Mike Y

K, got my replacement parts.
 
I have completed installing the bulkheads, and added the 2 sheer planks.  Got the balance of the bulkheads divided today and starting the rest of the planking tomorrow.  Think I've figured out all my trouble spots, so hopefully this time - SUCCESS!
 
Will have a camera some time next week so I can post pics - but I'm still here and still trying.

Made some progress over the past 2 days by completing the rudder and tiller. The tiller was made with the kit supplied 1/16" square basswood. It is thinned down to 1/32" at its narrowest point. I've never worked on anything this fragile so I had to be super careful. The pintles and gudgeons were made from kit supplied 1/32" x 1/64" brass strip and the pin was made using a tiny piece of 28 gauge wire soldered to the brass strip. As per Chuck's instructions, the cutouts in the rudder might need to be deepened slightly to ensure that the pintles lay even to the rudders edge. If they are not flush there will be a gap between the rudder and transom. The pintles and gudgeons were painted with Badger 16-05 Weathered Black.
 
Once everything was done a thin coat of Dullcoat(not seen in the photo)was sprayed over the entire structure. This has the added benefit of sealing the Weathered Black paint which has a tendency to rub off easily.
 

A quick update:
 
Put in the Eking rails (from hawse holes to cathead).  The question was to bend the rail to fit the hull or carve it out of a larger block.  With all the angles and variations present (to include the thickness of the eking rail) I opted to carve it out.
 

 
To give the hull a more finished look prior to hitting the wheel and channels I tried a little scroll work carving on the rail transitions:
 

 
Definitely found that some times the carving goes fast and successful, and other times slow, painful and scrap.
 
Trying to put in an hour or so a day.
 
Mark

Same batch pictures

A big thank you to Chuck, Pops, Ryland, Andy, Mike Y, Sam, David B. and others who have looked in. I really appreciate all the positive comments and words of encouragement.

Hi Dave! Thanks for stopping by and I know you will love building this one!
 
Sorry there hasn't been much activity on the build log. There has a lot going on and
I've only been able to pop in once in a while. I had a bathroom renovation I had to
do as well as the other "normal" spring time duties that required my attention so
shop time suffered.
 
Now most of you know, and I've done it before, when your busy with activities other
than modeling you should not try to steal time to work when you can't devote your
full attention. Rushing in the shop and grabbing a few minutes here and there seemed
like a good idea butttt..... Now I'm sure you can feel the "oh crap what have I done"
story coming here!
 
I started laying the first five rows of planking. The first plank on the model is the first
strake below the wales and then the next four rows are the base for the wales. Sooooo
after placing these first planks I notice that my planking wasn't running the same as Chucks.
Now that's not too unusual as I can't come close to planking as well as he does. But after
going back and looking at Chucks pictures and the plans I notice the rise of my planks at
the bow was too sharp. I don't know how I messed it up. (Did the same on the Confederacy! Duh!)
 
I pouted for a day and then sucked it up and set about correcting my boneheaded mistake.  
 
Not the first and certainly not the last!
 
So to correct this I went back to around the 7th bulkhead where the run was true, ripped
the planks off and reran the planking. Although not perfect it is much closer to where it
needs to be. Thank goodness that the second planking of the wales will cover the cut line
or I would have had to rip the full run off. Of course I had to do this to both the port and
starboard sides as they matched.
 
Here are some pictures of the planking in it's rough state as she sits right now.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Also to get the curve correct for the hull planking I took the plans and cut the shape of
the hull out of a scrap piece of wood and was able to bend two planks at a time. There
was a little "spring back" but for the most part they fit very well.
 

 
Ok the plan now it to keep my head out of my butt and proceed with as few errors as possible!
 
* Please note that censors severely edited the language in this post to maintain a "G" rating *  
 
 
 
 
 
 

There should be at least 10 right ways to align the bulkheads properly That is a good part of our hobby - each builder solves the challenges in a different way, very interesting to compare the solutions from different people!

About edge bending. Conventional method (clamping under glass) do not work very well for me, because planks remain pretty wet even after a day of being clamped. Which is reasonable, moisture have no way to escape if it's under glass. And when you lift the glass, planks kicks back and loose half of the bend.
Probably this is the point where hair dryer would be useful, but I don't have one. I only have a heat gun, which I use to start the grill. Used it once, it accidentally melted my clamps
 
So instead I'm doing edge bending by simply clamping soaked plank to the previous plank and leaving it overnight:

 
Works pretty well with boxwood. Jeff mills them with a good tolerance, as a result - planks are thicker then the kit ones. So it bends evenly, without warping up or down. That will not work really well with basswood (tried it), or with big bends probably.. But there is no kickback, next evening it's fully ready for final installation. And if you need to have a very severe bend - that something is not right anyway.
 
I guess that next update will take a few weeks, so far it's just a iterative process, where I install one-two pair of planks per week... Happy summer!

About edge bending. Conventional method (clamping under glass) do not work very well for me, because planks remain pretty wet even after a day of being clamped. Which is reasonable, moisture have no way to escape if it's under glass. And when you lift the glass, planks kicks back and loose half of the bend.
Probably this is the point where hair dryer would be useful, but I don't have one. I only have a heat gun, which I use to start the grill. Used it once, it accidentally melted my clamps
 
So instead I'm doing edge bending by simply clamping soaked plank to the previous plank and leaving it overnight:

 
Works pretty well with boxwood. Jeff mills them with a good tolerance, as a result - planks are thicker then the kit ones. So it bends evenly, without warping up or down. That will not work really well with basswood (tried it), or with big bends probably.. But there is no kickback, next evening it's fully ready for final installation. And if you need to have a very severe bend - that something is not right anyway.
 
I guess that next update will take a few weeks, so far it's just a iterative process, where I install one-two pair of planks per week... Happy summer!

There should be at least 10 right ways to align the bulkheads properly That is a good part of our hobby - each builder solves the challenges in a different way, very interesting to compare the solutions from different people!

About edge bending. Conventional method (clamping under glass) do not work very well for me, because planks remain pretty wet even after a day of being clamped. Which is reasonable, moisture have no way to escape if it's under glass. And when you lift the glass, planks kicks back and loose half of the bend.
Probably this is the point where hair dryer would be useful, but I don't have one. I only have a heat gun, which I use to start the grill. Used it once, it accidentally melted my clamps
 
So instead I'm doing edge bending by simply clamping soaked plank to the previous plank and leaving it overnight:

 
Works pretty well with boxwood. Jeff mills them with a good tolerance, as a result - planks are thicker then the kit ones. So it bends evenly, without warping up or down. That will not work really well with basswood (tried it), or with big bends probably.. But there is no kickback, next evening it's fully ready for final installation. And if you need to have a very severe bend - that something is not right anyway.
 
I guess that next update will take a few weeks, so far it's just a iterative process, where I install one-two pair of planks per week... Happy summer!

I finished the oarlocks, the horse located in front of the transom and red paint work today.
 
Looks crude but it works. Made from scrap 3/32" aluminum stock to even out the oarlocks using a file.
 

 
The oarlocks were painted with the same wood tone color that I used on the belaying pins in order to lighten the color of the wire. I then did all the red painting as necessary including the oarlocks. All of the red was then sprayed with the Testors clear dull coat. I sprayed the clear into an airbrush container and used the airbrush to spray. This gave me finer control over the area being sprayed. Even though you can't see it in the photo the red has no shine at all and looks very evenly toned now that it has been sprayed with the Testors Dullcoat.
 

Minor milestone... Half of the 42 full frames have been installed.  Spacers have been glued into place and gunports are rought cut.  Final position with sills will be done after the first pass at fairing before the half frames are installed.   I'm finding minor tolerance build up issues but nothing that's a show stopper.  Anyway, here's piccy's....
 

The Problem:
 
Anyone who has followed my HMS Terror scratch build may remember my issues with blackening brass fittings for the stern assembly. To briefly summarize, I immersed the parts in a standard 8:1 mixture of Blacken-It solution mixed with bottled water, waited until the parts turned the appropriate colour, then rinsed in bottled water to “neutralize” the reaction. I tried this several times on different parts and each time it resulted in a flaky, blotchy appearance that could not be made even despite buffing with a soft cloth.
 
 

Here is an image of my results. Note the blotchy and flaky texture.
 
Inspired by the fine results of other modellers on the boards, I resolved to master the “mysteries of the blue Liquid”.  I began with research; modelers, gunsmiths, jewellers, instrument makers, and mechanics all use various products and processes to chemically blacken metals and a great deal of information is available from forums, blogs, websites, magazines, and books.
 
With this knowledge at hand, I decided to conduct a series of trials to determine the best process for blackening metal using Blacken-it. I chose Blacken-it as it seems to be the most commonly used product on Model Ship World, and, perhaps more importantly, I had a supply available. However, the techniques I use here should be applicable to other metal blackening products.
 
Before I outline my tests I should begin with a note on safety:
 
The chemicals used in the blackening process are dangerous. Rubber gloves, safety goggles, and a well-ventilated room (or fume hood) must be used EVERY time you handle the chemicals.
 
The Process:
 
From my research, I learned that producing consistently good results requires seven steps, in this order:
1)      The surface of the metal should be mechanically prepared. This roughens the surface and removes synthetic coatings that are often used to give stock metal a shiny appearance.
2)      The surface of the metal should be treated with an acid pickle to remove any scale or corrosion.
3)      The metal should be cleaned with a solvent to remove organic contaminants such as oils, fingerprints, and other dirt.
4)      The metal is chemically coloured using a diluted blackening agent.
5)      The reaction should be “fixed” or halted, using a neutralizing solution.
6)      The surface of the metal should be buffed to remove excess blackening products and to polish the new surface.
7)      The metal should be coated in a protective agent to prevent corrosion, soiling, and damage (optional).
 
The Equipment:
 
My research indicates that the following chemicals most often produce consistent results:
1)      Muriatic acid (31.4%). This is commonly used to remove scale and corrosion on the surface of the metal.  Most hobbyists and professionals use 1:1 concentration of water and acid. Remember, you should always pour the acid into water, as it can be dangerous to pour water directly into acid. You can purchase muriatic acid in most hardware or pool supply stores.
 
2)      Deionized water. This tip was given to me by Druxy on these forums. I’m convinced that the blotchy, scaly results on my first use of Blacken-it were the result of my use of mineral-laiden bottled water. Dionized water is treated to remove mineral ions which could react with Blacken-it. Use the deionised water for all stages of the blackening process, including rinsing between baths, diluting chemicals, and for neutralization.
 
3)      Acetone (100%). This is a widely used degreasing agent employed to remove finger prints, oils, or other organic coatings which might contaminate the metal. It can be purchased at any hardware store.
 
4)      Baking soda. The final stage of the blackening process should include proper neutralization. A common solution is two table-spoons of baking soda in a cup (250 ml) of warm deionised water. Often, hobbyists will use running tap water to neutralize the reaction with good results; baking soda seems to be preferred by jewelers and instrument makers.
 

Here is a photo of the equipment I used in my tests.
 
The Tests:
 
My trials involved testing two variables: 1) the concentration of Blacken-It (undiluted, 1:1, 5:1, or 10:1), and 2) water neutralization versus baking soda neutralization.
 

The test parts prior to preparation.
 
Step 1: I thoroughly sanded the surface of my brass test parts with 400 grit sandpaper. This is similar to the preparation of any metal part even if it isn’t going to be painted or chemically coloured.
 
Step 2: I buffed the metal with ultrafine steel wool. Be certain to carefully remove any steel wool filings that remain as they can react with the chemicals used in the next stages.
 

The parts after mechanical preparation. 
 
Step 3: Immerse the part in muriatic acid (diluted 1:1 with deionised) water for 30 minutes. You can immerse the parts for longer, but the acid will eventually etch the surface and soften sharp edges and other details if you leave them in too long. You may notice that the pickle will change the colour of the brass or that some corrosion may appear – this is normal and is caused by impurities or inconsistencies in the metal.
 

 
Step 4: Rinse each part by agitating vigorously in a bath of deionized water for at least 10 seconds. Allow to dry thoroughly on a clean paper towel. Change the water in the bath for the next step.
 

 

Allow the parts to dry thoroughly.
 
Step 5: Immerse the parts in an acetone bath for 30 minutes.
 

 
Step 6: Rinse each part by agitating vigorously in a bath of deionized water for at least 10 seconds. Allow to dry thoroughly on a clean paper towel.
 

 

Allow the parts to dry thoroughly.
 
Step 7: Immerse the parts in the Blacken-it solution. Maximize the surface area of the part exposed to the chemical by placing it on end if you can. Gently, without scratching the surface, turn the part every few minutes to ensure all surfaces are exposed equally to the solution. Carefully monitor colour changes, and remove the part when the desired colour is achieved.
 

Different concentrations of Blacken-it. 
 

The parts after 30 seconds. 
 

After five minutes.
 

After 60 minutes (other parts removed when desired colour achieved). 
 
Step 8: Instantly dunk the part in the warm baking soda bath. Agitate vigorously for ten seconds. You will notice that the part will begin to corrode and a blotchy green or red film will cover the surface. Do not worry.
 

 

After a bath in the baking soda solution, the part will appear green (or sometimes red). 
 

Neutralizing with water leaves a cleaner surface (but caution is warranted, see below). 
 
Step 8: Carefully buff the part with a clean soft cloth (an old t-shirt works perfectly). Do not touch the part with your fingers. You will notice that the corrosion products resulting from the neutralizing bath will scrub away.  Buff until all portions of the part have an even colour; continue to buff if you want a shinier surface.
 

Buffing the parts fixed in the baking soda solution removes the green/red coating. 
 

After buffing, all the parts appear roughly similar in colour and finish from a distance (see below for differences). 
 
Step 9: Wait 24 hours to ensure the reaction was effectively neutralized. If “sweating” or pitting is noticed, the reaction was not properly neutralized, and a further rinse may be required. Usually the part can be salvaged by buffing with a soft cloth. Sometimes, it may need to be blackened again.
 
Step 10 (Optional): Spray the parts with a thin acrylic matte coating to protect the surface.
 

I use Krylon Matte Coat.
 
The Trial Results:
 
Undiluted Blacken-It solution:
 
The undiluted solution produced a very dark, but somewhat uneven black surface in about five minutes. Fixing the reaction with baking soda caused a significant amount of corrosion, but it was mostly removed by buffing. 
 

Undiluted immediately after buffing.
 
However, after 24 hours both parts began to sweat, indicating that the chemical reaction had not been neutralized even with a baking soda bath.  This is not unexpected, as the product guidelines indicate that the product is meant to be diluted.
 

Undiluted after 24 hours. 
 
Recommendation: Do not use undiluted solution.
 
1:1 Blacken-it Solution
 
This is the concentration recommended by the manufacturer. After ca. 10 minutes the part reached a deep black, but after neutralization with baking soda solution the surface appeared to be quite blotchy. After 24 hours the edges of the part began to sweat and corrode and the surface appeared pitted.
 

1:1 immediately after buffing. 
 

1:1 after 24 hours. 
 
The water neutralized part had a slightly more even surface, but unfortunately began to sweat after only 24 hours.
 

1:1 unfixed (water neutralization) after 24 hours.   
Recommendation: Do not use 1:1 solution.
 
5:1 Blacken-it Solution
 
The 5:1 solution required approximately 25 minutes to reach a deep black.  Immersion in the baking soda solution initially produced a green corrosion but buffing resulted in an even black surface. The part remained stable after 24 hours (and is still stable a week later).
 

5:1 immediately after buffing.
 
 
5:1 after 24 hours. 
 
The unfixed, water-neutralized part began to corrode at the edges after 24 hours.
 

5:1 unfixed immediately after buffing. 
 

5:1 unfixed after 24 hours. 
 
Recommendation: Works very well in conjunction with a baking soda rinse.
 
10:1 Blacken-it Solution
The 10:1 solution required approximately 60 minutes to reach a dark even black. Immersion in a baking soda rinse produced a slight corrosion, but buffing resulted in a very even and deep black surface (in my opinion better than the 5:1 concentration). The part has remained stable after a week.
 

10:1 immediately after buffing. 
 

10:1 after 24 hours. 
 
Similar results were achieved with the water-only neutralization, and the part remained stable after 24 hours. However, after ca. four days corrosion began to appear at the edges of the part.
 

10:1 unfixed after four days. 
 
Recommendation: The 10:1 solution performed very well in conjunction with a baking soda rinse, and in my opinion produced the best colour and surface.
 
Final thoughts:
 
1)      Fixing the parts by agitation in a warm baking soda bath appears to be a critical step in blackening brass, at least with Blacken-it. Even at lowest concentrations, and with a water-neutralizing rinse, the acidic reaction appeared to continue for some time, especially around edges and in nooks and crannies.  
 
2)      5:1 and 10:1 solutions appear to produce relatively similar results, even though they both require proper neutralization. The 10:1 solution appears to produce a slightly more even and deeper colour. Using Blacken-it at its recommended concentration is a waste of product and results in corrosion even after proper neutralization.
 
3)      Buffing is a critical step in achieving the proper surface appearance.
 
4)      I was able to rejuvenate “sweating” parts by dunking them in a baking soda solution and then buffing. Regardless, faint hints of the corrosion remained.

Not too much to say but angles, angles, angles!  After a whole lot of time measuring, cutting, sanding and thinking I am finally on top of one of the quarterdeck side rails.  Lot of effort into pieces that will pretty much visually disappear if done right.  Unfortunate in one respect, but it is what it is.
 

 
I am going to take a break for a day before hitting up the second one.
 
Stay Building my Friends,
Mark

With much thanks to Mike and a few Duh moments I thought I would share my efforts to make my boxwood stem and shape the Rabbit on my false keel.
 
First the false keel. And I would be remiss in not giving credit to Harvey here.
 
I took a draftsman's compass. sharpened the graphite point and extended the metal tip just a bit. I then set the width of the 2 points to be just shy of 1/16 of an inch. I then used this to draw I line on both sides of the false keel that followed the curve of the keel from one end to the other. This gave me a line to follow when sanding.
 
In the 2nd picture you will also see some of the tools I used for the Boxwood stem. For the stem I did a rough cut from the boxwood sheet. I then clamped the rough piece between the 2 basswood stems. Thank you Chuck for the pair of stems. and then I clamped all 3 pieces carefully lined up in my trusty Panamax vice. And then used my Dremel with a sanding wheel to bring it down until everything was the same. Thank you Mike. I don't know why I didn't remember the Dremel. I also used the Dremel to drill the holes. Lastly I used a #13 blade in my Xacto knife to cut the scarf joint. For those who don't know the #13 is the same as the #11 except it has saw teeth. I finally some micro files to clean everything up. Oh and I used the admiral's nail file for some of the sanding. (don't tell her!)
 
The final picture here is a macro shot of the Stem. I can see it still needs a bit more sanding. blowing up macro sure shows what is still needed. the best part of this is that as long as there was some laser char on the basswood stems I knew I hadn't sanded to much.

Toni, thanks for an advice!
 
I count mostly on edge-bending, just a bit of spiling to have a good fit in the end of the plank.
Using Castello.
So far had no problems with it, soaking in boiling water for 15sec, then clamping under a glass:

 
Then fitting to the hull and clamping until it's dry:

 
Bends well, pretty elastic, no cracks. Just a pleasure to work with it!
 
The main problem is actually on a stern, there is an extreme bend due to the angle of rear bulkheads:

It's different from Pinnace, bulkheads there have a smooth curve in the bottom, even the rear bulkheads. Thinking on adding some fillers..
 
 

Toni, thanks for an advice!
 
I count mostly on edge-bending, just a bit of spiling to have a good fit in the end of the plank.
Using Castello.
So far had no problems with it, soaking in boiling water for 15sec, then clamping under a glass:

 
Then fitting to the hull and clamping until it's dry:

 
Bends well, pretty elastic, no cracks. Just a pleasure to work with it!
 
The main problem is actually on a stern, there is an extreme bend due to the angle of rear bulkheads:

It's different from Pinnace, bulkheads there have a smooth curve in the bottom, even the rear bulkheads. Thinking on adding some fillers..
 
 

Finally got most of the inner hull details completed. I used Blacken-it on all the metal parts. 15 minute baths in acetone and vinegar in that order and then 50% reduced Blacken-it with distilled water. The windlass and handle where made next. I could not get each end super close to the riser because the riser is at a slight angle. Though everything looks good, if I did the model again, I would sand the frames slightly more vertical so the risers would be more perpendicular. Handle is not glued yet. I was hoping to get wooden belaying pins of the right scale but they are not available according to Chuck. I painted the brass ones from the kit after applying a gray primer coat first. I used yellow ochre Acrylic paint with a touch of orange, white and burnt orange. After I place the oarlocks using 24 guage wire I will clean up the red paint on the cap rail and paint them red as well.
 

 
Transom frieze
 

 
Augie told me about this product which he uses to flatten glossy acrylic paint. It's very easy to use and works great. Just a light spray is all that's needed. I will use it on the red paint later.
 

I've been pretty busy lately, so not a lot of progress has been made on my longboat.  Got some stuff done over the weekend, though, so I figured it was time for an update.
 
A couple of weeks ago, I brought the model up to Manitowoc, WI for the 38th Annual Model Ships and Boats Show and Contest at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum.  What a great event in a great location!  Obviously, the longboat was there just for display this year.  Next year, it'll be in the contest.
 

 
Back in the workshop and motivated by all the great models I saw in Manitowoc, I started installing the knees around the boat.  There really isn't much to this.  They go in pretty easily for the most part.
 
 
 

 
The two knees in the bow and the part that fits around the bow itself were a little trickier.  I got the knees in last night (and didn't take a picture) and the bow piece is going to take a little surgery.  The part in the kit needed to be sanded down quite a lot to fit the bow, to the point where it really didn't look correct.  I'll take a swing at making a new part and fitting it in.
 
Next came the windlass.  I was a little apprehensive about this part.  Bob Filipowski made a presentation at our last NRMSS meeting about how he made his windlass.  Looked like a tricky operation.  Here's how I did it.
 
The first thing I needed to figure out was how to make those eight sides all parallel to the centerline of the windlass.  I cut the square stock and marked the locations of the various sections of the windlass.  I plunked the square stock on my building board.  That held it securely in place and gave me a reference to the centerline of the windlass. 
 

 
Then I carefully sanded, using a sanding stick, parallel to the building board.  It only took, maybe, four passes with the sanding stick to finish off one of the sides.
 

 
As the instructions say, I scored the lines between the sections to make them stand out more.  And I made the square holes almost the same way Chuck did.  The difference? The business end of my square file is square, but the other end is round.  I had to use the business end, which worked out fine.  (Getting the sawdust out of those little holes was a little tricky!)
 
Then I drilled holes in the end of the windlass and put short pieces of wire in them.  Here they are, prior to trimming.
 

 
I wish I'd taken a picture of the end of the windlass.  You can clearly see eight sides, all nice and symmetrical.
 
And so here it is, installed.
 

 

 
Chuck mentions that the wire axles on the end of the windlass need to be short.  He's right about that.  I ended up trimming them down to almost nothing to get them to fit into the small holes in the risers.  Once installed, though, the thing rotates just as it should!
 
I didn't take pictures of them yesterday, but I also installed the two lifting rings in the bottom of the boat.  They look good and add a nice level of detail to this model.  More pictures of that stuff to follow.
 
 
 
 
Dan
 
 

I think you are doing a bang up job Dan.  Pretty soon you will become the Longboat mentor and everyone will be asking you questions.  Keep  upo the great work.
David B

Ed and David, thanks for your comments.  Mike, the anchor stock planking gives extra strength to the decking.  It is also used in some of the ceiling planking as well as the wales for the same reason.  See page 6 of the log.

Hi everyone,
 
 A long time since the last update. I started planking the lower counter, and after a few strakes were glued in, I decided it wasn't good  enough and ripped them off. Then I took a trip to Taos to rethink....
 
After a new start, I got the lower counter planked. I found two useful tools shown here. The first is the curved shooting board I built a few years ago, which worked well for holding the planks for shaving the convex and concave edges. I used a Silversmith riffler (thanks, Ed, for the lead on this) for the concave edge, starting with a #0 and finishing with a #1. For final fitting, I slipped a piece of graphite paper between the two surfaces, and filed where the graphite showed a high point. I used my block plane for the convex surface, finishing up with a long #1 flat file to fair the curve.
 
The second tool I picked up a few years ago at a jewelry tool supply store. It is a jeweler's miter, which clamps a piece between two jaws at right angle or any other angle chosen. A file is then used to reduce the piece sticking out to flush with the front surface. It keeps a perfectly straight edge, square to the wide surface. I used this to clean up the ends of the planks, for a good tight fit with the next plank.
 
I did not highlight the joints of these planks, because I intend to paint the lower counter with the stage curtain and cherubs shown on the second model of the Bellona. I thought that emphasized joints here would interfere with the painting...
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark
 
 
 
 

The upper deck planking has been installed and the first bit of sanding is complete.  It still needs more scraping and find sanding.  I used 3" holly for the planking throughout.  The binding strake would have been inset into the deck beams but since that detail is not visible I do not model it.  After looking at a lot of models, I decided to only plank the port side and the midline plank.  I wanted to be able to look into the lower deck cabins and so I only installed decking between the binding strake and the midline and the four outside strakes.  The central planks are fairly straightforward.  The open area in front of the foremast step for the bowsprit step.  The plank located by the well has not been glued in so that can be removed during installation of the bitts.  The plank edges were "caulked" with a pencil.  The treenails are bamboo, drawn down to a #77 drill and inserted into a #76 hole.  I prefer to pressure fit these rather than use glue.  The finish will bind them all together.  The blotchy color on the pictures is not real.  I had just washed the deck off for the pictures and did not give the wood sufficient time to dry.  Compare the color contrast between the inner and outer planking.  This all came from the same billet of holly.
 

 

 

 

 

Thanks everybody for comments! I now found where the problem is. Exactly as Grant said, number of ticks should change for smaller bulkheads. Then you will have taper and less edge bending.
On Pinnace I had no reference marks, and just planked ad hoc. As a result, there was just a tiny edge bend, planks were tapered, and gardboard plank was straight, no curve at all:

 
Decided to continue with wrong reference lines and see how it looks. Should be a significant bend, and very small taper.
Then will compare results, and redo the planking if it will look bad
Luckily Jeff supplies double amount of wood for planking, so there is a room for experiment