Hull planking questions.

[Nate7911]

Hey guys,

 

New here, first build is the HMS Bounty 492 from Billing’s Boats. I’m having an issue where I planked the first 4 rows using a plank bender and as they set over night a couple of them snapped near the bow of the boat. Is there anyway to fix this or do you suggest removing the entire plank and redoing it? Don’t mind the extra work would just rather avoid it if possible.

[barkeater]

I would pull them. If you ran a single continuous plank the entire run of the hull then you can just cut out the bad section. If it is a double planked model and this is the first planking you might be able to get away with gluing and sanding but you have to ask yourself, why did they snap and are more going to snap? Did you fare your bulkheads so that the planks meet the bulkheads over their entire ends? If not this could be your culprit.  Also did you add some scrap wood at the bow to help attachment to the keel? What kind of plank bender did you use? I use an electric steam bender and if I'm going to snap one, it happens when I'm bending and not overnight. I would strongly recommend steam bending if you are not doing it. There are some "plank benders" out there that don't do the job. Having said this, welcome to the wonderful world of ship building. We all have problems and we all learn from solving them.

[ccoyle]

Hi, Nate.

 

A photo would go a long way toward answering your question. Snapping suggests that the plank is experiencing stress that should have been mostly alleviated by a proper planking procedure, so as barkeater pointed out, we first need to determine why the plank snapped. Did you fair the bulkheads before you started planking (have to ask, because every once in a while we see a newcomer skip this important task)? Did you spile the planks? Did you pre-soak and/or pre-bend the planks? What kind of glue are you using? How did you secure the planks while the glue set?

 

Take care!

 

[allanyed]

Lots of great advice above.  You may want to also consider the thickness of the wood and the type.  Many kits seem to use walnut that is very thin and grain is also an issue so splitting is not uncommon compared to other species. 

Dry bending is OK for many species, but not all.

Allan

[Harv33]

I'll jump in with this Plank  Bending problem. What type clamps are used to hold the second layer of planks while glue sets ?. I'm looking at plank screw clamps ?.

[Snow]

Hi guys buy a great book I know it will  answer  most of your  questions .

Frank mastini: ship modeling simplifies cheers snowy 

 

[allanyed]

Harve,

If you taper and spile your planks correctly and pre-bend the planks to some degree you don't need any clamps or pins.   Simply hold them in place with your finger for a minute or so and they will hold.  This is assuming you are using pieces of plank of appropriate length, not one long strake the entire length of the hull and are using aliphatic glue.   Please do read the planking tutorials here at MSW. 

Allan 

[Harv33]

OK, I'm about finished with the second planking. What is the best way to get the planking at the bow and stern to blend in neat and clean with the bow and tail pieces. I'm looking at pictures of completed models and would like to make it look proper.  Thanks,, Harv.

[Gregory]

Very few, double plank kits have a rabbet, which is a kind of groove, where the ends of the planks would sit flush with the stem or stern post.

 

If there is no rabbet, you have to bevel the inside edge and fit it flush with the stem, keel and stern.

 

There are countless good examples here, but I think YT did a particularly good job on his Mamoli Victory..

 

Edited January 23, 2020 by Gregory

[Harv33]

OK Greg, thanks. looks like a bit of fine work to make it look right.

[allanyed]

Harv,

 

Keep in mind that even if there is no rabbet that can be cut into the model, the wales should taper to the same thickness as the planking above and below where they end at the stem.   If there were a rabbet and they were not tapered, the rabbet would have needed to be a different width at the wales and that was not the case as far as I have ever seen. 

 

I am curious about the bow area in the photo.   Does anyone know if the planking over this area is something called for in the kit?  

 

Allan

[Gregory]

43 minutes ago, allanyed said:

I am curious about the bow area in the photo.   Does anyone know if the planking over this area is something called for in the kit?  

The older Mamoli kits all had the stem and keel as part of the plywood backbone, and the instructions call for the veneer covering.

This is also the case with many other kits that do not provide separate stem and keel parts..  My Corel Resolution is a good example.

Edited January 24, 2020 by Gregory

[TomA]

Since this first plank on bulkhead model I am probable asking dumb questions.  The keel and frame are completed and I m going to try to plank it.  The wood strips in the kit are 1.5mm x 4 mm.  There are 7 frames approx. 1" apart. and the model will be approx 10 long.  I would like to replace the existing strips with strips that are 1/32" x 3/16", which are  approx. 1/2 as thick.  I thought they would be much easier to manipulate.  Do you think this would be a good idea.  Thanks in advance.

Tom Anderson

[Gregory]

It would be hard to speculate if it would be a good idea for you.   Proper planking requires some bending in at least two diminutions, and the thinner planks, depending on the wood type, may be less forgiving.

 

You would really do well to check out the planking articles here:

 

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