English Pinnace by Tigersteve - FINISHED - Model Shipways

[MEDDO]

The garboard and the first look really nice

[Blue Ensign]

Nicely done Steve, I had to engage in a little shimming too.

 

B.E.

[Tigersteve]

Thank you for the nice comments and likes! Let's talk about the stern for a moment. As we know, a 90 degree twist is needed to get the plank to conform to the shape of the hull. What's also needed is a slight edge-bend towards the keel to get the plank to butt up against the previously laid plank. That's the easy part. 

 

Bending and shaping the plank at the bow is done first. Here are the steps: 1. Create a severe edge-bend using dry heat and let the plank cool completely. 2. Hold the plank to the previously laid plank and note where to snip off the excess. 3. Sand the edge of the plank smooth and at a slight angle to fit into the rabbet. 4. Mark the first few bulkhead locations onto the plank to form the taper. 5. Bend and twist the plank and dry fit into the rabbet for a tight fit. 6. Clamp the entire plank to the hull and add heat. (Steps 5 and 6 are done several times until the plank fits properly.) The plank is then glued. 

 

This process takes a while and is not easy. None of these strategies are new. This is just the way I've applied what I learned from other modeler's logs and methods. 

Steve

[Tigersteve]

Halfway through hull planking. It's not as seamless as desired. 

 

I decided to check the remaining space at the stern. My initial measurements did not show a need for tapering. This is incorrect. Next steps will be to line off the hull towards the stern for the remaining five planks on each side. 

Steve

[Ryland Craze]

Your English Pinnace is coming along very nicely.  Keep up the good work.

[Tigersteve]

Thanks, Ryland. It's pretty difficult. Maybe more so than Chuck's longboat. 

Steve

[Blue Ensign]

Amen to that😉

 

B.E.

[Mickgee]

Hi Steve, what I really like is the fact that smaller boats are in no way lesser quality or easier to build.  Great also the attention you've shown with your jig.  I like.

 

I'd love to follow this further.  Lots that can be learned with project.

 

Michael

 

 

[Tigersteve]

Thank you BE and Michael. I think being part of MSW increases all our skill levels. 

Steve

[Tigersteve]

Two more planks installed. You can tell by the clamping methods that the struggle is real! I'm hoping the additional photos will be helpful to other Pinnace builders. 

 

I'm very tempted to sand, but I will wait until the hull is fully planked. After sanding, I will be collecting the hard maple sawdust to create the wood filler for any visible seams. 

Steve

Edited August 14, 2017 by Tigersteve

[Blue Ensign]

Nice work Steve, planking is looking very good. 

Getting sufficient pressure to hold the planks in place is a problem particularly in the bow area I found, but the strips I glued along the top of the bulkheads did provide an anchor point for the spring clamps.

 

B.E.

[Karleop]

Hola Steve:

You say that it's hard for you to bend the planks even with dry heat. Have you tried to bend the planks after soaking them in water and once dry,  glue them in place?

Saludos Karl

[Tigersteve]

Hi Karl,

The planks bend fine with dry heat. The problem is they loose a bit of their curve after a little while. Also, the bends required for this boat and the longboat are pretty severe. Extra fairing was needed at the bow to get the planks to fit properly into the rabbet. 

 

I tried boiling water to see how it would affect the hard maple, but I didn't like what it did to the wood. 

Steve

[KenW]

Steve:  I just read through your build log and I think it is a great description of your work as well as a informative tutorial to supplement Chuck's manual.

Just one question - what is that unusual clamp in the last photo?  I saw it in an earlier post and there it is again.

Thanks.

[Tigersteve]

Thanks for the compliment, Ken. It's just a small clamp that came with a set I bought a while ago. Here's a link to a similar set. 

HyperTough 8-Piece Hobby Clamp Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AFHANF4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_QGCMzbV3GR569

Steve

[svein erik]

Nicly don, looking farword to see it finish 😊

[Tigersteve]

Two planks remain on each side of the hull. A rough sanding was done with 180 grit sandpaper. More sanding with progressively finer grits of sandpaper is needed later and filling. 

 

Even hard maple gets gets thin enough to become transparent! My planking still needs work.

Steve

Edited August 31, 2017 by Tigersteve

[Tigersteve]

It's been a while since I've made a contribution so here we go. Starboard planking is complete. Still only roughly sanded with 180 grit. I ended up removing the sheer strake to allow clamping of the remaining planks. 

 

Some planks are very thin in some areas especially on the port side. Undecided if I will remove the offending plank on the port side before I close it up. I think some maple sawdust, white glue, and some sanding will smooth out the wrinkled plank. (Yes- wrinkled from being too thin. Not the entire plank only 1 1/4inches.) 

 

The other option is to remove two planks on that side, which means I will have five remaining planks to form. I am leaning away from this option. 

Steve

 

 

Edited September 23, 2017 by Tigersteve

[Blue Ensign]

Looks pretty clean to me Steve, and certainly better than mine was at that stage. Plank thinness seems to have afflicted several builders me included, but unless there is light behind it I found it not to be too problematical once the hull had been varnished, and in my case painted below the waterline.

 

B. E.

[Tigersteve]

Thanks BE! Here's a photo of the plank that will need the repair. The positive is that if I leave it and repair, I can test the limits of these materials. It also saves me weeks in re-planking. Lately, I have not been enjoying the planking process.

 

I will give final thoughts on the planking of the Pinnace v. Longboat when I complete the outer planking. 

Steve

[Blue Ensign]

I felt very much like you do at this stage of the build, quite dissatisfied with the look of the planking in small areas.

I think I would try the fill with sawdust/glue mix where the second plank meets the third, but if the result stood out, I think I would just remove the offending plank and spile a replacement.

If you used pva it should be not too traumatic to remove the plank cutting thro' between the bulkheads, and easing off where glued by careful wetting with a paint brush point on the join.

 

B.E.

[rafine]

Steve, I've become an advocate for the glue and sawdust fill approach and find it very useful to correct minor planking issues. I use two methods: in corners or similar areas, I dip a toothpick in a very small amount of glue and then roll that in sawdust, then push that into the gap and clean it up with a toothpick or a finger; on flat areas, I apply some glue to the area and then sprinkle sawdust liberally on the area. In both instances, I let it set and then sand smooth. It usually does the trick.

 

Bob

[Tigersteve]

Completed planking. Several rounds of sanding concluded with 400 grit sandpaper and Wipe on Poly. I do like the look of the maple when finished. 

 

I am disappointed with the outcome of the repairs and this planking result. I think there were several mistakes leading to this such as impatience, oversanding, and not properly fairing the hull at the bow, 

 

The Pinnace is much more difficult to plank than the Longboat. I think the length and shape of the hull make it difficult to plank. There are several twists and turns as a result. 

 

So the question we must ask is this: do we redo? If I was building this as one of the boats for my Confederacy, I would redo. However, after three months of planking this, I will move forward. To get the planking to the level I want would force me to start the entire planking over. 

 

I'm looking forward to the more fun parts of this project. 

Steve

Edited September 28, 2017 by Tigersteve

[MEDDO]

I think it looks really good and without the macro lens I am sure a regular person wouldn't even notice.

[CaptainSteve]

Agreed. You're being too harsh on yerself, Steve.

[Tigersteve]

Your kind words are much appreciated. Thank you everyone for the likes. Below is a better photo of the finish. 

Steve

[Chuck]

That planking looks outstanding.  

[jct]

I think you're good to go Steve, planking looks fine from here

[Derek C]

Looks real nice Steve ! Planking with hard wood is difficult I have found out , but yours came out sweet. 

[Blue Ensign]

I would have been very happy with that outcome Steve, nicely done.

 

B.E.