Probably the dumbest planking question ever....

[mtaylor]

I've never seen it anywhere so I need to ask....

 

On a POF, why do a lot of builders do the interior first?   Is this just mis-perception on my part... or...?  I would think the exterior would be better first since a variety of clamps could be used without damaging the interior planks.  Then the interior could be planked using spales instead of clamps.

 

I hope someone can set me straight before I proceed much further doing the exterior first.

Edited April 5, 2015 by mtaylor

[popeye the sailor]

this must be the planking question,  I hear tell about     well.........let's see........hmmmmmmm.   I guess it would depend on the build.   for me,  I like to do the hull first,   mostly for the reason you stated.    I use pins mostly,  and I clamp very little........if I'm able to bend the planking,  so much the better.   if a deck platform is to be used,  sometimes planking before faring can be a good thing,  but I wouldn't do a seal coat until the hull is planked.

 

on a build like yours Mark......I'm sure you left provision for the deck beams........plank your hull 

[druxey]

I can only speculate, but perhaps some builders delay the external planking is because they are scared of its complexity.

[russ]

Mark:

I have always planked the outside first, but that is how I learned to do it. It just seems the natural way to do it. I can see adding clamps and stringers on the inside beforehand to stiffen the hull, but past that, I do not know of a reason to plank the inside first.

 

Russ

[Jim Lad]

I agree with the others, Mark; I can't really see any reason to plank the inside first.

 

John

[augie]

Neither can I.  But let me ask an even dumber question ---- what was the practice on the real ships of the period?

[cdogg]

I've only planked two models, it was easier to do the deck before putting on the side planks, sanding off the rough edges.

[mtaylor]

Thanks gentleman.   I guess I'm not doing it wrong or doing it right for the wrong reasons then.     This is just one of those questions that's always sat in the back corner of my brain and had me wondering.

 

 

Augie,

Outside first, as I recall.  I've heard reasons and they all made sense.  Weather, stiffen things up so the beams, etc. allow the wood to season more on the outside. 

[Jaager]

I have read a lot of articles covering POF techniques and I can't recall any where the ceiling was applied first. But in most of them - the outside planking was completely or partially omitted to show the frames. 

 

Russ exactly stated my thoughts on how it should be done.

 

In real practice, I think it was also done as Russ stated.

One - I think the outside planking was thru doweled and thru nailed.  The inside planking would be messed up if was present.

Two - in many vessels, the space between the frames was filled with rock salt as the ceiling went up, so the planking would need to be there.

 For models

I am of the Underhill school of belt and suspenders ( glue and dowels for all joining ).   In this case, the planking is held by lil pins with hutchcocks instead of clamps - the pin holes being later enlarged to trunnel diameter.  It does mean that the lil pin locations need to match the final trunnel pattern.

[trippwj]

I can only speak for my current Emma C. Berry build - the instructions called for doing the interior ceiling before the exterior.  I debated, but found it made sense - in order to get the exterior planking correct, the covering board along the top of the frames needs to be installed.  This, in turn, necessitates adding the deck beams first.  Once the deck beams are in place, working space on the interior is very restricted.

 

As to "real world" practice, I have seen both approaches described.

[GuntherMT]

In this case, the planking is held by lil pins with hutchcocks instead of clamps - the pin holes being later enlarged to trunnel diameter.  It does mean that the lil pin locations need to match the final trunnel pattern.

 

Umm... what's a hutchcock?  Inquiring minds want to know!

[Jaager]

It is a small piece of wood (end cuts/ scrap usually) at the end of the pin.  Just pinning a plank to a frame is good for locating it, but it does not apply much downward clamping pressure. If you use the pinhead to apply the pressure, a dent larger the the trunnel is often made.  If the pin is thru doweled, the piece of wood is between the pinhead and the plank.  If the pin hole is shallow, the pin is bent above the wood piece to apply the pressure. 

If you want to go old school, the wood piece is split off and the pin nipped at the plank surface.  You then have brass trunnels.  If you want  wood or bamboo trunnels, the whole hutchcock is removed and the pin hole bored to match the trunnel diameter.