palmerit

I saw these recommended here:

First thing on these Model Shipways models (at least the Shipwright series ones), don't assume that the paper plans in the instruction book are 1:1 with the pieces. Often they're not. These models were developed a long time ago and I bet that photocopies were made of photocopies and the 1:1 correspondence may be lost. Sometimes they're right. Often they're not. I never checked them myself, but I read it enough times in other build logs that I don't trust the plans. Usually, you'd want to follow the plans. Not with these model kits. You'd think you should follow the plans. Not in with these. In these "older style" ship model kits, the pieces often don't fit together in ways described or illustrated (in contrast to more modern models by Vanguard Models). I certainly would not trim the cross piece, but just fiddle with the frames so that there they come together at the bottom they're parallel to each other (overlapping of course) and so that they can be glued into the side notches of the cross piece.

Just for length. Better than a scalpel.

I ended up redoing that first plank too - for the same reason. I ended up buying some more basswood sheets so that I could redo planks as often as I needed. I found that after redoing a few, I would have used all the basswood that came with the kit. I always made by planks too large and then just sanded them down to shape them. Probably a hack. But when I tried to precisely mark out the shape and cut them they were always off, and if they're too small or there's a gap you need to start over. Making them wider and longer made it easier to iterate. I definitely used the ultimation slicer a lot. One challenge I found is that you need to wet down to shape. But when wet, you can't sand or cut.

I also have a ton of the plastic spring clamps (in three different sizes) and little metal clamps.

I've made a ton of those binder clips and they are useful. I'll often put a piece of scrap wood down between the "clamp" piece of the jury-rigged clip and the piece of plank or other wood (especially if it's a softer wood that will be dented). I've just found that the binder clips don't work well if there a lot to curve and they don't work if there isn't room (e.g., if you're getting to the last few planks).

Right. I've learned a bit to do the shaping of the planks. I suppose if I use a quicker setting glue (like the Tightbond Speedset) I can get by without lots of clamping. I've just seen a lot of various posts about the importance of applying pressure - some way the chemistry of the glue requires pressure, some say it's not needed. I suppose building a model - as opposed to a real ship (or a piece of furniture) - you don't need to worry so much about the pressure dimension of wood chemistry. It just need to stick and stay, hopefully for the long term.,

Doing these bevels at the ends means that the two planks are flush (without a gap) at the bow and stern ends - if they were just overlapping and full thickness, there would be a small gap (and being a boat, you wouldn't want that gap). Along the length of the boat, yeah they overlap (clinker appearance) but there is no gap between them. It's only at the end (where they run up to the bow and stern pieces) that there would be a gap if they were left unbeveled. If you next do the Norwegian Pram, which I'm working on now, you do a rabbet cut at either end of the plank for a similar reason - not doing so would leave a small gap. I don't think I fully understood why I was doing the bevel when I built the Dory. I didn't fully understand the reason for the rabbet either when building the Pram, but then as I thought about it and played with the pieces a bit, it made sense. And then when I did the rabbet on one plank and compared it to the one without (holding them to the stern end) I could see that the one with the rabbet fit snug without much gap and the one without the rabbet had a gap. I wonder if they just had a rolling bevel on the Dory because it is a little bit more challenging to make a rabbet, so they included that in the second model, the Pram.

Cool. Thanks. I'll need to try that glue out. Someone also suggested Super PHATIC ALIPHATIC Glue Fast Drying. I think that's more like a superglue but not as fiddly. I bought some to try to use with PE parts; it was suggested in the context of asking for an alternative to CA when using photo etch parts). Don't know how well it works with wood (it says it does, don't know how it'd compare to Titebond). I've also seen folks make their own pins that have a piece of wood through them (that can act as a clamp on the plank above or below) and that these work especially well when doing a second planking. I'd love a "how to" for making those (e.g., what kind of pins, what kind of wood). I'm not especially handy.

After building my Sherbourne, I've realized that I do not like using CA glue. Maybe someday I'll gain the ability to put just enough glue, the confidence of putting it in the right place, and the speed to do it quickly. But that day is not today. I like using PVA glue. I can easily move and remove the plank. The question is how best to clamp it down. I know some people say you don't need pressure, but I've read that PVA glue binds better with some pressure. I've created some out of blinder clips (https://shipmodeler.wordpress.com/2015/07/01/simple-planking-clamp-from-binder-clips/). I've learned (from logs and playing around) ways to use rubber bands (and using clips to exert more pressure from the band. I have some plastic zip ties that I saw some people use, but haven't tried them yet. The blinder clips work well on a relatively flat area, but don't work as well on a curve or when there are other planks in the way. And of course they don't work if you're doing a double planked hull. I've seen people just use pins, but that looks like it would put a divot on the side of the wood if you apply any pressure, especially if the wood is softer. Can anyone point me to any good solutions I could buy or I could make?

Planking is complete. A little off on the bow end.

So even though I bought the three-model "MODEL SHIPWAYS SHIPWRIGHT 3 KIT COMBO SERIES", I was able to submit my receipt and a photo of me and my completed Dory to take advantage of their "Build the Dory for Free" offer (https://modelexpo-online.com/free-dory-promo.html). So now I have a $69.49 credit at Model Expo. Can someone recommend a good Model Shipways kit to buy and build? Here are the ones I've looked at: Bluenose 18th Century Longboat Virginia Armed Sloop HMS Bounty Launch I've checked out some build logs (more for some than others) but I didn't know if anyone had experience with these that could make a recommendation (whether they'd recommend one or another based on their experience building one or more of these or based on research they did in making a purchasing decision themselves).

Maybe this is always the case (and I missed it) - or maybe it’s a special Model Expo often runs - but the Dory is now “free”. I put free in quotes because you buy it, then send a photo, and they’ll credit you the cost on your next purchase. https://modelexpo-online.com/dorycombo?srsltid=AfmBOoqbmKKhgvjx4gGEUQdS7N_Jqw_oKbTNAInzpJYtXEz1c5gkmq4o

I did get the add-ons for the slicer and sander. Haven’t attached or tried them yet. They came with the set. I do need to sharpen the chisels. They’re sharp but can be sharper. When I bought the chisels, I also bought some stones and a guide for sharpening the chisels (and for sharpening my kitchen knives). Lee Valley has a nice collection of toys.

Shaping the second shrake plank.

Thanks for pointing out the @Modeller_masa build. I was finally able to use my tiny veritas chisels to form the rabbet (plus my files and a bit of sandpaper). One of the photos shows the garboard with the rabbet (right) and without (left). The one with does have much of a gap, the one without has a gap. Being a boat, in water, you would not want gaps. Thankfully my iPhone has macro mode so I could zoom into the rabbet for a photo.

Ok, so this section is confusing. I think ultimately what you’re trying to do is make a small notch at the stern end of each garboard plank so the there isn’t a gap where the garboard plank, bottom plank, and stern transom all come together. It’s called a “gain” (a term I don’t remember from building the Dory) but also referred to as a rabbet here. Here I just have garboard (with nothing cut out) laying on the bottom plank and stern transom. I think I also need to make sure I bevel the stern transom so that the garboard lies flat.

Trimming and sanding to the bevel the bottom and keel planks at the transoms after the glue dried overnight.

Thanks! I guess I mean “sufficiently happy to want to go to the trouble of mounting and framing and hanging in our house”. I was happy enough to prop it up on a shelf in my office just now.

I did some rebuilding, removing some planks, adding some new planks, and resending. It looks better than it did when I sanded through the planks to the frames. My next planking, I’m going to try to taper planks towards the bow with an eye to keeping them closer to the same dimensions and work harder to get them to lay better in the rabbet. On the “do over” I was a bit more impatient to just be done and move to the next thing. I was sufficiently unhappy with other parts that I had already decided not to mount it. I’ll probably set it on a high shelf in my work office.

I made a bit of progress on the first steps of the hull. As others have noted in their logs, the building board and supporters are not terribly sturdy. Also, it’s easy to accidentally snap the supports at the bow and stern unfortunately (I snapped one of them trying to push it in and had to glue it back together). Be careful. The photo in the instructions for the stern transom shows the stern quarter knee being attached rather than the stern transom knee. Unfortunately, I first followed the photo and then after looking at some logs more closely I had to replace the piece. But since I had beveled using the wrong piece I had to bevel some more. The instructions to put little cuts in the stern transom was a bit confusing (they really are small cuts). Ultimately, the edges of the lower stern transom need to be beveled to accept the two bottom planks and the keel plank straight on. The center part of the stern transom is where the keel plank lies. The left and right of that are where the two bottom planks lie. Since the planks overlap, the center part need to be a plank thickness higher than the left and right. Doing this right also means that the stern transom knee can be glued flush to the keel plank. I had to do some sanding down to get the planks to lie flush and to allow the stern transom knee to lie flush with the keel plank (because of my earlier bevel misadventure). Before gluing the planks, I shaped them (first wetting them in hot water, then forming them over a bottle). After 1/2 drying, I glued them on.

I'd take seriously any caution about the difficulty with planking the hull (being someone who is slowly getting better at planking). As an example, I had asked on the Vanguard forum about the difficulty of the new HMS Harpy that's coming out. James H said that it had a fairly straightforward hull. It was the more complete (and complex) rigging that made it a III rather than a II. "It’s looking to be a Level 3 ‘Experienced’ but that is mostly due to rig. The hull itself would be a level lower, but we have to factor in the rig." Chris added "Regarding the rig, I shall add a note saying the modeller can omit any rig directly relating to sails, like sheets, tacks, clews and bowlines. If the modeller wishes, they can just add the standing rigging and runing rigging relating to yards and booms only. But the plans and blocks and thread will allow for a fully rigged model - but you don't have to, you can stop once the yard rigging (Tyes, lifts and braces) is complete." I'm not saying to do the Harpy, but that some models might be II because the hull and rigging are less complex. Others might be III because of the complex hull and a fairly complex rigging. Adder might have a difficult hull but less complex rigging (looking at the two models, as a complete novice, they seem similar to me). As Thukydides said, it might just be the addition of the coppering. I'm working on the Sherbourne now and asked the same question. I ended up buying the Vanguard Duchess. It's pretty expensive and after reflecting on my rough experience with the planking on the Sherbourne (it ended looking okay because I used a ton of wood filler) I decided to hold off on the Duchess and I'm now in the midst of the Model Shipways Shipwright series (more old school build) and the NRG half hull. I'm also working on the Sherbourne. After those, I might actually do one of the Vanguard fishing boats (probably the Erycina) before starting the Duchess. They're smaller boats and if I mess something up it won't be as much of a disaster as messing up on a model that costs 2x as much.

Okay, so given that this is a lesson, I decided I’ll use it as a lesson to see if I can remove planks and redo (even though the rest of the planking is done). Knowing I can do it might be useful in the future (say if I damage the hull or something). We’ll see how this goes. I started with a new scalpel blade to cut out several runs of planks. I started a bit this morning.

One final - major - lesson learned. I should have remembered that these basswood strips are not only soft but very very thin. Thin makes them easy to shape. Thin also makes them easy to sand through. I didn’t realize that the discoloration near the bow was because I was sanding through to the support structure. The discoloration was pen marks I made on the support structure when laying out the planks. Ugh. I could take these planks off and redo them certainly. But I think I’m just going to move on and treat this as a learning experience. I will do one coat of WOP and then remove from the foam board. I’ll bring to my office for a shelf. But I’m nixing any thought of mounting and displaying.

Definitely take time fairing the stern end. Take a look at some of the nice examples to see what it should/could look like and really make sure you can lay planks smoothly. I probably spent 10-20x longer fairing the last inch of the hull than I did the rest of the hull (didn't help that I first did it without the transom and then realized I took too much off some of the frames and had to add wood back). In retrospect, I also had a bit of a discontinuity (elbow) in the bow end that I probably could have seen if I had more patiently dry tested some planks. After now 2 1/2 plankings (well, maybe the Dory only counts 1/4) I'm getting a better sense of what plankings should look like.