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Blue Ensign

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Everything posted by Blue Ensign

  1. Blue Ensign
    Wishing you a quick recovery Chuck, take your time and get well. B.E.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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
  5. 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.
  6. 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
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Blue Ensign
    looks a sound base for the 'show' layer Glenn. 👍 B.E.
  10. 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.
  11. 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
  12. 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.
  13. 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
  14. Blue Ensign
    Good fix on the deck Derek, that will blend in beautifully. 👍 B.E.
  15. 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.
  16. Blue Ensign
    Well done James, and hopefully some beneficial results for Vanguard. 👍 B.E.
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. Blue Ensign
    Good progress Glenn, I think it is the right approach to fit those transom stern planks aft - forward. I always form those planks from a longer length to ensure a smooth curve. B.E.
  21. Blue Ensign
    Beautiful, beautiful work Glenn, a stunning model, the only downside is the anti climax I feel when I go back to my stuff. B.E.
  22. Blue Ensign
    Post Thirteen- completing the fairing Having applied the test planks at all levels along the hull, paying specific attention to the bow and stern areas I have reached the point where enough is enough. Or perhaps not quite. The next stage is to apply the patterns (248/251) around the bow. They are formed around the extension pieces of bulkheads 1 -5, which have a subtle convex shape to them that the pattern should follow. 0596 To this end I did find it necessary to soak the patterns to achieve a good conformity. 0598 0599 I did do a little more fairing in this area to further fay the longitudinal gunport strips into the extension shapes. 0601 0602 These bulkhead extensions are eventually removed, but the subtle shape remains. 0603 The patterns are now re-clamped into position. 0608 A milestone of sorts is now reached with the fixing of the first plank. The lower plank runs beneath the bow pattern and level with the lower gunport frame. The lime bends well and with the plank clamped into place, it gets the heat treatment to produce the bow curve. 0607 The aft section of this strake has a slight lateral upward curve from bulkhead 12 to the stern, which again was induced using heat after pinning to the hull. 0606 These photos also show the second plank fitted which runs level with the upper gunport frame. 0609 The section between the two planks are now filled, but I found that an additional 6mm strip doesn’t quite fill the space leaving a gap of around 2mm. I suppose the intention is to fill this with off-cut slivers but I think I have some wider stuff lying around so I’ll dig it out and spile it to fit the space. B.E. 27/03/23
  23. Blue Ensign
    I have to say Gentlemen that I too was far more circumspect when building my single planked Cheerful, with expensive timbers. I felt comfortable with the mouse for this project, in a way that I have never felt with say the Dremel, which I have never let near any on the model work. Regards, B.E.
  24. Blue Ensign
    Dave, I usually fit the margin plank first, how I form it depends on the severity of the bow curve. I then plank from the centre outwards and as I reach the margins I cut the joggling into the margin using a fine micro chisel. The waterway I add once the decking is complete, and then cut the scuppers into it. At 1:64 scale and smaller I tend to scribe a false scarf joint in the margins. B.E.
  25. Blue Ensign
    The 'Mouse ' proved very useful on this very large hull, I found it lightweight, quite controllable, and unlikely to unintentionally over fair unless you really worked at it. On smaller hulls, I wouldn't bother, a case of courses for horses. Cheers, B.E.

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