HM Brig Supply by Jobbie - Caldercraft - Scale 1:64

[Jobbie]

Bugger. I’ve nicked the stern post. 🙄

 

This view shows how the horizontal formers now undercut the stern pattern slightly to accommodate the planking width. 

[Jobbie]

And now to consider deck planking.

Having a search of other build logs, it’s generally accepted that the average length of the deck planks on British contemporary vessels is about 21 feet. I decided to double check that with the information I have on hand. 

 

Using the book John McKay’s “Anatomy of the Ship- The 100-gun ship Victory”, I measured the length of the planks in the very well detailed 1:192 scale drawings: 33.2mm. Converted to imperial= 1.28 inches. 1.28” x 192 (scale) = 245.76”. Divided by 12 = 20.48 feet. 21’ will do.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2018 by Jobbie
Better photo.

[Jobbie]

I used the excel deck planking utility here:

 

http://modelshipworldforum.com/ship-model-framing-and-planking-articles.php

 

at 1:64 scale, 21’ is 100mm. I’ll use a four-shift pattern, because it’s the one shown in the drawings of the Victory. 👍🏼

[Jobbie]

Plank intervals at 25mm, measured from the forward edge of the quarterdeck, look pretty much right to me. 

[Jobbie]

I’ve drawn a rough outline of the Supply deck on the planking utility. It’s not symmetrical, left and right of the king plank.  I’m thinking of following the pattern on port only, then flipping it over to plank starboard. Would this be a heinous error? Is symmetry even a thing with decks? 

[Jobbie]

I’ve found this image of the original Supply plans within the model ship world forum. I’m going to reduce the width of the main hatch on my model slightly to match the plan. 

 

However, I can’t match the plan exactly. The quarterdeck would only be half the length. It’s already too late for that. 

[Thunder]

Hi, I prefer to keep symmetrical but remember that you have to maintain either the 3 or 4 shift butt system, which ever you chose. I also often see that people lay the king plank and those either side with short pieces and butts showing. This may be correct but I just think that the carpenters of the time would of allowed for the fact that there was gratings etc. In real practice the gratings would have been done first and then the decking. Therefore, unless there was a very long distance between gratings, you wouldn't see any butts between planks. This would mean, that in your case, the king plank and at least the first three either side could be laid in one length.

 

What do others think?

[Thunder]

Two more points to note with your model that effect the deck and that I encountered when I built her:

 

• I know that you are modelling her as built but just in case check your drawings. On mine the gun ports and cannon positions varied between the deck drawing and the hull profile drawing.
• The quarter deck is shown with a grating, ever since building I wish I had not put a grating there, it just seems so improbable to have a grating into the accommodation quarters.

[Dan Vadas]

Regarding the difference in length of the quarterdeck. Supply as originally built (as per the plans above) had a short deck which was extended before her journey with the 1st Fleet to Australia. She was also re-armed with 4 six-pounder guns and four carronades. So it really depends on which version you want to build. The Jotika/Caldercraft kit is reasonably close to the 1st Fleet version.

 

Thunder's point on the planking between hatches is a valid one. Full length planks (20 to 25 feet) would have been used wherever possible with no butt joints between hatches over this distance. The 3 or 4 shift pattern would start from the first planks outside of the hatches. From memory Supply used a 3 shift pattern, 4 or 5 shift patterns were used on larger ships.

 

Danny

[Jobbie]

Brilliant feedback, gentlemen. Just what I was after. I was thinking about the hatches, gratings and intervals last night, and I totally agree with Thunder. I’ll make the planks that are less than 21 scale feet continuous. 

 

My intention was to build this kit totally out-of-box, but there are features that I believe to be incorrect, so I’ll try to improve on them.

 

I believe the forward hatch hatch on the main deck is a companionway, so I’ll not cap it with four beams. I think it’s reasonable that beams as shown were utilised in foul weather, but they would be a bugger to remove and install any time a crewman had to go below. Instead, I’ll place a single hinged top-plate with an “iron” handle. Ideally, I would have preferred to install a false deck with a stairway, but I’ll just not bother.

 

I’ll construct the main hatch as advertised, but I’ll reduce its width by one plank each side so there’s less interference with the canon’s train-tackle. I believe it’s essential that the main hatch remains as large as practicable because it is, as the name suggests, a supply vessel. 

 

I also believe it’s improbable that there is a grating on the quarterdeck. I’ll probably make a skylight, so I might reduce the size of the hole both in length and width. But I’ll ponder that a bit more over the next few days. 

[Jobbie]

Well, I’ve gone and changed my mind again. Many more to come. (I’m glad you don’t have to watch how long it takes me to choose the next brand of tea at the shops, unlike my long-suffering wife.)

 

I’ll plank the deck in a 3-shift pattern rather than a 4-shift, as per Danny’s advice. As a result, I’ve erased the 25mm butt-lines and redrawn 33.3mm butt-lines on the false deck. (4-shift = 100mm plank in quarter length, 3-shift = 100mm plank in one-third lengths.) 

 

I’ve also decided that I won’t fit continuous planking between hatches, etc. No logic involved, just a personal preference after looking at lots of other builds on this wonderful site.

 

I’ve reduced the width of the main hatch by fitting a planking strip each side. 

 

I’m shortening the quarterdeck hole size by fitting a support beam at the rear to fit two planks lengthways. 

 

I’m using a sharpie permanant marker on one side and front face of each deck plank to act as caulking. I can’t find my regular chisel-point pen, so I used a normal bullet-point pen. I don’t like it, so I’ll buy a new one tomorrow. 

 

All of this makes for a rather messy deck at the moment. But I’m on my way! It’ll come good, don’t you worry about that.

Edited May 13, 2018 by Jobbie

[Jobbie]

It’s just a quick representation of the required pattern for feeble-minded noobs like me. I found it useful for scale conversion. 

[Jobbie]

[Dan Vadas]

The two tiny pieces of planking between the mast and hatch are exactly what I was talking about before - NO WAY would the real ship have been planked like that. It's not too late to pull them up and replace them with a single piece.

 

Danny

[Jobbie]

Ok. I don’t like the look of the plank that’s 3 left-of-centre anyway.

[Thunder]

You have to remember that, although it was important to have the planking look right, it had to be practical. Small lengths of plank would be very hard to fix securely so it would be unlikely to happen.

 

With your third plank is it that it is narrower? If cutting your planking to scale length before starting make sure they are all the same width. Otherwise cut to length as you go along and make sure that for one strip of planks that they are all cut from the same piece. They make all look the same width but those tiny differences will show and make it very difficult to get the planking to run parallel to each other.

[Thunder]

You may have to have similar thoughts when you get near to the margin plank and bulwarks. would they stick to 'it has to be 20ft' or would they hold the odd longer length plank in reserve so that they don't end up fitting a little odd piece in the corner. This was not an issue with my Supply but the curves of Pickle made it an issue when completing her decking. 

[Dan Vadas]

Here's another tip for you. Stack 7 or 8 planks together, tape each end tightly and edge-sand them all together using a sanding block until all rough-sawn edges are smooth and the planks are an even width. Taping them together makes the stack more manageable.

 

You can also apply most of your "caulking" while the stack is still taped up. An "Archival Ink" pen works very well for this, as the ink won't bleed like a regular felt pen. You can buy one at Eckersley's Art & Craft in Hamilton, or maybe at Office Supplies in Newcastle West. Get the "Brush" tip style. They're not cheap, but worth the extra cost.

 

Danny

[Dan Vadas]

2 hours ago, Y.T. said:

Hi Danny, do you use black color archival ink pen for deck plank caulking or other colors?

Regards

Yuriy

I've only ever used black. You could use a dark brown I suppose, if there is one - I haven't actually looked for one.

 

Danny

[Jobbie]

This is all good stuff. I'll tell my daughter we're off to Eckersley's art supplies tomorrow. Who knows...The Minister of Finance may be coerced into going to Frontline Hobbies if I don't give them all the details prior to setting out. Haha!

[Dan Vadas]

7 hours ago, Jobbie said:

The Minister of Finance may be coerced into going to Frontline Hobbies if I don't give them all the details prior to setting out. Haha!

. I suppose you already know, Frontline has opened another store just up the road next to Norm Fraser Motorcycles?

 

Danny

[Jobbie]

Hell yeah! Been there already. 

[Jobbie]

Better?

[Jim Rogers]

Much better.

[Dan Vadas]

Yep .

 

Danny

[Ryzuhr]

On 5/16/2018 at 12:45 PM, Dan Vadas said:

Here's another tip for you. Stack 7 or 8 planks together, tape each end tightly and edge-sand them all together using a sanding block until all rough-sawn edges are smooth and the planks are an even width. Taping them together makes the stack more manageable.

 

You can also apply most of your "caulking" while the stack is still taped up. An "Archival Ink" pen works very well for this, as the ink won't bleed like a regular felt pen. You can buy one at Eckersley's Art & Craft in Hamilton, or maybe at Office Supplies in Newcastle West. Get the "Brush" tip style. They're not cheap, but worth the extra cost.

 

Danny

Question for a newbie. I have been reading through logs and trying to learn what I can before starting my first build. I have seen a lot of reference to "caulking" and my first impression is the sealant gun used between tiles/boards. Am I right in thinking that the brush-tip ink pen is run along the edge of the planks (before being glued down) to simulate what it would look like if they were sealed, as if on the real ship?

 

Thanks!

Andrew

Edited May 21, 2018 by Ryzuhr

[Dan Vadas]

17 minutes ago, Ryzuhr said:

Am I right in thinking that the brush-tip ink pen is run along the edge of the planks (before being glued down) to simulate what it would look like if they were sealed, as if on the real ship?

 

Exactly Andrew . On the real ship they used hot tar. There was a gap of approximately 1/2" between the planks to accept the caulking.

 

Simulating the caulking also delineates the planks on the model, making the individual planks easier to see. Don't overdo it however, "less is more" in this case.

 

Danny

[Ryzuhr]

Good to know! Thanks for the quick response.

[Jobbie]

Because the bulwark bulkheads are still in place, I won’t be able to complete the decking until I cut them flush at deck level. So I’ll move on to planking the hull. I’ll use a combination of planking screws and pins.

[Jobbie]

A good soak in water allows the wood to be gradually manipulated into a bend just by using the fingers.