Half Hull Planking Kit by Dsmth20639 - NRG - 1:48

[Dsmith20639]

I will be building the half hull planking kit to improve my planking before I start my next model that requires planking. I am currently building a solid hull skipjack in another build log so this log will go slowly as I have free time between building the skipjack.

 

Mounted the plans on a foam board and  removed and laid out the keel parts.

 

[Dsmith20639]

Created the rabbet and glued the keel, keelson, stem and stemson onto the building board.

Started deepening the slots 1/16". I had a problem deepening the slots because the part to be removed was glued to the backing board. It would have been a lot easier work if I had not applied glue to the areas just beneath the slots. The glue made removal of the wood more difficult.

Checked the transition from the rabbet onto each frame as I went along.

 

[Dsmith20639]

added frames E thru 4 and began installing spacers . Needed a shim between frames D and C.

 

[Dsmith20639]

Continuing adding frames and support blocks. One frame needed a 1/32 shim to be added to the support block. Also added deadwood and trimmed rabbet to bearding line,

[Dsmith20639]

Added frame 5b but didn't need to add a scrap basswood piece as 5b ended up flush to the rabbet.

Added frames Ga and Gb with a filler between Ga and Gb.

Added frame H. Sill need to refine where frame G, Ga, Gb, H, and 5b meet the  bearding line and the rabbet.

[Dsmith20639]

Added transom piece and filler. Busy with Skipjack so didn't have time to do much this week. Filler piece for transom is made from scrap. There was plenty of space on the laser cut boards for use (see white box in photo) don't know why a part for this filler couldn't have been included.

[Dsmith20639]

Tried to cut the tops of the frame for the top-line when tragedy struck. Because of lack of stiffness in the foam board I'm using combined with the fact that I compromised the integrity of the foam board when deepening the slots in stemson some frames broke off and had to be redone.  In addition some of the frames did not stay level requiring shims to be added to even out the frames prior to fairing. I'll do my best to try a correct the prob less so I gt a fair hull before starting the planking. I think this kit could be improved (thou it may make it cost more) if the stepson was replaced with a half center keel and half bulkheads like in the Model Shipways Glad Tidings kit. This would eliminate the need to deepen the slots in the stepson and provide a more stable support for the framing than the current kit. Just my opinion, for what it's worth.  I'm just a beginner at this but I think that's what this kit is geared toward.

Is it an introduction to planking or as it seems to me to be an introduction to framing and planking?

[Cathead]

I'm working on this project now, and catching up on various other logs. Did you keep working on this? The snapped-off frames would certainly be frustrating, and I'm thinking ahead to how to stabilize this sufficiently when I get there. It also looks like your frame surfaces came out pretty uneven, given the major shimming you're doing? That's how mine is as well. 

 

Anyway, hope you haven't stopped working on this.

[kurtvd19]

On 7/12/2021 at 10:44 AM, Dsmith20639 said:

I'm just a beginner at this but I think that's what this kit is geared toward.

Is it an introduction to planking or as it seems to me to be an introduction to framing and planking?

You are right - it is designed for the beginner or for anybody wanting to learn the correct way to plank. 

Second sentence - Both - you can't plank properly until you have the frames in place and faired. 

Take your time and thoroughly read the instructions and make sure you understand them before proceeding to cut and shape wood.  Check Toni's build log here for the definitive word.

[Dsmith20639]

Continuing frustrations with this kit after a long hiatus while working on my Bluenose II. Picked up where I left off and further refined the fairing of the hull and installed the counter. Attempted to mark off the location of the Wales but my machinist's square was constantly unable to transfer the wale locations on the frames because the spacers between the frames were always in the way.  I just gave up and tried my best to estimate the lower wale location.  If I were to do it over I would mark the wale locations when initially installing the frames and before placing the spacers. Went on to the planking and following the directions managed to install the aft portion of the  garboard strake.

[Dave_E]

Keep at it! 👍

[VTHokiEE]

27 minutes ago, Dsmith20639 said:

my machinist's square was constantly unable to transfer the wale locations on the frames because the spacers between the frames were always in the way

I had issues trying to transfer the Wale markings as well. In the end I believe that I was able to get close on one of the lines and then marked off the other side based off the lower initial line. A reasonable amount was done by eye and standing directly over the hull and referencing other pictures. I ended up with something that was close enough in the end.

[kurtvd19]

I asked Toni about this - her answer is below:

The width of the wale is constant, so only the top or bottom of the wale needs marking and the other mark can be derived from it.

 

Hope this helps you.

[tlevine]

This is the picture from the manual.   As you can see, either the top or the bottom of the wale is accessible with a machinist's square...or at least my machinist's square.  As stated in the instructions, "...mark the top and/or bottom of the wale.  This is indicated by curved blue lines on the plan.  Unlike the planking on the lower hull, the width of the wale is the constant throughout its length..."   Comparing your photo with this one, the only difference I see is that the spacers mid-hull are higher on mine.  

  

Looking at your half-hull, I would suggest running either a plank or tape along bulkheads aft of F.  In the picture you posted, it looks like more fairing will be required.

[Dsmith20639]

I agree with your last note but I think your machinists square must be a lot thinner or smaller than mine. Maybe a laser suggested markings on the frames to indicate potential locations of spacers or the wales would be helpful.

[Dsmith20639]

I think the effort put in to develop this kit is commendable.  But in my opinion  flawed. The title is half hulled PLANKING project. Emphasis should be placed on PLANKING.  My previous comments might be considered for some future revision. Eliminate the use of a foam backing board, build it on a solid board with half size bulkheads ala the Glad Tidings pinky schooner and eliminate the need for transferring locations from an underlying paper plan such as the locations of the frame tops and wales to create an easier and stronger foundation for the purpose of learning how to plank a ship. I have spent more time coping with the weakness of the underlying framework than actually learning how to properly plank a ship. Even a rough solid wood half hull that needs sanding, etc. to smooth and true the shape of the hull would be better.

Edited February 16, 2022 by Dsmith20639