Bluenose II by Roubaix - Artesania Latina

[Roubaix]

Guys,

 

My AL Bluenose 2 has been progressing well. I haven't made a log yet. So I figure it's time to make one. The project started in May. I had a lot of help from John Earl(modelboatyard.com). I basically followed his online BN2 instruction. A big thank to him for his guidance with a newbie like me. 

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/10381-newbie-from-the-bay-area/

 

Now, I've completed the first layer of the hull planks. The next step is to add deck planks and second layer of veneer planks on the hull. I really like Bertu's BN color theme. Black bulwarks and unpainted hull.

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/10177-bluenose-ii-by-bertu-artesania-latina-scale-175-fishing-schooner/

 

The Mahogany finishing planks came with the AL kit have a very corse grain. They crack so easily when I try to taper the planks. The edges don't follow my Xacto. They're not smooth. John told me that CrowTimberYard.com sells Swiss pear strips which has a fine grain and much easier to work with and it has that reddish color. So I ordered some of those and waiting for them to arrive.

 

http://www.crowntimberyard.com/swiss-pear-strips.php

 

Now I've started to think about the second layer of planking on the hull. Since this is a finishing layer, I have some concerns.

 

1. Gluing technique. If I put glue on the entire plank and attach it to the hull, there will always be some glue gets pushed to the edge, leaving glue marks. This could be very obvious at the keel where the plank will end. When I was planking the first layer, the glue marks weren't that critical because I could sand them down and they'd be covered by the finishing plank. But this time is the finishing plank. They need to be very clean and beautiful because I will only varnish them, not painting them. Any glue marks or residue would look bad. How to keep them clean? If I don't put glue on the entire length of the plank, only put glue at the bulkheads, will the planks form a solid hull surface for varnishing?

 

2. Where the planks and keel meet. This is the area where I have most of the concern. Each finishing plank has to be perfectly aligned at the keel. At the keel, any gaps or unevenness between two adjacent planks will look very bad in the end. I can't really sand too much because they're thin and too close to the keel. Any tips on how to get the plank/keel joints look very clean and smooth? If you look at the pics below, you will notice there's a bit of gap between the keel and the first layer of planks. Actually, should I fill those gaps with wood filler before putting on the finishing planks?

 

This is my first boat model. I'd like to practice my planking skill a bit more. There were lessons learned while install the base hull planks. I'd like to practice more with the second layer of planking. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

Shaun

 

 

[cwboland]

Great job on the hull planking. I built the same model about two years ago and she came out really well (link to my gallery in signature block). Seems that a lot of first builds tend to lean toward a two-masted schooner of some sort.

 

One tip I've used for glue squeeze out is to wipe it off with a damp rag or paper towel. Just remember that it only needs to be damp and not dripping wet. Works especially well for white or yellow wood/carpenters glue.

[Roubaix]

I was in the middle of changing a job in the last few weeks. So I haven't put much effort in my BN2. The good thing is that I'm back. I found the wood stain I'm looking for at Walmart. It's called Gunstock. See the pic(second from right). It has that rich reddish color, but not very dark. My next step would be double plank the hull. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

I also opened a separate thread in the planking forum. 

 

Thanks guys.

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/11409-double-planking-technique/

 

[jdbradford]

Nice work on your planking.  I built a similar ship in the Endeavor J-class and really struggled with the planking.  It turned out okay as I was painting the hull anyway.  I will continue to watch your progress for ideas.

 

Jeff

[Roubaix]

Some updates here. I've completed the second layer of planking last week. Now I'm thinking about the transom. How should I go about this? I'm thinking about planking the transom, but I just don't trust my skills at the joint where the transom planks meet the hull planks. How should those joints to be handled? If I were to plank the transom, the joints between the transom planks and the hull planks have to be very clean and tidy. I don't plan to paint the hull. Only stain and varnish, that's it.

 

The other way is simpler. Just make a transom piece to cover the bow. I made a draft piece to fit over. It's not glued down or sanded yet. I can make the joint between the hull planks and this transom piece clean and tidy. 

 

Suggestions?

[Roubaix]

Guys,

 

It's been a while since I updated on this. My day job is pretty demanding so I had to go pretty slow on the progress. So I just completed the hull and bulwarks. Now I'm looking to make scuppers, drill some holes and do some light painting on the bulwarks. The next step is to paint and stain the hull. I want a satin or flat black bulwarks and a stained then varnished hull. I don't have any experiences in staining and varnishing a wooden ship model. So I would like to receive some advice here. I looked on Youtube. There're a lot of varnishing videos, but they're all for life size boats, not scale models

 

Can any one share some tips and tricks?

 

Thank you.

 

RB.