Jason Builder

Greetings,

Both halves of the hull are now planked.  I sanded the mating surfaces to ensure they were flat and glued them together with wood glue.

Jason

Hi Everyone,

I am making my slow progress as time permits.  Planking the port half of the hull now.  The photo here shows the method I am using to bend the planks.  I taper the planks appropriately at bow and stern ends, by shaving them with a razor knife and sanding, then I soak them in water, then I bend them into shape and hold them in place as they dry using pins on my cork board.  As this is my first hull planking attempt, I don't know if this is the best way, but it is working nicely for me so far.   Soon I will be fitting the two hull halves together to create the complete hull.

Jason

Completed planking of the starboard hull section.  All planks run from bow to stern and didn't wind up needing stealers or partial planks.  As this was the first planking I've done, it was a good learning experience.   Now to build and plank the port hull section, then join the two together. 
 
-Jason

Planking the starboard hull section.  Between work and kids, this build will not be a sprint.  This is my first attempt at planking and I am enjoying it.

Jason

Just built that model as my first model boat.  Instructions were very thorough and the materials were nice.  I like the look of the skiff.  Enjoy!  -Jason

Hi Everyone,

I am beginning a build of Billing Boats "701 FD10 Yawl" Arnanes.  It is the second model I've worked on, and the first was a very simple model.  I may be asking for advice, so thanks in advance for that.  Upon opening the kit, it became clear that the construction will be plank on bulkhead and that the hull will be built in two halves (starboard and port halves), which will then be glued together to form a complete hull.  It appears to be a good model for me to be building at this point, as it will be challenging, but not discouraging for a new builder.  There are essentially no instructions, but there are good labelled drawings showing where the pieces go.  Related to the description of the model, I would call it a Ketch, based on the size and location of the masts:  the mizzenmast is stepped forward of the rudder post and the mizzen looks larger to me than what I would expect on a yawl.  Still, the mizzen boom does overhang the stern, so you could make a point that it's a yawl.  Either way, I like it and am looking forward to the build!

-Jason

Photo's below:

1 and 2: Kit, as-received

3. Starboard hull-half, with bulkheads glued in place and carved/beveled in preparation for planking.

hi Everyone,

I am reading Donald Dressel's "Planking Techniques for Model Ship Builders", in which he describes a box with a glass top, lit from within, which can be used to trace drawings or to inspect pieces by holding them over the lit-up drawing.   I thought this would be a useful device, and also one that my kids would have some fun with (tracing pictures and such) so I built a 1'x1' tracing box.  Please see below.  I went with a battery powered LED light that can be inserted into the large opening in the side of the box.  The drawing shown below is of the Crabbing Skiff I recently built, and is shown in the photo with a piece of regular ole printer paper on top of it.  Box is built from scrap 1/2" MDF and 1/4" plywood bottom with 1/4" plexiglass top.

-Jason