Lady Nelson by Dave_E - FINISHED - Amati/Victory Models - 1:64

[glbarlow]

The edge bending method I described in my logs accounts for the curves of the bow, that’s why it works so well. My best advice on this process is in my logs. 
 

You’ll find in other logs to sand down the gun port pattern, not fill up to it. 

[LyleK1]

Hi Dave,

Hard to tell from the pictures but it appears your fairing of the bulkheads may need a little more work. When I'm fairing, I use a string and run it from bow to stern. The string should lay flat on every bulkhead or frame. If it doesn't, more sanding is required. Also, if it doesn't touch a frame, you may need to reduce the amount on the frames on either side or or add a small strip to the offending frame and re-sand it.

You mention the "twist" at the bow and stern. As you've already found, there are a million different methods to deal with it. Chuck P.'s method is a really good one to use but whatever method you choose, stick with it!

I soak my pieces prior to heating and bending/twisting, I find it easier for me.

One more suggestion... I know you're "going for it" on the Lady Nelson. However, NRG sell a great teaching tool (and a fine model) for planking. It's called the "Half-hull project". I highly recommend it!

It made my life so much easier when planking! It's inexpensive and can be assembled in a few weeks, depending on how much you work per day!

I've attached a picture of mine! It also, gives you a small taste of scratch building. Some of the principles are hard to apply to kit materials since they are pre-cut but I think it will help you develop your own method.

Good luck!

[Dave_E]

Thank you Lyle!

 

I have the half hull project… can’t really explain why I started the ship first… I did not do the string thing, but I am now. Super building tip, thank you! Your half hull is beautiful.

[glbarlow]

4 hours ago, Dave_E said:

do the string thing

A batten is a good idea, I recommend a long very thin, like 1/32, plank rather than string. I have several such planks for only that purpose.
 

As I’ve recommended a couple of times, pick a method and stick with it.  Personally I never soak planks due to the possibility they warp, expand, and shrink  - especially kit planks. But as I’ve said their are many methods and people are zealous about theirs. Choose one and don’t mix methods.  Just reading about all them is enough to leave your head spinning. 

[LyleK1]

1 hour ago, glbarlow said:

A batten is a good idea, I recommend a long very thin, like 1/32, plank rather than string. I have several such planks for only that purpose.
 

As I’ve recommended a couple of times, pick a method and stick with it.  Personally I never soak planks due to the possibility they warp, expand, and shrink  - especially kit planks. But as I’ve said their are many methods and people are zealous about theirs. Choose one and don’t mix methods.  Just reading about all them is enough to leave your head spinning. 

A batten is a good method too.

If you do soak a piece of wood, never install it until it's completed dried. What Glenn mentioned is accurate! I've installed a few that were not completely dry and ended up removing it because it shrunk!

DO that half hull project, you'll learn a lot!

[KirbysLunchBox]

Dave, there are a lot of references you can use here, but I find the best path is the one you choose to take. Do your research, run some tests, and make it happen. If you can build a musical instrument, you can build one of these ships.  I doubt many here can do the opposite!

[Dave_E]

Thanks Kirby,

 

Kinds words. Actually building a guitar is kinda like building any model (just larger).The real trick is to get it to sound like something when your done. 
 

Got 2 more planks on today… figured out I had to bend the wood the other way at the bow. If I better the 3rd plank yet some more, I’ll be happy. Every one is a challenge to get it as correct as possible. 

[Moab]

The part that threw me in my build was the lack of info about the bearding line. This hurt my build but probably my fault…Moab

[Dave_E]

On 12/28/2021 at 6:46 PM, glbarlow said:

You need a solid metal ruler for trimming planks,  not that plastic thing. Try this one Here

 

 

Thanks Glenn!

 

This thing is fantastic! It will be awhile before this builder is cutting his own planks out of sheets, and this cutting ruler holds the 5mm planks firmly while I make the cut and keeps the finger tips out of the way. Thanks for the tip!

Edited January 6, 2022 by Dave_E

[allanyed]

Dave,  Are those two planks glued in place or just temporarily in place until you finish shaping them properly so they don't ride up as they appear in the photo. You need to hot edge bend these per the method here   (There are several videos)  or spile as explained

  here https://thenrg.org/resources/Documents/articles/APrimerOnPlanking.pdf

[Thukydides]

On 1/1/2022 at 1:41 AM, Dave_E said:

Got 2 more planks on today… figured out I had to bend the wood the other way at the bow. If I better the 3rd plank yet some more, I’ll be happy. Every one is a challenge to get it as correct as possible. 

That first plank doesn't look like it is sitting right. If I was you I would remove the planks, check your fairing again and then try again. Problems with the first few planks have a way of multiplying your issues the further down the hull you get.

 

I say this as someone who had to rip off the first planks and start over myself :).

 

Edit: what @allanyed said

Edited January 6, 2022 by Thukydides

[glbarlow]

I have to agree you should remove those two planks and fit replacements. Following the heat bend down to curve up methods should result in a tighter fit. San the gunport pattern down at the curve to meet the plank. 

[Dave_E]

Morning Fellas,

 

Hindsight (usually being a good thing), yes, I should have taken them both off. Unfortunately, I kept cruising and will be done in a day or so. I did read someone’s post about just getting the 1st planking done on your first build. This has been a heck of a learning experience and actually think I’ve got it.

[Thukydides]

It is up to you, but I don't think you will be able to get a good result with that as a base, the gaps and warping is too much to fix with filler and sanding. If it was me I would take off the planking and order some more limewood strips to start the first planking over.

 

If you are unwilling to do that you could try just removing those first two planks (which are the most problematic) and try to replace them. Not sure how well that would work...

Edited January 6, 2022 by Thukydides

[allanyed]

FWIW, It would probably be easier and take less time to remove all the planks, throw them out and start over.   You will NOT be the first to go this route and you will be  very happy in the end that you started over.   Study the tutorials before and during the planking process.   Note that the aft end of the garboard strake should lay along the rabbet, same as the midships and forward part.  It does not rise as you have it and this will create problems if you try to do this with the second layer.  Study a planking expansion drawing as well to get a feel for where each plank goes.  There are a lot of them on the RMG Collections site in low resolution.   Go to https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections and type planking expansion in the search box .   There are one or two in high resolution on the Wiki Commons site as well.

Allan

[VTHokiEE]

6 minutes ago, allanyed said:

remove all the planks, throw them out and start over.   You will NOT be the first to go this route and you will be  very happy in the end that you started over. 

I did this and can confirm that I was much happier in the end.

[glbarlow]

Sorry, I agree with everyone. 
 

I took off and replaced whole sections of my singled planked Cheerful, in one case 3 times. As I look at it each day now I’m so glad I did. 
 

There is truth to just get the first planking done, but you have to be closer to right than you are.  We’ve all been here. The ones that started over are happy, the ones that didn’t …….

[Dave_E]

With the frame shaping that started the mess, planking to be replaced, might as well crunch it and buy a new kit. 

[glbarlow]

You can get there from here. It’s wood, wood can be managed 

[Keith Black]

Dave, please don't do that. I know it's frustrating but you've got to get over this hump successfully. Redoing is part and parcel in modeling, hitting a home run first time out is the exception, not the rule. Take a day or two to think about it, work it out in your mind. Think how you would remove the planks and what it would take to make laying the planks right. The first build takes a lot of practice, if you don't do the required practice on this kit, you'll be doing it on the next. You CAN do this, I've got faith in you! 

[VTHokiEE]

1 hour ago, Dave_E said:

With the frame shaping that started the mess, planking to be replaced, might as well crunch it and buy a new kit. 

Dave - have you seen my Alert build? Specifically this post:

 

 

My planking was a mess, so I ripped it off and re-faired (if you need to add material you can its wood and fair again). I don't think you are that far away and as someone who was there before I got very disheartened, thought I'd never complete the kit (all the woe is my things I could think), etc. Everyone here helped me through and I know you can get there as well.

Edited January 6, 2022 by VTHokiEE

[glbarlow]

To his point☝🏻 you’d benefit from better fairing,especially the first bulkhead at the bow and you could add some balsa filler there as well 

 

Like we’re all saying: the challenge of fixing things that went wrong is half the fun. 

[AJohnson]

12 hours ago, glbarlow said:

 

 

Like we’re all saying: the challenge of fixing things that went wrong is half the fun. 

And 'most' of the time for many of us! 😆 

Keep plugging away Dave, I had similar issues with my first build (Caldercraft's HMS 'Sherbourne') a very similar Cutter to 'Lady Nelson' but what everyone is kindly saying is true, we've all done it, I have ripped planking up and copper plating before, very frustrating initially, but in the long run worth it. 👍

[Dave_E]

OK, here we go.

 

The anchors are done, might as well continue with the entire ship. 🙂 I've decided there are things about this first kit that I just have to let go and get one done. I think the metal "wood stock" looks better brown than if I'd have left it alone. The rings were my first attempt with the Birchwood Casey black. Works pretty good, except it does scratch off easy.

Port side

Starbord side.

 

Wood filler is an amazing tool... one I'd rather not have to use. I have promised myself this. On the starbord side I experimented with CA filler. Don't like the way it sands, won't do that again. In the following 2 photos you will see how the garboard plank (did I say that correctly) is proud onto the keel. Suggestions on how or what to do about it before starting the second planking?

I'm starting to like those ship models I see that put the keel in AFTER planking. OK boys and girls... be gentle. 😁

[Keith Black]

25 minutes ago, Dave_E said:

Suggestions on how or what to do about it before starting the second planking?

 Dave, for the first time out I think you're doing grand. As to your question.... sand/file, fill, rinse, and repeat.

[KirbysLunchBox]

Looking great! I think you could just add some filler to smooth the transition for that last plank in my non expert opinion. 

[Dave_E]

1 hour ago, KirbysLunchBox said:

Looking great! I think you could just add some filler to smooth the transition for that last plank in my non expert opinion. 

I will. 😊 Thanks 

[LyleK1]

18 hours ago, Dave_E said:

 

I'm starting to like those ship models I see that put the keel in AFTER planking. OK boys and girls... be gentle. 😁

Hey Dave,

Good start!

I don't know this particular model but I think the garboard should run the entire length of the keel. The area below the garboard and above the keel should have planking.

As a side note, I almost always install the keel before planking. I cut a rabbit into the keel that the garboard fits into.

Keep plugging away!

[Dave_E]

Spent a couple days doing the cannons, more on these in my "1:64 Cannon Detail" post over in furnishings. Now I guess it's back to construction and planking. 😄

[Dave_E]

2nd Planking question (I'm asking simply because I don't know). I think all would concur that a first time builder's project is going to have it's share of boo-boos etc.. However while I've been building, I am reviewing others builds and noticing things that pertain to authenticity. Decking and planking come to mind first. As we all could guess, a 100' ship was not made with 100' planks and decking. These double planked models can get away with the first planking being all one piece planks. Authenticity can then be done on the second planking, no? My question to you is should I attempt the authentic planking on this my first build, or stick with the kit "one piece" planks? Your recommendations that is.