mikiek

The reason I brought it up is you have to paint some very thin strips around the ports. To make it worse the colors you will use have a high contrast so ANY little overage or spot really stands out.
 
I noted to a friend here that the masking (for just one side) is about 90 minutes of work and the painting is about 5 minutes. After a coat or two you'll tear it all off and likely have to mask the painted part so you can paint the rest. Another 90 minutes.
 
When you do mask, be sure to seal the tape edges up with some clear paint. It'll keep the real paint from wicking up under the tape.
 
Tamiya (maybe others) makes some good tape in several different widths. Get some really thin - I think it's 1/8" - some medium and some wide.

Tom - I wouldn't worry about bending the bow planks too much. Yes they will wrap around the frame. They will also need a slight twist but you should be able to do that as you glue them. You shouldn't have to do that beforehand.
 
I don't recall if you mentioned how you are gluing the planks or what glue(s) you are using. In those areas a dot of CA on a frame can hold the twist in the stick until white glue dries. Kind of like a nail. Basswood is easy to work with for tasks like that. The nice thing about CA is it dries quick so you can move on to the next plank, even while the white glue is drying. If you use just white glue and a clamp you may have to wait a while before continuing so that the glue can set. Of course if you don't like using CA then none of the above matters

Sounds like a plan.
 
 
Always looking for the proverbial "better mousetrap"
 
Thanks for the feedback. Everything you're describing makes sense.

Sounds like a plan.
 
 
Always looking for the proverbial "better mousetrap"
 
Thanks for the feedback. Everything you're describing makes sense.

Allen - you are confirming the conclusion I am coming to. There are better choices for planking than walnut. THAT SAID - I do not want to start a debate about that here. I recognize that there are thousands of beautiful builds with walnut planks. Like a lot of what we do, it's just a personal preference thing.
I love working with boxwood. Anyone who has followed one of my logs can attest to that. I used it to plank Niagara (and fell in love) but that hull is painted. IMHO it doesn't take a lot of stains very well and it's too lite colored for a walnut replacement. So for that walnut color we all love, I am still looking for an alternative.
 
Kurt - I am going to give your "wet clamped" process a try. Can the drying time be reduced with a hair dryer or heat gun or does that cause too much shrinkage? I'm also curious about gluing while the stick is still wet. I've seen that CA works OK on damp objects. It was mentioned in this thread that PVA can too. Although I imagine the drying time is increased.

Chris - I'm going thru my first experience with nails on another build. Although that one really doesn't need them. This build with the walnut is a single plank and I'm not sure nails are right for that. I've bunged up quite a few with the other build. Left a few marks.
 
vaddoc - you're describing the breakage perfectly. Fibers on one side or one edge start to separate and that's all she wrote. Guess I need to try and understand the grain thing better. Will also be looking for a walnut replacement for future builds.
 
I'm a boxwood biggot at heart, but I do realize there are situations where it doesn't fit well.
 
Jagger - how true!

I strongly urge you to read the tutorials here on planking.   If the strakes are properly cut (straight strips are not good for much of the planking)  and pre-bent while wet then left to dry, there should be no edge setting issues.  Walnut is a beautiful wood, but not for ship model planking, IMHO, other than perhaps for the wales to give the dark contrast rather than painting.  If you can,  use a more appropriate wood such as Costello box, pear or some such.  If you follow the tutorials, clamping is not needed for the most part.  Where clamps are required, Ed Tosti has provide a lot of information on clamps in his threads and in the Naiad books.  
 
Just one opinion based on my own experience over the years.
 
Allan
 
 

Chris - I'm going thru my first experience with nails on another build. Although that one really doesn't need them. This build with the walnut is a single plank and I'm not sure nails are right for that. I've bunged up quite a few with the other build. Left a few marks.
 
vaddoc - you're describing the breakage perfectly. Fibers on one side or one edge start to separate and that's all she wrote. Guess I need to try and understand the grain thing better. Will also be looking for a walnut replacement for future builds.
 
I'm a boxwood biggot at heart, but I do realize there are situations where it doesn't fit well.
 
Jagger - how true!

Hello Mark - thanks for stopping in. This is going to sound strange but similar to what you said - I can feel the brittleness in the sticks. When I'm holding one tight in thumb & forefinger it's real obvious the stress I'm causing applying just a 1/8 rotation twist. With where I am in planking this build I've broken 5 out of 21 sticks.  That seems high.
 
Should we keep our wood in a humidor?

The wood I am using now is walnut. I can bend it just fine for the most part and if that's all it needs there's usually no problem. But if I'm planking a bow or stern and the stick (bent or unbent) needs some twist to lay flat on the frames, that's where I'm getting the breakage.
 
Popeye's comment reminded me of something. Totally off topic but I was surprised to learn this - aquarists that maintain plant tanks often fasten plants to a piece of wood or a rock. The recommended way to do this is with CA. And the surfaces don't have to be dry for this to work. I was surprised about the dryness thing but it seems to be true. You just have to hold it in place for about a minute. I also would have figured CA to be toxic in an aquarium but apparently it isn't. FWIW.

Hello Mark - thanks for stopping in. This is going to sound strange but similar to what you said - I can feel the brittleness in the sticks. When I'm holding one tight in thumb & forefinger it's real obvious the stress I'm causing applying just a 1/8 rotation twist. With where I am in planking this build I've broken 5 out of 21 sticks.  That seems high.
 
Should we keep our wood in a humidor?

The wood I am using now is walnut. I can bend it just fine for the most part and if that's all it needs there's usually no problem. But if I'm planking a bow or stern and the stick (bent or unbent) needs some twist to lay flat on the frames, that's where I'm getting the breakage.
 
Popeye's comment reminded me of something. Totally off topic but I was surprised to learn this - aquarists that maintain plant tanks often fasten plants to a piece of wood or a rock. The recommended way to do this is with CA. And the surfaces don't have to be dry for this to work. I was surprised about the dryness thing but it seems to be true. You just have to hold it in place for about a minute. I also would have figured CA to be toxic in an aquarium but apparently it isn't. FWIW.

OK Chris - a couple of follow ups:
 
1. What style clamps do you use?
2. How do you manage multiple wet strakes? If leaving overnight is required (and I get that) I would definitely want to put down multiple strakes in one sitting. Otherwise it could be 4-6 weeks at one strake per evening.

We all have to bend planks once in a while. While there are several ways to do it the common denominator seems to be adding moisture to the wood. Soaking it, steaming it, whatever. The wood softens up from moisture, we bend it, let it dry out, then glue it. At least that's what I've always done.
 
While this will shape the stick, once it dries you've got a bent stick that is just about as brittle as it was before bending it. If you still have to put a little twist in it while gluing it is about as likely to break as before.
 
Lately I've read a few comments that almost sound like the builder does the soaking and bending and then glues the strake while it is still damp. Am I totally misunderstanding or is this possible? If it is possible what glue is used? I suppose you would now have to wait for the glue and the stick to dry before moving on. How do you manage shrinkage?

OK Chris - a couple of follow ups:
 
1. What style clamps do you use?
2. How do you manage multiple wet strakes? If leaving overnight is required (and I get that) I would definitely want to put down multiple strakes in one sitting. Otherwise it could be 4-6 weeks at one strake per evening.

OK Chris - a couple of follow ups:
 
1. What style clamps do you use?
2. How do you manage multiple wet strakes? If leaving overnight is required (and I get that) I would definitely want to put down multiple strakes in one sitting. Otherwise it could be 4-6 weeks at one strake per evening.

The purple stuff sands very well and you can even wipe it down with a fairly damp rag to smooth it even after it dries. I really like being able to thin it a little and apply it with a paint brush instead of a knife. If you work at it you can put down a coat that is thin enough to still show some wood grain.
 
You can paint over it just fine. As with any filler be sure you put down at least one coat of primer. I've found it best to match the primer shade with your paint color. Use white for light colors like under the yellow you will be using. Use gray under the green. Use black under browns & blacks.
 
Speaking of yellow & green (your bulwark colors), think about how you are going to paint the bulwarks when you have the 1/32 strips glued in. It's going to take some serious masking to keep the yellow & green off the strips which will be red.
 
 

Glad the air brush is working out for you. One suggestion there - get yourself some spare parts. The needles can get bent in a heartbeat and are useless after that. Depending on the brand parts can be a long time coming. Other parts - that little crown looking thing that screws on the tip, a brush cleaning set, inline moisture remover.
 
Don't know if you have had to take it apart yet but when you do, count every screw turn and write it down. Great as they are, they can be very finicky when not adjusted just right.

Evening, 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Years to all my fellow modelers!
Hope Santa was good to everybody!
 
We were delivered one official white Christmas here in western New Hampshire. About 6-8 inches fell last night, on top of the 10 inches we got last Friday into Saturday.
Very picturesque!
Although for some reason I took no pics!!!!!
I have not seen a significant snowfall on Christmas Day in a long time.
Then I shoveled for 2 hours and it lost its luster.
 
With the holidays in full swing, not much has gone on in the Shipyard.
What has been done is small things I can easily put down and come back to. 
 
Below, I finished the inboard 1/32 square strips around the sweeps and gunports.
One by one. They were all different sizes.
If there were any gaps between it and the timberhead, I filled with wood glue. It gets painted in the end. 
 

 
 
The below shot shows the outboard planking from behind. 
I got a sense that the ship is starting to close up. Not a skeleton anymore......might just be me......my goblins.
 

 
 
 

 
I continued on planking the outboard port side.
Piece by piece.
After a while a pattern formed. 
The planks went in well with just the smallest gap on the very bottom of most segments.
With some spare 1/32 square strips and some slight sanding they slid in for the most part.
I've limited the use of wood fillers, but I know I'll need it later.
 
Mike,
I've been looking into the Purple filler you mentioned.
I never heard of this stuff, its unique.
It starts as purple then changes color when dried.
How does paint do with it?
 

 
 

 
Below, the port side is essentially finished. 
I'm holding off on the very front section of the bow. 
Those planks will need some bending to fit. 
Looks like they might need a slight edge bend as well.
 
All will get a good sanding. 
 

 
Happy Holidays!
Tom E 
 
 

Glad the air brush is working out for you. One suggestion there - get yourself some spare parts. The needles can get bent in a heartbeat and are useless after that. Depending on the brand parts can be a long time coming. Other parts - that little crown looking thing that screws on the tip, a brush cleaning set, inline moisture remover.
 
Don't know if you have had to take it apart yet but when you do, count every screw turn and write it down. Great as they are, they can be very finicky when not adjusted just right.

The lower part is done. The anti-fouling reddish is as I want.
Next was to mask the lower area, so the blackish/blue could be applied.
I am so happy working with the air brush, the out-come is so much better than a regular brush.
Following two pictures is showing the somewhat result, this as the port has been painted and sanded and the starboard is partly painted.

Floyd I have built the T37, the T24 Tug and I have their T50 Trimaran on the shelf. Looking forward to seeing that one on the water. Rumor has it there is nothing else like it for speed. Will does a great job with his products at Tippiecanoe. I really like the idea of a nice build that you can do something with when you're done.

OK - I like the concept. So I have a laser line on the hull. Then what? Do you still need a stand of some sort to hold a marker to actually draw the line?

Ok maybe its time to come clean here. Per & I have been discussing the best way to mark the waterline on a model. My wife has one of these levels that projects a laser line across the room. She uses it when hanging pictures in the house. I borrowed it to try out on my model. As Per describes above you need to get your model level both from side to side and front to back. Now in the case of my Syren, the plans show that she is just a bit lower in the Bow. so being level is not always the right solution.
Once you have your model setup correctly you need a tripod or a similar stool to put the laser on and project the line across the model. I have found this is the best way to project the water line on any model.
 
And for Christmas and for all his help I sent him a laser to use on his Bluenose. The result is what you see above.
 
One suggestion - for those models that the waterline is not even with the deck as the Bluenose is. I used the plans and created a mark on the model with a black marker that was at the bow and where the Waterline ended. I also created a similar mark at the stern. I then adjusted the laser until it touched both marks. Give it a try.

Doug - you are correct and I forgot to add my usual disclaimer about the curvature. That's the main reason for using the string to get the initial surface measurement. It will wrap around the curves. When I walked the dividers down the frames today I was left with about 1/16 - 1/32 extra after the last step. That's easily made up when shaping the planks.
 
My dividers have thin metal points on the end. When shaping planks rather than pencil marks I just stab the point into the plank. The hole becomes my mark. My problem is trying to whittle/cut/sand/file the plank edge down to the stab marks. Cutting with a knife (even with a straight edge) is problematic for me. A lot of times I use a mini hand planer to remove material.
 
Other uses? Transferring measurements. I've used them in the opposite way a few times when an inset in a plan was blown up and I needed to shrink to scale.