Jaager

The copper plates were not riveted.  The copper nails were hammered near flush.  They were all but invisible at a distance corresponding to a model viewing distance.
There were way more of them than a ponce wheel produces.  Model versions of copper sheathing with a raised or embossed addition mostly tends to give a hull a bad case of small pox.
 
I am still thinking that 100% rag bond paper, paint with real copper, using PVA to attach may be an effective alternative,  in which case, a guillotine type paper cutter would be a real help.  It may even work to slice individual plates from a strip.  The paper could be painted while still at the 8.5 x 11 stage. 

Best bet is that they are both wrong😏

A frequent method to build a model open boat is to fit planking over a solid or station mold. The adhesive bond plank to plank holds the shape when it is time to remove the mold.  The goal is to keep any adhesive bond between the planking and the mold at zero occurrence.  None at all.  Grocery stores till sell paraffin wax - candles may be from animal based sources-  A cling type sandwich wrap may be a better barrier.
 
I can also imagine a technique where the actual boat frames are mechanically held on the mold ( tricky to do at best ) and the planking bonded to these actual frames while on the mold.  But I think for most actual boat frames, their rank in order of attachment was/is last.  Often they were bent to fit - saving on time and skilled labor.
 
PVA is the wood to wood adhesive that is most frequently used -  both yellow and white have their champions here, although, unless you intend to float the hull, TiteBond III is probably over kill.   Hide glue would work, but liquid, such as Franklin or Old Brown may have too high a proportion of water.  Glue pot flakes has less water and is really old school,  but requires a lot of attention to prepare and maintain.  We do not need the reverse gear of a Strad or Chippendale on a ship model but it would work.
CA is an eleven footer for a lot of us dinosaurs.

If it is wax, paraffin - petrol based wax, an organic solvent should have an effect on it - e.g.  mineral spirits, naphtha, lacquer thinner - or hot white pet (Vaseline) or mineral oil  or 3-in-1,  Then the detergent and scrub to remove the lower MW liquid material.

If it is wax, paraffin - petrol based wax, an organic solvent should have an effect on it - e.g.  mineral spirits, naphtha, lacquer thinner - or hot white pet (Vaseline) or mineral oil  or 3-in-1,  Then the detergent and scrub to remove the lower MW liquid material.

No need to think any longer. I'll confirm that fact. Thin (proper scale thickness) archival bond paper glued on in "plates" of the correct size, following which the plates are shellacked to stabilize them and render the scales impervious to moisture, and then painted and weathered appropriately will do the best job of portraying a coppered bottom. The standard office/classroom paper cutter is just the ticket for getting out the plates.

The copper plates were not riveted.  The copper nails were hammered near flush.  They were all but invisible at a distance corresponding to a model viewing distance.
There were way more of them than a ponce wheel produces.  Model versions of copper sheathing with a raised or embossed addition mostly tends to give a hull a bad case of small pox.
 
I am still thinking that 100% rag bond paper, paint with real copper, using PVA to attach may be an effective alternative,  in which case, a guillotine type paper cutter would be a real help.  It may even work to slice individual plates from a strip.  The paper could be painted while still at the 8.5 x 11 stage. 

The copper plates were not riveted.  The copper nails were hammered near flush.  They were all but invisible at a distance corresponding to a model viewing distance.
There were way more of them than a ponce wheel produces.  Model versions of copper sheathing with a raised or embossed addition mostly tends to give a hull a bad case of small pox.
 
I am still thinking that 100% rag bond paper, paint with real copper, using PVA to attach may be an effective alternative,  in which case, a guillotine type paper cutter would be a real help.  It may even work to slice individual plates from a strip.  The paper could be painted while still at the 8.5 x 11 stage. 

The copper plates were not riveted.  The copper nails were hammered near flush.  They were all but invisible at a distance corresponding to a model viewing distance.
There were way more of them than a ponce wheel produces.  Model versions of copper sheathing with a raised or embossed addition mostly tends to give a hull a bad case of small pox.
 
I am still thinking that 100% rag bond paper, paint with real copper, using PVA to attach may be an effective alternative,  in which case, a guillotine type paper cutter would be a real help.  It may even work to slice individual plates from a strip.  The paper could be painted while still at the 8.5 x 11 stage. 

The copper plates were not riveted.  The copper nails were hammered near flush.  They were all but invisible at a distance corresponding to a model viewing distance.
There were way more of them than a ponce wheel produces.  Model versions of copper sheathing with a raised or embossed addition mostly tends to give a hull a bad case of small pox.
 
I am still thinking that 100% rag bond paper, paint with real copper, using PVA to attach may be an effective alternative,  in which case, a guillotine type paper cutter would be a real help.  It may even work to slice individual plates from a strip.  The paper could be painted while still at the 8.5 x 11 stage. 

The copper plates were not riveted.  The copper nails were hammered near flush.  They were all but invisible at a distance corresponding to a model viewing distance.
There were way more of them than a ponce wheel produces.  Model versions of copper sheathing with a raised or embossed addition mostly tends to give a hull a bad case of small pox.
 
I am still thinking that 100% rag bond paper, paint with real copper, using PVA to attach may be an effective alternative,  in which case, a guillotine type paper cutter would be a real help.  It may even work to slice individual plates from a strip.  The paper could be painted while still at the 8.5 x 11 stage. 

EGAD!!!    Why?  Although as an experienced modeler, you probably have a good reason.  I find it far too soft even as a filler.  I prefer basswood.
 
    ...but to answer your question, Hobby Lobby and Michael's both have balsa sheets that thick.

Bruce, Alan,
 
Your subject of interest best belongs in the Painting Forum.  It could seriously divert this build log. 
Copy/paste #296-299 to that forum and even though it is a subject that has many threads that intersect, it may have legs for a while. 
I can add a bit of clarification as can several others, but not here.  An important aspect of it is that it is more opinion than Science.  It is also a love me? love my opinion! sort of subject - a whole lot of emotional investment on the part of some.
 
Mark,
I have become a bit of a medical apostate.  I am willing to accept the consequences if I am wrong and there is only one investor, so keep this is mind.   About the >BP and the meds to affect it.  I would balance just how > the Bp gets and what the probable harm could be vs the side effects of the meds.  I have been away from the field for over 10 years and have not kept up at all.  But way back then, there were several paths with many different bundles of med induced problems, so if the course you are on is causing problems, try a different one.  If your doc is a love me, love my choice sort of Ego, rethink your choice of MD.   How bad would ignoring it be? How bad would just tapping it with HCTZ be?  Or just Atenolol?  or the two?  I started in the mid 60's  in hospital, and the basket of meds that were "vital"  to take chronically to reverse long term poorly chosen life style damage is very different from the basket when I bailed.    

I was thinking about your wale bending task.  Bending thru the thick dimension is fighting what the wood wants to do.  But would it be easier to bend a 1/4" x 1/16"?
I was shocked by kits doing wales by superimposing a half thickness wale over the complete first layer planking with a double layer hull POB. If the wale is two layers, the evidence would be hidden by the planking strakes above and below. It is heretical, but you could pretend that the hull is being girdled. 

I did some more armchair experimenting:
Would it help to use cardboard that is close to plank thickness?
Would it help to use a penetrating treatment with a varnish on both sides to stiffen it?
Would a plastic sheet that is thick enough to be stiff, but thin enough to cut with a sharp violin type knife and straight edge work better?
Once the pattern is refined to make a good fit, it can be transferred to two layers of planking stock bonded with something like double sided tape.  This way P&S planking can be spilled together.  About half the work and a better likelihood of bilateral symmetry?
 

Mark,
When you measure out a plank, do you first transfer that to a mock up from something like poster board to check the fit, before actually cutting wood?

Hazel -- from what I can find from the Wood Database - this looks to be a promising species
Pacific Dogwood - if it is similar to Cornus florida - our state flower - you have something special - great for carvings, delicate or strength wanted deck furniture - blocks, deadeyes - do not waste it on parts like frames, beams, planking - unless your supply of it is large and limitless.
Crab Apple -  most any fruit wood is more than excellent.  I consider Apple to be a king.  It is just difficult for me to source.
Yew  -  They do or did make a vary toxic chemo agent from this - I suggest that getting up close and personal with it is not a good idea
Viburnum  -  not a clue, I would have to see it.  But, I see arrow wood as a characteristic associated with it.  Was it  the Apache who used reeds?  Straight, light weight, and had hollow point characteristics on impact?   If it is pithy I would stay away.  For spars, dowels are subject to problems, I would be cautious with a rod that Nature made, no matter how straight.
Juniper - if it is similar to our Red Cedar - I would not use it.
 
Frame spacing -  there is no simple answer - there are no rules pf the sort that you are seeking.  It pretty much varied from ship to ship. There were fads, even with the RN.  It could be seriously different at 20 year intervals.  The RN was down right peculiar and obsessively detailed in their framing.  But not at all predictable from ship class to ship class in what those details were.
There is another factor in play: POF scratch modelers.  If a model has frames showing, unless it was a classroom engineering model or a tech demo model, there is a good chance that the framing is stylized.  It was probably built to show off the frames.  The actual frames were probably so close together that they would be quite unattractive to display.
 
From your questions, I am guessing that you are just now dipping your toe into all this.
Any sailing warship of the line is difficult slog for the most skilled of us.  HMS Leopard  is not as overwhelming  as Victory or Sovereign, but it is a huge bite. 
In your place, I would begin with something much smaller.  I would do POF, but totally plank the outside and the deck.  I would wait until I had a much deeper understanding of this complex subject and a lot of build experience before attempting to build a model showing the guts of the thing.
 
But to clarify where I am coming from:  I am much attracted to open framing below the wale - My favorite is the stylized 17th century Navy Board.
The framing above the wale is about as interesting to me as 2x4 house framing.  I think it mostly had the same utilitarian function. To me it is pug ugly.  I am also not all that enamored with omitting desk planking either.

The focus  with this is limited to a few countries in the 17th, and 18th and early 19th centuries as far as giving up and surrendering as opposed to a fight to the death.   I have made no effort to catalog the various wars, but in general the following situation seems to hold:  The conflicts were largely economic disagreements,  the men in combat were generally from an economic class with no political power and of no actual concern of those in power and generally seen as disposable,  the officers were 2nd or 3rd sons who would otherwise be an economic drain on their families, and the countries in conflict were essentially cousins.  It was more of a sport than a life or death cultural conflict.   These factors were totally different in the 20th century. 

The focus  with this is limited to a few countries in the 17th, and 18th and early 19th centuries as far as giving up and surrendering as opposed to a fight to the death.   I have made no effort to catalog the various wars, but in general the following situation seems to hold:  The conflicts were largely economic disagreements,  the men in combat were generally from an economic class with no political power and of no actual concern of those in power and generally seen as disposable,  the officers were 2nd or 3rd sons who would otherwise be an economic drain on their families, and the countries in conflict were essentially cousins.  It was more of a sport than a life or death cultural conflict.   These factors were totally different in the 20th century. 

The focus  with this is limited to a few countries in the 17th, and 18th and early 19th centuries as far as giving up and surrendering as opposed to a fight to the death.   I have made no effort to catalog the various wars, but in general the following situation seems to hold:  The conflicts were largely economic disagreements,  the men in combat were generally from an economic class with no political power and of no actual concern of those in power and generally seen as disposable,  the officers were 2nd or 3rd sons who would otherwise be an economic drain on their families, and the countries in conflict were essentially cousins.  It was more of a sport than a life or death cultural conflict.   These factors were totally different in the 20th century. 

I did my usual process of imagining a theoretical way to approach your problem:  bars of polishing compound with a gradation of every finer grit - attaching pieces of leather or shammy leather to a disc - maybe using the DIY hook and loop as a way to attach, go at it with a rotary tool.  -AND - I decided that I would probably skip all of that work and go to a glass shop and have them cut me a piece of mirror to the size that I needed.  Glass should stand up to time better than SS.

I did my usual process of imagining a theoretical way to approach your problem:  bars of polishing compound with a gradation of every finer grit - attaching pieces of leather or shammy leather to a disc - maybe using the DIY hook and loop as a way to attach, go at it with a rotary tool.  -AND - I decided that I would probably skip all of that work and go to a glass shop and have them cut me a piece of mirror to the size that I needed.  Glass should stand up to time better than SS.

I did my usual process of imagining a theoretical way to approach your problem:  bars of polishing compound with a gradation of every finer grit - attaching pieces of leather or shammy leather to a disc - maybe using the DIY hook and loop as a way to attach, go at it with a rotary tool.  -AND - I decided that I would probably skip all of that work and go to a glass shop and have them cut me a piece of mirror to the size that I needed.  Glass should stand up to time better than SS.

I guess I am just unlucky, but my Brother unit requires anything scanned to be scaled up 102.5%.
I used a transparent metric ruler as a scan object and print out check.
I also had to set a canvas size in Painter that does not give or entice Windows Photo Viewer to "adjust" the size of a document to be printed.  Having the border thing checked by default is an extra click that I have to always pay attention to.

Home scanners have a scale distortion factor - my guess - to make copying paper currency more difficult.
ANYWAY, if you wish a scan to print out an exact copy of the original, the scale distortion factor for your specific machine needs to be determined.  It is a constant, so determining it once is enough.  Just be sure to document it.
 
Guys here write that commercial blueprint operations provide an exact 1:1 copy.  I used a company for a NMM print color scan.  They do signs and advertising.  The color PDF - while good, also needed to be reduced to 70% to match the original.
 
There is also a "maybe" method - it did not work well enough for me - inkjet(?) print on a sheet of paper with wax/plastic coating on one side and iron that directly onto the wood.  Probably works better for scroll cutting cartoons - something without a lot of detail.