Nailers or map pins, tape etc.

[Dave_E]

Hi All,

 

Watching videos like crazy as this planking thing to a newbie looks daunting. I watched the lady from the Ukraine use a nailer exclusively. Sure looks like a good way to crush or crack some structure. I see others use map pins, rubber bands and all manner of clamps. Is there a consensus by the experts for the newbie on what technique to start with?

 

Dave

[mtaylor]

Exactly, Dave.   I suggest reading the tutorials/watching the videos here on MSW. (Up top....."More" and then "Planking Techniques".   Some of us use very thin pins when needed (like T-pins) and pre-drill the hole slightly smaller than the pin diameter.   A spot of glue over the hole while sanding hides the hole.

 

[allanyed]

Dave

Study the planking tutorials here at MSW as well as build logs.   If you spile as described by David Antscherl or side bend with heat as described by Chuck Passaro so that the plank is shaped to what it should be before gluing it to the hull framing, there is no reason for using pins or in most cases clamps of any kind.  Finger pressure for less than a minute with PVA glue (or 10 seconds with some CA glues if that is your preferred glue) is all that is needed if the plank has been properly pre-shaped.  There seems to always  be a couple strakes that will give fits, but a minimum amount of clamping and certainly no nails, are necessary in those cases.   One  problem with pins in some cases is that the hole they make might be larger than the treenails that would be used if you decide to treenail the planking as well as gluing so they will look totally out of scale unless you have very thin pins.   Keep in mind a maximum treenail diameter of 1.5" then you can figure the hole/treenail size for your scale.   

 

It takes patience and practice, but it can be done with either method described above as you can see with quite a few of the build logs here at MSW.

 

Good luck.

 

Allan

[georgeband]

I agree entirely with Allan that pre-bending the planks removes the problem in most cases. When you don't have enough fingers for a fidgety plank and want to hold it down while the glue sets then the techniques mentioned all have their place in the tool box. My preference with pins is to push them in at an angle by the side of the plank so that the pin holds the plank down onto the frame/bulkhead and against the adjoining plank. When you take the pins away there is often no mark left behind, or a small dent that can recover with a little wetness. 

 

The photo shows the first planking and the pins are next to the planks. The pairs of pencil lines are guides that I draw on after the planks have been fitted so that I know where to push the pins for the second planking, otherwise there is a risk that you make an unintended hole. 

 

In some cases I use pins and clamps and rubber bands, depending on the direction and strength of the force that is needed. Just try a dry fit and if the plank still needs a push somewhere you can improve the pre-bending and twisting or devise a way to hold it down. 

 

George