US Brig Syren by Redshadowrider - Model Shipways - Scale 1:64 - First wooden ship build

[Redshadowrider]

First Round on Longboat Complete

Here is a series of pictures that depicts how I did my sanding/shaping.  Some of this has been used in shaping balsa pieces on my planes.  I am not saying this is the best, or only way to shape the lifts, just how I do it.

For First Timers:

1. Pick an end to start at. (I chose the wider part at the bow.). This allows for a wider area to start with.  In smaller, or narrower areas, you will find the changing file size and shape a frequent chore.

2.  Try to sand across two lifts each time.  Begin sanding the ridges down I try to vary which 2 lifts I work on.  The intent is to sand the darker laser cut areas away leaving only clean wood.

3.  Since the bow is a wide area, sand evenly across all lifts.  As you do, the darker parts will begin to narrow.  The goal is to remove just enough material to eliminate the lines totally.  However, pay close attention to the thickness of the wood, all lifts.

4. As you follow the steps above, keep drawing the sanding further back narrowing the lines into the narrowest you can get.  Most will simply disappear and if you stop sanding that area as soon as they do, the shape will begin to appear.

5. The narrowest areas at the stern will take several different sanding tools.  Sandpaper wrapped around dowels of different sizes is my way.  Along with mini files and sanding sticks.

6.  Along the way, try dragging a fingernail across the lines.  When you get to the point that you can diminish the amount of sanding in that area.
 

Edited yesterday at 08:12 PM by Redshadowrider

[Redshadowrider]

Dentistry 101

Now it is on to the longboat inside shaping.  All of the sanding steps in my previous post are still relevant.  Removing the biggest part of the burned wood from the lifts is still a good guide.  However, I recommend keeping a sharp lookout right at each lift joint.  Since we sanded enough on the outside to  remove it, the closer you get to it being removed, the thinner the joint is.  Again I have started at the bow concentrating on forming in a good vertical joint bottom to top.  In the picture, you can see the different dremel bits, mini file, and sandpaper.  I constantly switch in order to sand out different parts at different angles and shape.

Picture two is how I check the thickness in the sanded area.  Once you can see the light glowing through the wood…stay away from that area.  The goal, for me, is to remove excess wood in the areas where no light is emitted.

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Redshadowrider