ve started, sometimes to the exasperation of Mrs W. This is the largest hull I have planked since Norske Love and that was so long ago I’ve forgotten how I felt. The difference with Norske Love is that it is single planked, which without the comfort blanket of two layers, tends to concentrate the mind.🤔 Regards, B.E.
  10. Blue Ensign
    Post twenty-one Light at the end of the tunnel. I am now alternating the plank strakes from top down and keel up which should leave the final strake below the round of the hull at midships. This is a good place to have it in case the final strake works out to be less than uniform in shape. 0752 So, Gromit, how’s it looking – RUFF. Have faith Gromit, there’s a fair bit of fettlin’ to do yet. 0761 Five strakes now remain, and I have re-marked the ‘ticks’ hopefully for the last time. 0755 0757 Don’t say it William, I’ve heard it all from Gromit. 0760 Has it only been three weeks since I started planking, how time flies when you’re having fun. 🙄 Onwards… B.E. 15/04/2023
  11. Blue Ensign
    Thanks Alistair, Glenn has provided you with the answer. You can make them yourself using the spring clip with one of the handles from another inserted lengthways to provide the tongue. Post Twenty … and more planking. 0731 A couple more plank strakes are now added up from the Garboard and slowly the gap reduces. I am content that the midships gap each side remains even at 60mm. 0736 I now have ten strakes left each side to complete the first layer planking. 0729 At the stern, once I reached the stern post I began tapering; this is not a hull shape that requires wider planks at the stern. The tick marks have been recalibrated three times to this point. 0737 0749 0751 0750 Two, maybe three days should see the first planking completed and ready for sanding, and I suspect a little filling. B.E. 12/04/2023.
  12. Blue Ensign
    Post Nineteen Hull planking continues I can now work out the planking runs. If my arithmetic is right, on paper at least I will need (20) strakes of 6mm stuff and (I) of 5mm. At the bow the planks will need to taper to 3mm. 0718 I am using the MSW download planking fan which has the added advantage of being the correct 6mm spacing at the maximum width of the base of the fan. The provided lime strip is of a nice quality but there are variations in widths. A random sample indicates a range between 5.3 – 6.0mm and thickness 0f 1.42 - 1.58mm. These small variations do have a cumulative effect and create ridges and hollows. This is not a big issue and there is plenty of meat to sand out the irregularities. 0706 On first layer planking I use tick strips to mark the central and every other bulkhead with the planking lines. Variations in plank widths will also impact on the marked plank runs and there will inevitably be error creep as the strakes are applied. 0707 At this point five more strakes have been added, together with another strake adjacent to the Garboard. 0713 On this build I didn’t bother to thin down the false keel in the area around the bearding line to accommodate the second planking. I thought I would follow Jim’s example and finish the first planking short, and fay it to suit the second planking against the stern post. 0714 0716 0709 Edge bending is now required on all bow strakes. 0720 0721 Not a pretty sight in its raw state, but hopefully she will emerge as a swan at some point. 0726 I will now re-mark the tick strip results in the remaining space and apply another five strakes. B.E. 10/04/2023
  13. Blue Ensign
    Thank you Paul for looking in, and your kind words. Lovely part of the world you are based in; when I'm not modelmaking I can often be found wandering around Snowdonia. Anglesey, and the Llyn Peninsula.
  14. Blue Ensign
    Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery for your Mum, Kevin. As a matter of interest, what is the tapered width of the bow planks working out at, where they reach the stem? Regards, B.E.
  15. Blue Ensign
    looks a sound base for the 'show' layer Glenn. 👍 B.E.
  16. Blue Ensign
    Thanks Kevin and Nipper.👍 @ Kevin, - I think the jury is still out on that one, I'm always edgy until the first planking is done. @ Nipper - Kind of you to say so, it's not that time -consuming, there's only so much concentrated effort I can handle at a time. I take quick photos as I go along, write up the post on a word doc, and copy and paste to MSW. Doing the log is a nice break from actual building. My motives are not entirely altruistic, I use my own logs as crutch to my memory. I'm at the stage of life when I think how did I do that last time - I've just looked back on Sphinx to see what I did with the Garboard.🤔 Cheers, B.E.
  17. Blue Ensign
    Post Eighteen Planking continues – Garboard strake This is the point where I need to fit the Garboard plank to determine the planking requirements for the remaining area. Garboards can be tricky planks to fit in terms of shape and where to end, and they always cause me some head scratching. Some may think why bother, this is only the first planking that is to be covered, and perhaps even covered again by coppering. For me it’s about keeping options open. If the second planking is good enough not to be covered, then fitting a garboard on the first planking run will give a valuable insight for shape and position on the second show planking. It does mean that extra planking widths will be required. I am using a 10mm wide board, but I need to temporarily fit the keel and stem pieces to properly work out the shape and termination point at the bow. 0685 A real pleasure to get the keel elements in place even if only for a while. Beautifully cut, a perfect fit, and great to have a quality wood finish for the parts rather than mdf. Perversely my next move is to cut an mdf stem piece against which to form the Garboard. I can’t risk the proper stem during the working process. 0689 Time to fire up the scroll saw. 0692 I don’t see any reason not to leave the keel pieces in situ at this stage, as the Garboard is the only plank that abuts, and it will assist the fitting. 0693 A lot of time is spent tweaking the plank to gauge the right position. I’m never fully confident that I’ve got it right, but whatever the outcome doing it on the first layer will show the way for the second planking. 0695 I take the pre-caution of taping the keel, in part to avoid the planks getting glued to the keel at this point. 0698 0699 0700 0701 0702 I can now begin the next phase of planking. B.E. 07/04/2023
  18. Blue Ensign
    Thank you, Guys, @ Jason and Glenn – I’m glad I’m not alone, I can’t see any reason not to apply even a rudimentary stagger to the butt joints; as you say Glenn it’s all part of a useful practice run for the second planking. @ Allan – I’ve already had the Garboard in place to mark the gap at the central point. 0663 I am using a 10mm wide board, but I need to temporarily fit the keel and stem pieces to properly work out the shape and termination. This will be my next job. Regards, B.E.
  19. Blue Ensign
    Post Seventeen Hull planking. On my builds I have always tried to follow the procedure I will use for the show finish. Perhaps with a little less adherence to a full tick strip method, but still utilising tapering, edge bending, and spiling as a method to achieve a reasonable planking job. This gives me an insight into how the timbers will flow when I get down to the ‘proper’ job using show timbers. The planking will be done with the hull inverted, this gives me better control. 0658 I opted to plank a first section down to the lower deck level which involves five strakes. I used tape to indicate the line at the bow. Starting at the Bow and using a tick strip I have calculated that very little taper is required – less than 1mm starting at Bulkhead four. Joining all planks at the central bulkhead is a practical approach, but the look of it offends my eye even tho’ this is only the first layer. We all have our foibles, I guess. I work side and side about, strake by strake. I opted to fit a long forward plank, and a shorter aft plank cut from a longer strip to facilitate the bending. 0655 The aft plank is soaked, and the bend at the aft end is formed by heat. 0657 The bends up to the lower transom are fairly easy to form if sufficient soaking time is allowed. 0667 Once formed I temporarily pin them in place and heat blast them. 0660 At the bow end the lower two strakes required a little edge bending around bulkheads two and four to achieve the fit. 0664 0668 0671 Still in very much a rough state which the sanding should take care of. 0677 0680 0681 0684 I like to check the planking run with the hull the right way up, looking ok so far I think. B.E. 05/04/2023
  20. Blue Ensign
    Good fix on the deck Derek, that will blend in beautifully. 👍 B.E.
  21. Blue Ensign
    Beautiful work Rusty, she is a very fine looking 'Winnie' Your care and attention have paid dividends as is so clearly evident. Regards, B.E.
  22. Blue Ensign
    Well done James, and hopefully some beneficial results for Vanguard. 👍 B.E.
  23. Blue Ensign
    Post Sixteen A workshop enhancement I have been feeling cramped of late as I try to manoeuvre the ‘Indy’ beast around, with only 600mm of depth available. My latest acquisition is this work stand. Bott work stand. It is in the same range as my work bench and equal in terms of depth and (adj) height but being portable I can re-position it to give me either more length or depth to suit. 0647 In a straight line I now have seven foot+ length to play with. 0649 This ‘L’ shaped configuration is likely to prove even more useful. It allows me to walk around the model and provides more space for turning. 0651 I am hoping it will remove the frustration of working in a space a tad too small to freely manoeuvre the hull without risking bashing it on the wall. A small price to pay for the added convenience. B.E 01/04/2023
  24. Blue Ensign
    Thank you Gus, Glenn, and Alistair, your interest is much appreciated, as is those who have 'liked' the posts. Post Fifteen Fresh supplies from the timberyard. My supply of Boxwood has arrived from Hobbymill, Estonia. 0627 0628 The strips relate to decking and hull planking down to the wale. 0629 0630 The quality looks very good with the strip wood accurately cut to size – thank you Vahur. I do note that Chris is now offering an ‘Indy’ Boxwood deck planking version for an extra £150 over the basic, which makes it a competitive option, altho’ some wider sheet stuff would be necessary to cut margin planks, unless that is also included. 0634 I did ask Vahur to send me a few samples of his coloured Hornbeam. I was curious to see if it could be used to represent the ochre stripe in the area of the gunports. 0635 The colour doesn’t suit my eye, too yellow, and the wrong shade, so I won’t pursue that option. 0636 The lower strip of black Hornbeam has more potential for use as wale timbers, altho' I have not tested it for cut in top and butt planking. B.E. 31/03/2023
  25. Blue Ensign
    Cheers, Guys. Post Fourteen Before I fitted the central strake of three I used a micro saw to remove the gunport sections of the upper strake. 0613 I used a length of 8mm x 1.5mm limewood strip to fill in the central gap, a little tapering towards the bow and stern and the fit is good. 0614 0617 I glued the plank to the frames and along the edges of the adjacent planks. 0623 The gunports were the fully opened-up before re-fitting and gluing the pear patterns into place. 0626 The blurb indicates areas where glue should not be applied, relating to the extensions to the bulkheads which will later be removed. I added double sided tape to these areas to temporarily secure the patterns in the upper areas. 0637 Speed gluing and clamping is the name of the game. 0638 In this shot she looks more 64 than 44, what a lovely chunky beast. 0639 0644 0643 Fitting the patterns concludes this section of the build. B.E. 30/03/23

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