mikiek

Rework is finished All that so I could lay 1 stick. I know it is considered a support, but in the model it is practically useless. As a matter of fact it went in after the rail it is supposed to support See photo below.  Staying with the program.
 
As mentioned another rail is installed. I'm still learning the terminology differences. To me it would be considered more of a waterway than a rail as it is at deck level. Each side was 3 laser cut pieces and they fit together well.
 

 

 
A couple of coamings and a wide center plank went in next. I guess that means I am officially in deck planking mode. One observation/question on that - the pix in the manual show the deck laid with alternating strips of 2 different colors. It appears that only the darker colored sticks are supplied with the kit. Instructions don't mention the alternating color scheme. Maybe that's the Deluxe kit? I suppose I could cut some boxwood if I wanted. Not sure at this point.
 
Deck planking will be interesting. The sticks do not lay all the way out to the lower support rail. There is a gap all the way around. A quick look at the plans earlier, I believe showed the deck planks tapered as they near the bow & stern. At least there is a deck plank plan to go by.
 

 

 

Tom - I thought I had a photo of my trash pile of fashion pieces but didn't find one. It took many tries to find one that worked. And I imagine each one is unique because everyone does that area of the boat differently. If I gave you duplicates of mine, they probably would not fit.
 
Think out of the box. It doesn't necessarily have to be one piece. You might consider dividing those corners of the boat into areas and make a part for each. When you glue it all together, fill it and paint it, it will look like one piece.
 
Looking at it from the side, you know the general shape so start there. Maybe start with  a 1/4"x1/4" square stick and do some carving. The trick is getting it to lay flat on the side planks whose surface typically has some curve to it. Typically we bend pieces around a curve. You might have to carve the curve into your piece this time.

Tom - 2 observations
 
1. The transom ports in the plans sit a little bit cockeyed. They slant outside in a little. Not a big deal. No one but another Niagara builder would know.
 
2. I think the outer transom planking should overlap the bulwark planking rather than bulwark over transom. Part of the purpose of your fashion piece(s) is to cover that joint. You will be putting those at the rear edge of the bulwarks - on the side. The end of the transom planks should butt into the fashion piece(s) and the end of the bulwark planks should be completely covered by the fashion piece(s). It will look a lot cleaner when all is said & done. Keep in mind the fashion piece can be made up of more than one part. Those parts can be 3D instead of just flat. Kinda like the piece on the left.
 
 
Here's what I did on mine.
 

 


 
 
Don't forget when you order blocks for the tackles you need a double and a single for each one.
 

Tom - 2 observations
 
1. The transom ports in the plans sit a little bit cockeyed. They slant outside in a little. Not a big deal. No one but another Niagara builder would know.
 
2. I think the outer transom planking should overlap the bulwark planking rather than bulwark over transom. Part of the purpose of your fashion piece(s) is to cover that joint. You will be putting those at the rear edge of the bulwarks - on the side. The end of the transom planks should butt into the fashion piece(s) and the end of the bulwark planks should be completely covered by the fashion piece(s). It will look a lot cleaner when all is said & done. Keep in mind the fashion piece can be made up of more than one part. Those parts can be 3D instead of just flat. Kinda like the piece on the left.
 
 
Here's what I did on mine.
 

 


 
 
Don't forget when you order blocks for the tackles you need a double and a single for each one.
 

Rework is finished All that so I could lay 1 stick. I know it is considered a support, but in the model it is practically useless. As a matter of fact it went in after the rail it is supposed to support See photo below.  Staying with the program.
 
As mentioned another rail is installed. I'm still learning the terminology differences. To me it would be considered more of a waterway than a rail as it is at deck level. Each side was 3 laser cut pieces and they fit together well.
 

 

 
A couple of coamings and a wide center plank went in next. I guess that means I am officially in deck planking mode. One observation/question on that - the pix in the manual show the deck laid with alternating strips of 2 different colors. It appears that only the darker colored sticks are supplied with the kit. Instructions don't mention the alternating color scheme. Maybe that's the Deluxe kit? I suppose I could cut some boxwood if I wanted. Not sure at this point.
 
Deck planking will be interesting. The sticks do not lay all the way out to the lower support rail. There is a gap all the way around. A quick look at the plans earlier, I believe showed the deck planks tapered as they near the bow & stern. At least there is a deck plank plan to go by.
 

 

 

Nothing revolutionary here but it worked. Lay the wet plank flat on top of the curve. I ran the shaft of a soldering iron back & forth on the top surface while pressing down. A couple of swipes and the stick will bottom out in the curve. It just helps keep you from pushing too hard and snapping the stick.
 
From what I remember you have almost a U shaped bend? Some scrap 2x4 would work. You might even have to crank up the mill.
 

Don - the electric plank bender I had (really just a soldering iron with a special tip) came with a thick strip of wood that had various curves carved into one edge. It's what I eventually used (minus the iron) to bend those ribs. Having something on the back side of the stick while I applied heat & pressure to the other side kept the sticks from breaking. You could easily make something with the curve you are looking for.
 
You probably know what I'm talking about but if not I'll post a pic when I get home.
 
Good luck!

Out of one frying pan and into another. I've been yacking about the deck planks needing tapering. Well the first stick is already down - the big wide one in the middle - and it needs shaping as well. So it was torn out worked down to size and reinstalled.
 
I used a thumb planer for this. It worked pretty well. Shaving off little by little. Some sanding at the end. It's under clamps now or else I would have a photo to show. I'm going to stick with the planer until something better comes along. It's a little slow (or maybe the user is slow) but it worked. I used it exclusively to shape the hull planks.
 
If I had that angle fence attachment, I suppose the Byrnes saw might work too.
 
I am wondering one thing. As I work out from the center, should I shape by scraping both edges of the plank or just one side. The plank pattern seems to bend inwards toward the center stick. Will probably just have to try both and see what looks best.

Nothing revolutionary here but it worked. Lay the wet plank flat on top of the curve. I ran the shaft of a soldering iron back & forth on the top surface while pressing down. A couple of swipes and the stick will bottom out in the curve. It just helps keep you from pushing too hard and snapping the stick.
 
From what I remember you have almost a U shaped bend? Some scrap 2x4 would work. You might even have to crank up the mill.
 

Home now and had a chance to review the plans. I think I'm all right. Guess I've been going more by the pictures in the manual than the plans. It's a little confusing as the stick in question is in some of the plan insets but not in others. I can see where you were coming from Don. P12 shows what you were describing, P11 shows how I did it.
 
Didn't sleep last nite so I was pretty tanked up on coffee myself this morning. Death Wish brand.
 
Need to work on a process for shaping those deck planks. Fortunately there is a deck plan and it's 1:1 so anything I make I can test first.

Don - the electric plank bender I had (really just a soldering iron with a special tip) came with a thick strip of wood that had various curves carved into one edge. It's what I eventually used (minus the iron) to bend those ribs. Having something on the back side of the stick while I applied heat & pressure to the other side kept the sticks from breaking. You could easily make something with the curve you are looking for.
 
You probably know what I'm talking about but if not I'll post a pic when I get home.
 
Good luck!

Hey Don - while I see what you are talking about with the deck plank edges, I still think it's a winner. I can pick up the grain running in different directions in different planks. Almost a herringbone look in places. I know you usually use the wipe on finish but I got to wonder whether a liquid applied thick might seep down between the joints and darken a little. I know when I paint the stuff over a small gap it fills up and will be a tad darker than the plank when it dries. Of course with the smooth/tight fit you've made there may not be much of a gap to fill  The price of a job well done.
 
Ditto on the Sherline products. If I just knew what to do with them
 
Take a break and enjoy what you've done. I want a front row seat at the plank bending station!

Don - the electric plank bender I had (really just a soldering iron with a special tip) came with a thick strip of wood that had various curves carved into one edge. It's what I eventually used (minus the iron) to bend those ribs. Having something on the back side of the stick while I applied heat & pressure to the other side kept the sticks from breaking. You could easily make something with the curve you are looking for.
 
You probably know what I'm talking about but if not I'll post a pic when I get home.
 
Good luck!

Tom - 2 observations
 
1. The transom ports in the plans sit a little bit cockeyed. They slant outside in a little. Not a big deal. No one but another Niagara builder would know.
 
2. I think the outer transom planking should overlap the bulwark planking rather than bulwark over transom. Part of the purpose of your fashion piece(s) is to cover that joint. You will be putting those at the rear edge of the bulwarks - on the side. The end of the transom planks should butt into the fashion piece(s) and the end of the bulwark planks should be completely covered by the fashion piece(s). It will look a lot cleaner when all is said & done. Keep in mind the fashion piece can be made up of more than one part. Those parts can be 3D instead of just flat. Kinda like the piece on the left.
 
 
Here's what I did on mine.
 

 


 
 
Don't forget when you order blocks for the tackles you need a double and a single for each one.
 

Tom - 2 observations
 
1. The transom ports in the plans sit a little bit cockeyed. They slant outside in a little. Not a big deal. No one but another Niagara builder would know.
 
2. I think the outer transom planking should overlap the bulwark planking rather than bulwark over transom. Part of the purpose of your fashion piece(s) is to cover that joint. You will be putting those at the rear edge of the bulwarks - on the side. The end of the transom planks should butt into the fashion piece(s) and the end of the bulwark planks should be completely covered by the fashion piece(s). It will look a lot cleaner when all is said & done. Keep in mind the fashion piece can be made up of more than one part. Those parts can be 3D instead of just flat. Kinda like the piece on the left.
 
 
Here's what I did on mine.
 

 


 
 
Don't forget when you order blocks for the tackles you need a double and a single for each one.
 

Evening, 
I'm starting a list for a Syren order. Not made of money, so It may take a bit to get what I'll need. 
I can see some of my tax returns going towards the cause!
Meanwhile, I did get some done in the Shipyard. 
I planked the angled area in the stern where the tiller/rudder will be.
 
I don't think I'll ever have enough clamps.
 

 
Inherently some gaps formed.
That big one smack in the middle was easily filled with a shaped 1/32 sq strip.
The gap 3 planks down closer to where the deck will be, is the edge where the deck meets the planks.
The wood that's on the very bottom is the strip I installed with the stern timbers. It was also the only thing that lined up on those timbers. 
 
My edges will need some filler.
 

 
I also worked on the counter area. 
Below is the basic planking for this area. 
I'll trim it appropriately as I work in this area and work in the fashion pieces.
 

 
Below is after some trimming, now needs some sanding. 
 

 

With some sanding it shines up a bit. 
There's a hump in that big plank in the middle by design.
I want to keep that just a bit thicker than the rest and will even it out later. 
 

 
Tom E 
 

Hey Don - while I see what you are talking about with the deck plank edges, I still think it's a winner. I can pick up the grain running in different directions in different planks. Almost a herringbone look in places. I know you usually use the wipe on finish but I got to wonder whether a liquid applied thick might seep down between the joints and darken a little. I know when I paint the stuff over a small gap it fills up and will be a tad darker than the plank when it dries. Of course with the smooth/tight fit you've made there may not be much of a gap to fill  The price of a job well done.
 
Ditto on the Sherline products. If I just knew what to do with them
 
Take a break and enjoy what you've done. I want a front row seat at the plank bending station!

Hey Don - while I see what you are talking about with the deck plank edges, I still think it's a winner. I can pick up the grain running in different directions in different planks. Almost a herringbone look in places. I know you usually use the wipe on finish but I got to wonder whether a liquid applied thick might seep down between the joints and darken a little. I know when I paint the stuff over a small gap it fills up and will be a tad darker than the plank when it dries. Of course with the smooth/tight fit you've made there may not be much of a gap to fill  The price of a job well done.
 
Ditto on the Sherline products. If I just knew what to do with them
 
Take a break and enjoy what you've done. I want a front row seat at the plank bending station!

Good morning everyone, I hope all is good and you are ready for another day of modelling. thanks to all for visiting.
 Well another milestone has been reached. Planking is finally complete! After approximately 1200 individual planks, two layers on hull and two layers on deck, this part of the build is now behind me. I opted not to simulate caulking as I usually don't really care for it, however, with my deck I am realising maybe I should have. Looking at my hull I thought there was enough definition between the planks but for some reason the deck is not so. It is very hard to see the butt ends and it almost looks like it maybe one solid sheet of wood. At any rate I am not about to tear it up. As of now it has two coats of wipe on poly and I will put on another two or three.
 The next step will be installing the covering board or waterway which will entail laterally bending a 6 mm plank to the shape of the stern, so we'll see how that works.
 Installing the planking
I used Weldbond glue, ca glue is not required for this step.  Weldbond, with a little burnishing, adheres in seconds proving to be adequate as I had no lifting of the planks after installation.
 Here are a few pictures:
 

Here is my new found plank shear, works great for cutting long angles. I recommend for those of you who have admirals to wait until she is gone before using this tool
 

And here it is in place, well that is not quite true as the one shown above had the glue applied to the wrong side!!
 

This is the burnishing tool I use. Simply just apiece of 13 mm (1/2") square stock. Doing this helps spread and level the glue and flattens out the plank. Sanding and  scraping was so much easier, I think I spent a maximum of 20 minutes of sanding the deck. Well worth the effort to try this if you are not doing it already.
 

 
 As you can see there are no real defined planks or butt ends, but trust me when I say it is a four plank shift and all shift lines are straight 
 
 That's it for today, I hope you enjoyed. Thanks for stopping by and we'll see you soon

I won't argue with you on the port holes

General rule  - Do not size up your rope over what is called for. I bucked that on the guns in a couple of places. But then I also went against tradition on the tackles and frapped the excess rope instead of making coils on the deck. Just a personal preference.  The mock up gun station I built was solely for the purpose of trying different combinations of ropes/blocks/eyebolts/rings  etc.  IMO some of the rope sizes called for looked too small for my taste - kinda wimpy.  I played around with that for several weeks before moving on. Page 11 of my log is where all that madness started. The photo at the very bottom of 11 was the look I was trying to copy. The adventure continues for several more pages. I will suggest you consider making the mock up. It took maybe 15-20 minutes. Even if you don't go thru all the part sizes, it will give you an idea about placement of the eyebolts plus you have some extra room to work in. And your deck doesn't have to be finished before you start experimenting.
 
As far as storage, that's your call. My take is rope will not be affected by time or weather. The blocks are boxwood, a much denser wood than basswood. They come in mini zip lock bags and that's how I store them. Again, I don't believe they will be bothered by the elements. After all, we are expecting all that to hold up for years and years on our completed builds. I joked about being a hoarder but it's true. My biggest pet peeve in this hobby is running out of parts. When you're on a roll with something like the gun tackles, the last thing you need is to run out of rope or blocks. Then you log in to order and see what you need is out of stock.

General rule  - Do not size up your rope over what is called for. I bucked that on the guns in a couple of places. But then I also went against tradition on the tackles and frapped the excess rope instead of making coils on the deck. Just a personal preference.  The mock up gun station I built was solely for the purpose of trying different combinations of ropes/blocks/eyebolts/rings  etc.  IMO some of the rope sizes called for looked too small for my taste - kinda wimpy.  I played around with that for several weeks before moving on. Page 11 of my log is where all that madness started. The photo at the very bottom of 11 was the look I was trying to copy. The adventure continues for several more pages. I will suggest you consider making the mock up. It took maybe 15-20 minutes. Even if you don't go thru all the part sizes, it will give you an idea about placement of the eyebolts plus you have some extra room to work in. And your deck doesn't have to be finished before you start experimenting.
 
As far as storage, that's your call. My take is rope will not be affected by time or weather. The blocks are boxwood, a much denser wood than basswood. They come in mini zip lock bags and that's how I store them. Again, I don't believe they will be bothered by the elements. After all, we are expecting all that to hold up for years and years on our completed builds. I joked about being a hoarder but it's true. My biggest pet peeve in this hobby is running out of parts. When you're on a roll with something like the gun tackles, the last thing you need is to run out of rope or blocks. Then you log in to order and see what you need is out of stock.

To be honest, I was thinking the exact opposite.
I was waiting to buy the blocks and ropes because I didn't want them just sitting.
My weather up here is either dry and cold then moist and hot, and can go from hot to cold within hours. I thought the longer it sat, it may degrade/warp/change.
I'm not calling Syrens products low grade, oh God no! Its quality product, that's easily seen.
But rope is fabric and blocks are wood. All subject to weather/temperature/humidity. 
It seems my thinking was wrong?!
I realize the ones supplied in kits may sit for years, but that may explain a lot. 
 
Earlier, Jim mentioned waiting for the 1/8ths to be in stock. Sure enough, that's what I need, and all the other sizes as well. 
I need to place an order! 
 
I noticed some of Syrens rope aren't the exact size called for in the plans.
When replacing rope with approximate sizes, do you round up or down for sizing? Or is there another method for sizing?
 
Tom E
 

I don't think you will be disappointed Tom. 2 packs of hooks should do you. I didn't use them for anything else. Hang on to the kit rope. There were several places that I did scrimp and use it. Mostly for inside runs near the masts. You'll find you have quite a few runs that start by going up a mast thru a block or something and then down to the deck. A lot of those could be kit rope.
 
Jim is right about having to wait sometimes. I've always tried to buy some extra when I could so I would have it for that next build. I've probably got 2 or 3 builds worth of rope & blocks. Of course I'm kind of a hoarder

Well my guardian angel was watching today. Turns out I have placed those upper frame pieces incorrectly. They need to terminate at the wale edge, not 2 or 3 planks down. There is a support that I am about to add and it needs them higher up. It's all there in the instructions - I just skipped right over it.
 
The pieces did come up and since they extended under the flooring pretty far, I will be able to slide them up as needed. But I'm going to do some sanding first. There is a lot of excess glue on the inner hull and since that is in plain sight I think it needs to go. Actually the inner hull will be a lot easier to sand with the frames gone.
 
Thanks to Don for pointing this out! I owe ya a cold one.