Eddie

It's funny, I never wanted to retire until I got into this hobby!
 
Even when I do retire, I don't think I'll be doing builds as fast as you though.
 
Your boat is looking good and I will continue to follow along while I slave away at my desk 
 
Richard.

I'm retired, John.  We old folks are always looking for something to keep us busy.

Thanks for the reply, Keith, but now I'm curious how your planks got the clinker effect.  I see how you pinned them down and it looks like that method would have completely glued the planks down, eliminating the clinker effect.  Am I missing something?

Hi Julie
 
I applied glue to the hull for the entire length of the plank so that the back of the plank and the edge of the plank abutting the previous plank was glued. I didn't size the balsa. Not sure if the glue shrank the balsa - I didn't notice it doing this. I did secure the planks quite well during gluing so they were pressed hard against the backing and the previous plank- see photo.
 
if you have distortion in the hull it may reveal itself when you are planking the deck - mismatch between deck planks on either side (which I always think is very irritating on the eye). Better to correct it now.

Hi Jules,
 
As you know, I've been lurking around since your first posts on MSW. My only question is between building and posting when exactly do you sleep?
 
Best,
John

Keith, again, thanks for your input.   The pictures are very timely and helping a lot. 
 
With the backing you did, I was surprised to see sanding the first planking revealed the places where the frames are were high.  Did you apply glue to the entire length of all the 1st planks?  I'm wondering if you did, did the glue shrink the balsa. 
 
I've been thinking of glue sizing to seal the wood before doing the final sanding.  If my memory serves me correctly, when gluing very porous woods or end grain, you apply some glue sizing, let it dry then do the glue up.  Some of the balsa lifts instead of sanding smooth.  Adding sizing would cure this.
 
I am a believer in throw the most time in prop work and everything is easier after that.
 
Per, thanks for the compliment!  It's interesting to see another modeler is having issues with following the Amati directions exactly.  I see other models that have frames much closer than this model.  At first, it looked like overkill.  But now I really understand why additional frames are necessary.  I'm learning!
 
 
Now, I have another question...
 
When I took the model out of the Bessey clamps and flipped it over, I noticed the tip of the bow went askew.  I had been eyeing a straight edge as I did the backing but I obviously missed the dog in the bow.  I am guessing I need to fix that, right?   

Hi Julie,
I just finished reading through your build log and you have done the right choice of backing between the bulkhead.
You will find the planking easier but also due to the distance of the bulkheads, just regular planking can make the build an even worse headache.
A friend of mine is building the same yacht without the backing and has issues, because the planking is getting extremely thin when sanding.
Your persistence will pay off!
Very nice job by the way!

Hi Julie
 
You still seems to be going well. like you I find rubbing the palm of a hand over the surface to be a good method of checking the shape.
 
Because the balsa sands away more quickly than the frames it is very difficult to avoid some flattening of the profile between frames. Slight flattening isn't however a significant problem as it tends to be compensated by the 1st planking. In the attached photo I have done a light sanding of the 1st planked hull - you can see the areas where the frames have caused the planks to be raised. As sanding proceeds these raised areas are removed - see 2nd photo. 
 
Like you I found the rudder wasn't the correct shape at its upper end. Also the plans show a weird discontinuity between the rudder and hull at the base of the rudder - I ignored the plans in this instance.
 
The instructions don't seem to cover what you do about finishing the rudder. Have you decided what you are going to do?
 
Keith

Thank you, Bill!  I never would have thought of that.

Julie, once you think your ready, you can take black pinstripe tape and run along a line of the hull (or use a thin strip of wood). this will show you any dips in the hull.

Thank you for the support guys.  Maybe I give too much credit to the tools, but they are better than the ones they replaced.
 
Moving day is only ten days away but there isn't much we have to move from this rental so I'm choosing to procrastinate on the packing and see if I can get the model done to at least plank-ready.
 
I did finish the balsa backing (finally!) and took to the fairing.  Maybe it was my impatience but it sees getting down to that last few fractions takes forever.  My goal is to leave a thin bead of laser burn on the frame edges.  That way I know the hull is properly faired.
 

When I got to the keel, I found the mahogany sides of the centerboard assembly protruded beyond the adjoining frames.  So I took a small rasp and worked the balsa down to meet the frames.
 

The fairing didn't go as I had hoped.  Certain areas sanded down to the frames quickly while other areas proved stubborn.  You can see which is which by looking at the laser burn that remains.  I'll work those until I get that thin burn line I'm going for.  I am using my hands a lot to check for waves and high and low spots.  Before I start the planking, I'll shoot a light across the surface and finish up that way.
 

When I went to fit the rudder, I found I needed to do some filing on the frame before it would fit.  I'm still toying with the idea of making it pivot.  To accomplish that. there will have to be some careful profiling of the plywood rudder and I will have to beef up the bottom pivot point a bit.
 
I really don't see how I could have relied solely on the frames to begin planking.  There's too much room for buckling and bowing.  And then you'd have to fair that.  I can see why some modelers have talked about the fear of sanding through the first planking.  I'm glad I did the backing.  And next time I'll know how to make the work flow better.

Hi Julie,
I just came across your build and also visited your website and wanted to say that you are a very talented and experienced woodworker. You fit right in with the other extremely talented craftsmen here at MSW and we are glad you have joined us.  This place is great in that no matter what level of builder or what medium you build in, we seem to treat each other as equal.  I really am enjoying this build log and how you are dealing with working without the comfort of your professional workshop. Keith and the others are a wealth of information. We hope all goes well with getting into the new "digs" and trying to get your new studio set up.
As far as finish, I agree, it needs to be natural. A built up frame is such a beauty to look at in its natural state that at times I hate to move on and finish it.  If I was to build a J class and paint it, then I would have built a plug and made it out of fiberglass.
The subject of tools, we progress with the quality of tool as we progress with experience and drive to perfect our trade.  As you have obtained  a higher level of proficiency in wood working, you have honed your skills and your hands expect the feel and accuracy of a good quality tool. S.Coleman is correct, its from the hands of a skilled user of a quality tool that produces fine work, not the tool.  
Scott

Julie, You are the hero. Without your hands to hold those tools to sand,shape,cut and glue, Then those tools would be just.... Well tools:) Give yourself a pat on the back for a superb job. It looks great.

Bill, while I am happy to end this crazy chapter, I feel overwhelmed by what is awaiting us.  30 or 40 years ago, I would have relished the opportunity, but I have found a very nice peace in model building.  I'm not sure I want to tackle another house.  But I will...
 
My therapist, the Endeavour, called me into session again.  The farther I get into the build, the more I enjoy it.  My therapist, Endeavour,  told me I had to take a picture of the real heroes, the ones that make this so much fun.
 

The tools in the photo are the heroes.  They are the tools I used most often to get where I am with this build,  It's coming together nicely.
 
What this venture has reminded me of is when I first started woodworking.  I bought crappy tools and had a crappy experience.  In time, I walked away.  For years.  Working with the wrong tools was frustrating and time consuming.  But I knew there was something I was missing.  Others did it.  Why can't I?  In the end I realized the problem was crappy tools.
 
I'm still working with only hand tools now, but at least they aren't made by Hasbro.

Congrats! I know you have to be excited about having your shop back up and running.

We just got the call.  We're closing, finally!  We'll probably be moving in 10-12 days.  Lots to do to make that happen.
 
The house only has a one car garage.  So I will be taking one of the bedrooms and making that the hand tool workshop.  Then in the garage, I'll have to figure out how I'm going to set things up there.  Pretty much all my stationary tools are on wheels.  That's a good start.  But it will take time to set everything up.  Power distribution and dust collection first.  No worries about idle time for quite some time. 

I just went through the packing up and moving the 'yard into a new house.   Was a headache, a blessing and huge distraction...    Just got things back up and running.  Good luck with yours...   Your work is great, and Im an especially big fan of the team-o-vises you got goin on to keep that hull up.   Just something about seeing them makes me smile...  

We just got the word, closing on the new house is back on.  Time to shift focus to all that has to be done, again...  The model will be the last thing I pack.  I'll need it to counter the insanity.

I don't think it will take all that long for you to set up shop; you've been there before.  The hard part will be finding the basement.
 
Jim
 
p.s.  She's really looking good.
 
 

Once again, Keith, thank you!  I will be going back and reading that again. 
 
The balsa backing is still going slowly, in part because I'm playing with different methods but equally to blame is the lack of power tools and proper tools, like using a crosscut saw to do rip cuts.  But there is a possibility the build will soon have to be put aside.  We may be moving.  If so, I'll probably set up the shop before continuing the build.
 
I caved, once again, and purchased some Auriou rasps.  They really make the work enjoyable and long ago erased my apprehension about shaping wood.  They came in handy shaping the plywood point on the bow. 
 

It's easy to tell I have an aversion to tackling the more difficult parts.    But I will get it done...

Hi Julie,
 
Well done so far. I am assuming you will soon starting 1st planking so here are a few pointers assuming you are still planning to start at the deck and work to the keel.
 
I am going to split the advise into 3 parts.
 
Part 1 - the first 1/3 of the hull from deck to waterline. The planks tend to want to curve in their most flexible direction. You should find that these planks go on quite easily and that with care you will get good plank edge to edge contact.
 
Part 2 - the second 1/3 of the hull from waterline to the merging of the hull and keel. As you progress you will find that the planks become increasingly difficult to hold flat to the backing. This is because they naturally want to bend in 2 planes at the same time - bowing in their weak direction to follow the backing and bowing in their strong direction to butt to the previous plank. This double bowing is generally seen as undesirable as it can lead to twisting of the planks resulting in a "clinker" type effect. I had some of this on my build. However being aware of the problem before I did the planking enabled me to control it to a level that could be sanded out. I have attached a photo of the "clinker" area after a light sanding.

A way of avoiding the "clinker" is to abandon parallel planing in this area and start tapering the planks. This inevitably leads to a lot of shaping and the need for closing triangular fillers. 
 
Part 3 - the third 1/3 of the hull from the hull / keel merge line to he base of the keel. As you progress beyond the hull / keel intersection the need for bending in 2 planes diminishes and bending in the weak plank direction becomes dominant. Planking therefore becomes easier once again. However  the bulb of the keel starts to make its presence felt and bending the planks around its leading edge becomes impossible because of the sharp change in curvature. It is at this pint that you need to start laying the thicker bulb planks along the length of the keel (on the centre line). I have attached a photo to illustrate.

 

The last of the balsa I need arrived yesterday.  Thank you, Rick, for your kind offer.  I should be good now.
 
Things here have been crazy lately.  I feel like Dorothy in the tornado.  But I did get a chance to spend a little time on the build.  It's such a peaceful escape from what life throws your way.
 
Instead of fill and file, I've been trying to hone my skills and get the balsa boards to fit as if building a boat I will actually sail in.  So I am making the joints like they would be if watertight was important.
 

The red outline is a piece I just fitted and glued.  It took me about 15 minutes to get it fitted so that it seats fully on all four sides.  There are no 900 angles in that piece.  The piece sitting on the hull is what I started out with to fit into a similar void, like what the arrow is pointing to.  I'm fooling myself into believing I'm building a real boat.    It's therapeutic.   

Hi Julie,
You are doing a great job and I am watching your progress with interest. I wanted to let you know that once the planks are glued on they are very strong. Even a single layer of planks, when glued to the bulkheads and edge to edge to each other are strong. When you have a double layer it creates a very resilient shell. Since you also have a balsa inner core, this hull will be very solid once all the layers are glued in place.
 
As far as handling, once you have your boat fully rigged, even without sails, it will be very easy to snag the rigging on things - hands, clothes, kids fingers. On my Connie, I actually snagged the jibboom and snapped it off while wearing magnifying lenses and focused on another area of the ship. The rigging and spars are what are delicate in the final model. So if you are like me, once the ship is rigged you will not want anyone touching it. 
 
I well executed model REALLY makes people want to touch it - especially kids. That is the reason so may are safely ensconced in cases.

Julie, please let me assure you that your time spent doing this is very worthwhile. As others have said, this process will simply result in your frames sitting better. If ever any doubt creeps into your mind, you will be reminded what a good idea this exercise was when you start planking. Keep it up. I and others are watching your build progress. I think it looks great! 

I do like your new Fairing tool. Good thinking.