Chuck's planking videos...

[mtaylor]

I've seen quite a few posts referencing that these exist and apparently some are having a hard time to find them.   I hope Chuck doesn't mind but I'm putting the links here.   

 

[Guest]

So... at the onset he basically maps out on the frames/bulkheads where each and every plank is going to go and then shapes and bends each plank accordingly....and ends up perfect.  Do I have that right?

[Ulises Victoria]

Easier said than done. 

[Guest]

When he says "no water", does he mean just for the one type of bend he demonstrates, or does he advocate no water period?

[twintrow]

Thanks Mark for posting.  Very helpful.

 

Tom

[Chuck]

I advocate no water.   You really dont need it.   For the kinds of bends we are talking about,  the heat does the trick.  There will be some spring-back......but just overbend to begin with.   The key is to line-off the hull first.  Its easier when you have a plan.

 

That is described here.

 

http://modelshipworldforum.com/resources/Framing_and_Planking/Lining%20Off%20your%20hull%20for%20planking.pdf

 

 

And another by David Antscherl here....... where he cuts the planks to shape rather than bend it in that third plane.

 

http://modelshipworldforum.com/resources/Framing_and_Planking/Planking%20primer.pdf

 

But lining off the hull is half the battle.  Then realizing the planks are bent and not straight to fit the hull properly in that edge-wise plane.  Whatever way you eventually get it there.  But force bending a straight plank is a really frustrating way to fight through planking.  IMHO

 

[slow2cool]

Mark and Chuck

Thanks for posting. I never saw this before. I can't wait for my next build to try this out.

Will this work on all types of wood???

Joe

[Nirvana]

Mark and Chuck

Thanks for posting. I never saw this before. I can't wait for my next build to try this out.

Will this work on all types of wood???

Joe

Joe,

 

Most woods yes, some are more prone to spring back than others.

I used water and heat in combo for my Longboat, next build I will try the heat option only.

Wood will expand in water; once drying, strips can get a little shorter and also the width.

It may not be much, but can have hull twisting issues where you have "spot glued" to frames.

 

Only my two cents

[Ulises Victoria]

Too bad the camera was at the opposite side of what he was actually doing.     

[CaptainSteve]

Chuck, I noticed in your vids where you mention that the garboard strake needs to be positioned correctly.

Could you please tell us HOW you determine the proper positioning of this plank ??

Edited July 19, 2016 by CaptainSteve

[Chuck]

Yes....by lining off the hull.  In general you will be able to see if your planks are measured so they taper too much against the stem.  If so move the garboard back at the bow to give you more room to make the planks at the bow wider.  For me it is just trial and error but after many hulls you get a good idea of where it should be.  But there is always re-tweeking and lining off the hull more than once at the bow to get it looking just right before you make any sawdust with your planks.

[Guest]

But lining off the hull is half the battle.  Then realizing the planks are bent and not straight to fit the hull properly in that edge-wise plane.  Whatever way you eventually get it there.  But force bending a straight plank is a really frustrating way to fight through planking.  IMHO

 

 

 

Forgive me please for being new to all the terminology, but what is force bending (or, asked another way, what do we call the sort of bending shown in the video)?

Edited July 19, 2016 by Sunsanvil

[yamsterman]

I can vouch for chucks heat bending with no water.

just used the same method to bend 3/32" x 1/4" boxwood for the washington galley.......first row of thickstuff.

 

it works!!!!!!

cheers....mick

[EJ_L]

Great videos and good advice. I will give the dry bending a try on my next build. I'm always up for learning new techniques and anything that helps to speed up the process of planking while still providing a nice finish I am all for trying.

[Chuck]

Yes just a few drops....on each bulkhead.   Applied with a toothpick. Only in rare circumstances will I glue the edges of the planks.  I havent found the need to do that.  I only use CA for the planking by-the-way.  Once the planking is over I switch to tite-bond.   I just hate waiting for the planks to set with it so I use CA instead.  I havent had an issue at all.

[Chuck]

No not exactly.  The plank is first bent edgewise as shown and then bent the other way as needed.  The one plank on the video if I remember correctly was lower on the hull and didnt require any bending the other way.  It was so slight that I didnt need to.   But in almost all cases the plank is pre shaped so that it immediately sits against the bulkhead edges.   Thats why you dont have to clamp them.  The CA dries so quick that its an immediate bond.  Its only when folks dont pre-shape that some sort of clamp is required.

 

I glue two bulkheads at a time and work my way across the hull in scale lengths.   Yes there is sanding butnot that much.   If the planks fit well than not much sanding is required.

 

Just like this plank below.....the plank is always bent edge-wise first and then the other way so its completely pre-shaped to fit so no extra bending is needed.  In this case below I pre-spiled the plank with a laser cutter edge-wise, but if I was using a plain strip like in the video....it would have been bent to look just like this before gluing.

 

 

Here is some more detail

 

Here is a straight plank as if I were going to place it on the hull.  It could be at the bow or at the stern.   Most beginners would try to force this into place and the top edge of the plank would lift off the hull and not sit flush against the bulkheads.  Some fight with it using pins and clamps and it gets messy.   Holding it without bending like shown reveals the gap .  Note the widest point of that gap.

 

 

Mark this location as the center of the gradual curve you will need.

 

 

In the next picture,  after bending,    you can see how nice it fits and how it is flush against the bulkheads.  No forcing needed.  Its a perfect fit.    Note the dot I marked on the plank for the apex of the curve or the widest part of the gap..You could use the compass method or the tape method to find the exact curve,  but I prefer to eyeball it like this.   Visually its easy to see the curve after a little practice.   I always over bend slightly.

 

 

Now all I have to do is bevel the edge that meets the plank already on the hull for a tight fit (just knock off the edge as in the video) and darken the seem as I did in the video with pencil and glue it on.  You can see that in this rare instance not much bending other than edge-bending was needed because it was low on the hull.

[Chuck]

I think this article may explain lining off the hull and finding the curved shape better.  It is more descriptive.  The version on the NRG site is the power-point from this longer article which is the chapter for the Winchelsea book.  Seeing as its taking so long to complete that project I will release the longer version on planking below the wales here.  Its seems like the right place/time to do it.  In this case however I didnt write about pre-bending edgewise.....I was cutting the spiled edge from a sheet.  It really doesnt matter how you achieve the edge-wise bend...either pre cutting from a sheet or bending as shown in the video.  Its just important that you do.

 

Then bend it the other way with heat and also give any needed twist to the plank so its completely shaped before gluing it on the hull.  That is the secret to a well-planked hull.

winplankingbelowwales.pdf

[dgbot]

Another thing you have to think about is the species of wood you are using.  Is it flexible or stiff as a board.  I have found using the right type of wood helpful when planking and bending.  

David B

Edited July 20, 2016 by dgbot

[GuntherMT]

With as useful as these videos are, I vote that they be added to one of the pinned threads, or this thread be pinned in the forum.  The techniques shown in the videos are something that I think everyone should be able to find easily.

[WackoWolf]

I agree with Brian. This should be put where everyone can very easily find in, like in the tips section under Planking. But this is just me.

[barryww]

Really takes the mystery out of how you do it.  And the pictures speak for themselves as to the method.  Thank you much for the article.

[rdestefano01]

Theres just one thing I dont understand about lining the hull with tape or string.  If the number of planks is 20 or 24 or any number that is equally divided by 4 then there is no problem because the hull will be divided into 4 sections. But my question is what if you are working with 23 planks? with the first lining of tape that divides the hull in two, does it follow the increment marked for plank 11 or 12? or do I divide the hull at the true center which would be in the center of the 11th plank or  11 1/2.  I don't know how to ask this question if this doesn't make sense I totally understand. 

[Chuck]

Its simple really....you determine the max width for a plank by choosing the scale widths that were actually used on that vessel.  Its not a random choice.  Should you end up with an odd number of planks after doing so,  then just make one belt with one less strake in it.  They need not be all the same.   But depending on the size of the ship and country of origin....choose the correct width accordingly.   It could be eight inches....it could be 10 or 12".  It depends on the ship.  The period etc.   It doesnt have to be equally divided.

[rdestefano01]

awsome! I just had one of those moments when it suddenly makes sense ( I love these moments).  Thank you Chuck!   I cant believe It's so hard to find the actual width and length of hull planks used on the HMS Surprise on the internet.

 

Rob

[Matrim]

This is useful, especially as I just planked (thankfully) the inner layer on my last kit using the water bend - dry on kit method which was fine for the sides but horrible for the front so am well up for planking 'better'

[rdestefano01]

Hi guys,  I'm still just alittle confused. Can we spile above the wales? I dont know how I would measure each plank width with no consistant reference at the top. Also the kit calls for wales after everything is planked. Can I just spile plank the entire thing from top to bottom then add wales? maybe use a waterline jig to draw a horizontal line as high as i can almost to the main deck and start from there? ( the pic is 1/48 HMS Surprise, not mine but what I want to build soon)

 

Rob

[Chuck]

That is quite the odd shaped hull at the bow.  But yes you can spile all of the planking.  Usually it is those under the wales that need it most but looking at your bow shape....I am truly at a loss.   So yes probably.  I cal tell from teh photos that the bulkheads were not faired nearly enough.  That probably contributed to the odd shape.  

 

Chuck

[rdestefano01]

Thank you Chuck.  No its not mine, it's just a picture I found online. Though Its the model I want to build.  From all of the build logs of this kit i've seen the instructions have them plank from where the wale would be up to the top, then from the wale down, then finaly add the wales. so I just got alittle confused and found this picture that  I thought illustrated what i was asking.  I am actually still yet to build me first model. though I'm doing tons of research in preperation.

 

Thank you Chuck!

 

Rob

[mtaylor]

Rob,

 

You can add the wales as such after planking.  Usually it's just another thin plank over the planking such that the wales stand proud from the rest of the planks. I did it on my current build since the top wale plank I used is thin ebony.  Point of order though... French frigates of the era did wales a bit (quite a bit, actually) differently than the English or Americans.

[rdestefano01]

Thanks Mark, I just got confused for a little. With the wales being used as a reference for spiling. I just didnt know what to do without the wales as reference. I think now i have an idea of what I am going to do. I didnt know wales were different depending on country...interesting.