USF Constitution by cookster - Model Shipways - kitbashed to 1812

[BRiddoch]

Looking great Wes.  Your planking is coming out very clean.

 

         Bob R.

[cookster]

Thanks Bob and Wolf!

 

Hey, I'm promoted!!

[cookster]

A few housekeeping issues:

 

I got tired of all the planks not being the same width, so I finally broke down and set up a fence on my spindle sander to sand them all to a consistent width.  It's not perfect but it works.

 

And, as a former body repairman I know the value of sanding blocks.  I've been fighting keeping the sheer line of each plank perfect (yes I said perfect)    by trimming and edge sanding before gluing each plank.  I've known all along all I needed was a way to sand the plank edge to straighten it up.  I've been using a sanding block with paper wrapped around 3 sides, which works great for some things but not this.

 

The sandpaper on the bulkhead side sands the bulkhead, not what's needed.

So I took a piece of 1/4" PVC I had and stuck a piece of 180 sticky back to it, then trimmed it so only the 1/4 face has sandpaper on it.  And viola, a sanding block to edge sand planks.  It works great!

[augie]

Been following along quietly.  You're doing one heck of a job here.  Very nice.

[cookster]

Thank you Augie, been watching your Confed in quiet admiration as well!  One day I'll start mine.  I want to get this planking done so I can move on to the deck, etc, which will be very tedious.  That will be a good time to start Confed, although I must day I'm forcing myself to wait.  I'm gonna make the stem from swiss pear as a first step, so I'm getting anxious!

[cookster]

St-iiiiiiiii-L planking......  Had to leave my first gap in in between strakes.  Didn't want to but it was necessary to get the strakes back in line.  This will be a good time to try out filler and test how it does when it put the finish on.  I also had to use a too thin plank at the bow to get the stakes back in line.  I know why, wasn't being careful enough with my plank widths.  Another lesson learned!

 

Counter isn't that great but I'm learning...  The other side should be better, and thank goodness I'm painting this one!

[augie]

She's a big girl.  I'm sure you'll work out the little section of filler/finish.  One day, you and I need to build a double planked model

[patrickmil]

Planking is still looking great! And did you say gap? What gap?

[cookster]

Augie, double planked?  Are you nuts?  To paraphrase Chuck, "why do double work?"  Or am I missing something here...

 

Patrick, it's there but I purposely avoided a close up of it.

[Geoff Matson]

Looks great. You are doing a great job. Just take your time and will have her all planked before you know it.

[augie]

Augie, double planked?  Are you nuts?  To paraphrase Chuck, "why do double work?"  Or am I missing something here...

 

Patrick, it's there but I purposely avoided a close up of it.

I do agree with Chuck.....provided you can get it right the first time.  But I think others, who have been raised on double planked, think the single plank guys are nuts    .

[cookster]

Thanks Geoff.  Yes, one day she'll be fully planked.  When I get to cannon tackle, or rigging, I may wish for planking again...  Tying all those little blocks seems like fun for the first few, but for the next hundred plus -  not so much...

 

Augie, I can see the logic of double planking for some parts of the hull, but if I had to plank all those gunports a second time I think I'd give up and go back to plastic...

[texxn5]

Hi Wes, this is looking really good.  I just visited the ship a couple of weeks ago.  Several of us have recent photos if you should need anything concrning the current configuration.  Nice photos.

[cookster]

Thanks John!

[cookster]

Well.......  so I'm still planking....  Starting to worry a tad about the bow.  I thought it was supposed to start taking a big up-turn at the stem.  It is turning up but it isn't as steep as I though it would be.  Am I doing something wrong?  I am tapering and trying my best to keep the strakes in line, maybe I'm being paranoid since I am new to this.

 

I'm 2 belts of 5 below the wales on the port side, am about to switch to the starboard side. I do think I've finally got the counter figured out - at least until I hit the stern post   And working up from the garboard plank at the bottom...

OK, pics...

[cookster]

Finally made time to play around with my proposed finishing method for this model.

Black Aniline Dye

 

My 2 reasons:

1.) I hate brush marks.  I know I could use Chuck's, and Dirk's, and others method of severely thinning down paint and applying many, many coats but that doesn't appeal to me at all.

 

2.) I've sanded away all the varying heights of the planks and carefully tried to eliminate any gaps between planks,  This had to be done to get the hull smooth.  (my car refinishing background bites me in the butt again!)  But I did want to preserve the character of each plank and I'm pretty sure painting would have covered up the look of individual planks. It would've instead looked like one LARGE single piece of wood.  Definitely not what I want.

 

Dye's, and to a lesser degree stains, should leave each plank looking like individual planks.  But Dyes do not cloud the wood grain like stain.  And, it penetrates mush deeper into the wood.  Lots of people use dye to stain pearwood to look like ebony.  I have yet to do this myself but I am going to try it.

 

So I made a test sample and dyed it today.  Looks just like I want, in fact even better that I hoped!  You can still see  each plank.

 

 

The pics don't really show it but once I put the finish on I think it will look just right and you'll be able to see it better. I have to wait 24 hrs before adding the finish, so hopefully tomorrow I'll know how this will look.

 

I also dyed a few pieces by soaking them in the dye.  I plan on making another test panel to see how deep I can sand without cutting through the dye.  This is so I can sand down an area that has to be tapered, such as the Wales into the hull.  This will be necessary on future builds.

 

I will also make a third test panel to test painting white and green over the black dye to see just how bad the coverage is going to be.  My guess is horrible, but since the paint is thick maybe I'l be surprised....

Edited September 29, 2013 by cookster

[augie]

Planking looks to be coming along well.

 

Let me express my appreciation of your efforts to get the coloring you want.  I'm sure it will be terrific.

[cookster]

Thanks Augie!  I'm sure people will roll their eyes wondering what the heck?  But if this turns out like I want it should be really nice.  I've used dyes finishing  furniture and I really like them.  So we'll see where this goes..

 

If dyes work out like I hope, the colors on my future Confederacy should be a amazing (sorry for the lack of humility on that one!)

[rafine]

Very nice job on the planking, Wes. I've never tried the dye, but it seems to be working well for you.

 

Bob

[patrickmil]

Wes, can you let us know where we can get these wonderful dyes? And is there a particular brand name for the one you have used? I ask because I really like the look you have achieved with your samples and would consider doing this prior to planking when I start on my Connie.

[cookster]

Patrick, you can get aniline dyes at any larger fine woodworkers supply type place (not Lowes or Depot  ), although you have to look for them in some cases.  I got mine from Woodworkers Supply, http://woodworker.com/c-Finishes/wood-stains-dyes/.  

 

There are three types of Dyes, with each type having varying colors available.  Water based, alcohol based and oil based.  I used alcohol based. Water based raises the wood grain, I don't like that.  Oil based has to be mixed in a finishing medium (oil, shellac, etc) but can be thinned, and limits re-coating to some degree (if required).  Alcohol based penetrates deep into the wood and doesn't raise the grain.

http://woodworker.com/alcohol-soluble-brt-yellow-golden-oak-aniline-dye-mssu-845-541.asp

 

In this case I used ebony black, 846-850, dissolved in denatured alcohol.  There are LOTS of colors available, you can even custom mix them if you want, although I never have.  I wish I'd thought of dyes earlier in my build, I would've dyed my inner bullwark and gunport planks before applying them.  Oh well...  I have used red dyes on cherry make the grain "pop" and give it that rich, deep red color without clouding the grain. It's a subtle difference vs stain, but if your a furniture finish snob like me you can tell the difference    !

 

Oh, and just like anything else if you ask 10 different furniture guys about dyes you'll get 10 different opinions, none either wrong or right - this is just what works for me...

 

The pics above don't do the sample justice, I hope adding the finish makes it really pop!

 

Anyway, good luck!!

[patrickmil]

For a finish are you just planning on using a poly? Like you, I enjoy a good bit of woodworking and will most likely apply what I'm learning about these dyes on some of my projects.

[cookster]

I'm gonna use wipe on Poly.  If I didn't have to paint the white stripe and bullwark green on top of the poly I'd probably use danish or tung oil. I will probably oil a lot of the bits and pieces down the road....  Just not the hull 

Oil finishes are puurrrrr-tee 

[cookster]

So here's pics after some wipe on Poly.  This is after 3 coats, it probably needs a few more.  But, not too bad -  and it does look much better in person.  You can clearly see each plank and that's what I was looking for.

Black is really hard for me to photograph too....  Need some real lights

 

Anyway, I'll add a few more coats of poly, basswood is really soft and soaks it up.  Hardwood wouldn't be near this difficult to get a nice satin sheen on.

Next is painting on the white stripe.

 

[augie]

I can see the individual planks as well as the grain.  It looks exactly like well painted wood planking

[cookster]

Yea Augie, I think it will work.  Looks even better now with a couple more coats of poly.  Can't wait to try this on some hardwood when I get to Confed, one day.

[patrickmil]

Wes, I am definitely going to be using this dye method when I get started on my Connie. I like the idea of being able to install pre-colored planks. Your samples look really sharp with the poly on them.

[AndyMech]

Beginner question, if you don't mind:  Do you use a water or oil based wipe on poly?

[cookster]

Andy, I use oil based.  I have used water based and it performs well, but it will raise the grain.  It also goes on a little thick and "plastic" looking for me. But that's only personal preference.  But cleanup is a breeze, you can't beat soap and water!

 

I'm old school when it comes to furniture finish. I was raised with enamel paints, mineral spirits and turpentine, so I'm not bothered my the "smells".  

In fact, one of my favorite childhood memories is of the sign shop a good friend of my dad owned. Whenever I smell mineral spirits I immediately think of him and his sign shop.  He painted everything by hand.  The most beautiful lettering you've ever seen, freehand!  Thinned that paint down and man did it flow, just like the guys that stripe cars...

 

Anyhoo, any of the oils rub in beautifully, so does wipe on poly.  Brush on leaves brush marks no matter how careful you are.  I know this is only a ship model, but I will strive to make it look as good as I can.  I'm using poly in this case because I have to paint over it, not sure how well that would work on tung or danish oil.

[AndyMech]

Thanks for the reply - I'm very new to wood so a lot of the finishing is still magic to me.

 

If I can ask, why put a wipe on poly on before painting?  I'm thinking ahead to painting the outside of my Constitution cross section and was planning on just priming the wood before painting, probably acrylic paint, many coats.  I saw your dyeing post and was intrigued - the results look great.

 

Andy.