Norwegian Sailing Pram by Claire7 - Model Shipways - 1:12

[Claire7]

Starting out the second kit in the Model Shipways series, the Norwegian Sailing Pram. Finding this one a bit trickier that the dory but have already benefited greatly from previous logs.

[Claire7]

My first mistake was attaching the wrong knee to the bow transom. I didn’t notice how many different knees were on the sheet. So then the one I used didn’t cover the hole on the transom so I was perplexed about why I was drilling a hole that already existed. Once I attached the right knee it looked like the diagram. Like others I wasn’t sure what a #55 hole was so just used a drill bit the same size as the transom hole, in my set it’s labelled 1.4mm. Also using a tip seen in other logs and adding tape to the knee so it won’t crack or splinter… *cross fingers*

[Claire7]

Hurray! it worked. Being cautious I drilled the hole with a .75mm bit first then the larger one. Now on to complete the build board. Same experience as others, needed to file down the middle slots to be able to attach molds. And will use tape to snug up stern support which is quite loose. And finally use shims so the transoms sit level.

[WizardOfOs]

Hi Claire, looking good and welcome to the Pram. 

As for #55 drill bit, it's referring to wire gauge sizes. A #55 wire gauge drill bit is approximately equal to a 1.3 mm bit so your estimation of 1.4 mm was a good one.  

[Claire7]

@WizardOfOs thank you for the info! I think this is going to be a really nice little boat, I love that it’s 1:12 and still small. 

[Claire7]

I spent a fair bit of time today just getting my working board in good shape with added shims and tape to keep things secure and level. I learned that this was a good idea from other’s logs. I also learned from the dory build that you don’t want anything to go askew early on. 

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by Claire7

[Claire7]

And last part done today, boards are prepared—ready to attach tomorrow.

Edited April 6, 2023 by Claire7

[Montaigne]

A second one going already! Wishing you fair seas on the Norwegian one, all the way from Scandinavia. Previous build logs are indeed a goldmine; I have spent countless hours studying logs.

 

[Claire7]

Getting back to work on this now that the dory is done… Bottom planks are attached. Held in place with elastics and Tamiya tape. 

[Claire7]

Keel plank now added, lots of excess glue which I understand is good and means the join isn’t glue-starved! I tidy extra glue up with a toothpick. Things seem symmetrical and look ok but there is a big gap (indicated by toothpick) between the keel plank and the stern knee. Wondering if I should glue them together now /clamping the pieces to join or add filler later on? It seems like it makes sense there’s a gap because the keel plank sits on top of the bottom planks…

[Claire7]

I think I’ve figured it out… maybe the angle of the initial beveling I did on the stern transom doesn’t allow the planks to lie as they should to meet the knee precisely. I did try to follow the guides on the transom and used the beveling tool/guide. Anyway it’s not too significant I hope and I’ve just glued and clamped the knee to the plank.

[Claire7]

Step 9. Garboard planks

I think I made the rabbets slightly too wide but the planks sit together reasonably well. I did enjoy that I received a chisel blade with the extended dory kit so that was handy.

Terms I’m not clear about “glue the bow end of the plank to the bow transom and along the bevel to the first mold making sure that the gain seats nicely”. What is “the gain”?

Also “Check that the plank is sitting against both molds and the hull is not beginning to spread”. Does this mean the hull just getting wider than it should be?

[Bob Cleek]

9 hours ago, Claire7 said:

Terms I’m not clear about “glue the bow end of the plank to the bow transom and along the bevel to the first mold making sure that the gain seats nicely”. What is “the gain”?

I don't have the plans available to me, so I can't be positive, but I believe they are referring to the "rolling" bevel of the lapstrake plank "lands." (The plank "lands" are the "faying surfaces" or faces where two adjacent lapped planks touch and, when wet, swell to make the hull watertight. For this reason, they must be very accurately fitted against one another without gaps... in real boat construction, at least.) By "the gain seating nicely" they probably mean that the plank bevels fit perfectly against each other to form their "lands" against each other. The term "gain" is not used in the instructions you quote as I've heard it (properly) used before, but it seems they are using it to refer to the plank lap bevels generally. If so, this wouldn't be the first time model kit instructions exhibited a certain lack of nautical illiteracy.  

 

Properly, a lapstrake plank "gain" is a rabbet of progressive inclining depth cut at the hood end or ends of a run of lapped plank so that the hood edge of the plank overlap is progressively reduced so that it no longer stands proud at the hood end(s.) (Always on a "sharp" bow and sometimes on a transom stern.) On this model, from the pictures I've seen, at least, since it has a transom bow and stern, the gains are omitted at both the bow and stern transoms which may have been an attempt to simplify construction for modeling purposes at the expense of a more elegant, and actually less complicated, construction detail. Perhaps somebody who's built this model and is familiar with the instructions will chime in and give you a more certain answer. Maybe they instruct the builder to just run the plank ends to the transom edges, cut them flush, and fill the voids between the plank lands and the transom edges with putty or something. Laying out the bevels in the transom edges to accommodate the lapped planks without gains would seem to me to be a lot more work and difficulty.

 

Lapstrake planking showing riveted laps and plank lands. Note that only one plank per overlap is beveled.

 

 

Here's a picture of a lapstrake plank with what is properly called a "gain" cut at the hood end (on the right hand edge below) to reduce the plank overlap edges (and on the left hand side is a regular land bevel.) The gains are cut in both plank faces to a maximum depth at the end of the bevel equal to one half the plank thickness so that when the two planks are fastened at the lap with the gains the planks total only the thickness of one plank .

 

 

A couple of photos of correctly planked sharp-bowed lapstrake planked boats. Note how the gains (which are relatively short in one instance and long in the other) cause the lap edges to progressively reduce to nothing at the hood ends in the stem rabbet. It's a subtle, but essential, detail in sharp-bowed clinker-built boats.

 

 

 

Now, this YouTube video on lapstrake planking is probably going to cause you to glaze over, or become completely intimidated, but to the degree you can wrap your head around it you will find planking your model much less difficult. There are many shortcuts between building a full-sized boat and a model and putty and sandpaper can cover a multitude of fitting errors, but to the extent these can be minimized, your model will benefit. See: Ep 18 - Planking (part 2): Bevels + Gains - Bing video

 

9 hours ago, Claire7 said:

Also “Check that the plank is sitting against both molds and the hull is not beginning to spread”. Does this mean the hull just getting wider than it should be?

Yes, that's exactly what it means. If your plank land bevels aren't accurate, the planks are going to have that much more width to the total overlap and they are going to spread amidships. This means also that as the overall length of the curve segment of the hull is thereby lengthened, the presumably correctly shaped laser-cut kit planks are going to be too short to span the entire length of the boat (unless they left you some extra length at either end to cut flush to the transom faces.)

 

Building a lapstrake planked model at 1:12 scale well demands good accuracy in cutting all the bevels. Moreover, errors in shape and bevel of parts tend to be cumulative and only more bedeviling as the build progresses. One maxim in modeling, as in real boatbuilding, is that it is always better to rip it apart and do it over again correctly than it is to try to ignore measurement and fitting errors. In the case of a kit build, it should be no problem to go to the hobby or craft store and buy a piece of thin sheet stock and cut a new plank that will fit correctly and well worth the investment in time. If parts aren't fitting, and particularly so with planking, you have to ascertain the cause of the problem, be it errors in lofting or in fitting the parts that have been done before. When working in smaller scales, it is possible to slap on a lot of putty, spackle, or plastic wood and sand a hull fair and when it's painted up well, nobody will be the wiser, but at 1:12, particularly with a "clinker-built" (lapstrake) hull, such errors are much harder to cover up.

 

For planing beveled lands and for many other modeling tasks, you will find a small plane of great value. If you are really flush and want to treat yoursef, you can buy the top-of-the-line Lie Nielsen #101 bronze violin maker's plane, which is their version of the old Stanley #101 "modelmaker's plane" for $125.00 (Lie-Nielsen No. 101 Bronze Violin Maker's Plane (highlandwoodworking.com)

 

Or you can buy an original cast iron Stanley #101 on eBay if you can find one for not too much money. (They are now collectables but can be had for $20.00 to or $30.00.) There are also decent copies of the cast iron Stanley #101 made by Kunz for around $29.00: Amazon.com: KUNZ POCKET PLANE COMPACT BLOCK PLANE WOOD CARVING WORKING No.101 by Kunz : Tools & Home Improvement

 

 

and even a Kunz copy of the otherwise super-rare old Stanley #100 "Squirrel tail pocket plane" that is the #101 with a handle which permits pushing the plane with the palm of hand for $26.00. (I have no idea why it costs less than the "tail-less" model! I love mine.) (Amazon.com: ROBERT LARSON 580-2200 Kunz Pocket Plane Raised Handle : Everything Else)

 

 

 

 

If not that, the current Stanley sheet metal framed model #12-101 "trimming plane" can be had retail on Amazon for $12.00 and on eBay for $5.00. (stanley 12-101 plane - Bing - Shopping and Vintage STANLEY 12-101 Trimming Plane New Old Stock - Original Package | eBay)'

 

 

This all may be more than you ever wanted to know about planking or planing, but, if so, perhaps it may be of interest to some other novices who come across it.

 

Have fun with your build!

 

 

 

 

Edited April 14, 2023 by Bob Cleek

[druxey]

Bob has provided all the information you needed - and more! Good advice.

[Claire7]

2 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

…and even a Kunz copy of the otherwise super-rare old Stanley #100 "Squirrel tail pocket plane" 

What a superb answer!! Thank you so much for all the detail. You’ve answered my questions perfectly. I also wasn’t confident about my rabbets and the diagram you sent helped immensely. I also loved the photo of the stained wooden boat as it was beautifully made and inspirational as well as a terrific example of what we’re trying to achieve with this type of hull. About the spread I understand better now—that it could result in the planks becoming too short. I have already noticed my very first plank dried slightly off centre at one end and spent some time redoing it as I do want a good result.

 

…and finally I do love tools, especially tiny ones and now covet a squirrel pocket plane! Something I didn’t know existed and now feel I need 😂. I did already purchase one recently when I saw in other logs it would be useful. I just combed through to find one that seemed good quality... It hasn’t arrived yet.

 

Thanks again I appreciate the help very much.

[Bryan Woods]

3 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

I don't have the plans available to me, so I can't be positive, but I believe they are referring to the "rolling" bevel of the lapstrake plank "lands." (The plank "lands" are the "faying surfaces" or faces where two adjacent lapped planks touch and, when wet, swell to make the hull watertight. For this reason, they must be very accurately fitted against one another without gaps... in real boat construction, at least.) By "the gain seating nicely" they probably mean that the plank bevels fit perfectly against each other to form their "lands" against each other. The term "gain" is not used in the instructions you quote as I've heard it (properly) used before, but it seems they are using it to refer to the plank lap bevels generally. If so, this wouldn't be the first time model kit instructions exhibited a certain lack of nautical illiteracy.  

 

Properly, a lapstrake plank "gain" is a rabbet of progressive inclining depth cut at the hood end or ends of a run of lapped plank so that the hood edge of the plank overlap is progressively reduced so that it no longer stands proud at the hood end(s.) (Always on a "sharp" bow and sometimes on a transom stern.) On this model, from the pictures I've seen, at least, since it has a transom bow and stern, the gains are omitted at both the bow and stern transoms which may have been an attempt to simplify construction for modeling purposes at the expense of a more elegant, and actually less complicated, construction detail. Perhaps somebody who's built this model and is familiar with the instructions will chime in and give you a more certain answer. Maybe they instruct the builder to just run the plank ends to the transom edges, cut them flush, and fill the voids between the plank lands and the transom edges with putty or something. Laying out the bevels in the transom edges to accommodate the lapped planks without gains would seem to me to be a lot more work and difficulty.

 

Lapstrake planking showing riveted laps and plank lands. Note that only one plank per overlap is beveled.

 

 

Here's a picture of a lapstrake plank with what is properly called a "gain" cut at the hood end (on the right hand edge below) to reduce the plank overlap edges (and on the left hand side is a regular land bevel.) The gains are cut in both plank faces to a maximum depth at the end of the bevel equal to one half the plank thickness so that when the two planks are fastened at the lap with the gains the planks total only the thickness of one plank .

 

 

A couple of photos of correctly planked sharp-bowed lapstrake planked boats. Note how the gains (which are relatively short in one instance and long in the other) cause the lap edges to progressively reduce to nothing at the hood ends in the stem rabbet. It's a subtle, but essential, detail in sharp-bowed clinker-built boats.

 

 

 

Now, this YouTube video on lapstrake planking is probably going to cause you to glaze over, or become completely intimidated, but to the degree you can wrap your head around it you will find planking your model much less difficult. There are many shortcuts between building a full-sized boat and a model and putty and sandpaper can cover a multitude of fitting errors, but to the extent these can be minimized, your model will benefit. See: Ep 18 - Planking (part 2): Bevels + Gains - Bing video

 

Yes, that's exactly what it means. If your plank land bevels aren't accurate, the planks are going to have that much more width to the total overlap and they are going to spread amidships. This means also that as the overall length of the curve segment of the hull is thereby lengthened, the presumably correctly shaped laser-cut kit planks are going to be too short to span the entire length of the boat (unless they left you some extra length at either end to cut flush to the transom faces.)

 

Building a lapstrake planked model at 1:12 scale well demands good accuracy in cutting all the bevels. Moreover, errors in shape and bevel of parts tend to be cumulative and only more bedeviling as the build progresses. One maxim in modeling, as in real boatbuilding, is that it is always better to rip it apart and do it over again correctly than it is to try to ignore measurement and fitting errors. In the case of a kit build, it should be no problem to go to the hobby or craft store and buy a piece of thin sheet stock and cut a new plank that will fit correctly and well worth the investment in time. If parts aren't fitting, and particularly so with planking, you have to ascertain the cause of the problem, be it errors in lofting or in fitting the parts that have been done before. When working in smaller scales, it is possible to slap on a lot of putty, spackle, or plastic wood and sand a hull fair and when it's painted up well, nobody will be the wiser, but at 1:12, particularly with a "clinker-built" (lapstrake) hull, such errors are much harder to cover up.

 

For planing beveled lands and for many other modeling tasks, you will find a small plane of great value. If you are really flush and want to treat yoursef, you can buy the top-of-the-line Lie Nielsen #101 bronze violin maker's plane, which is their version of the old Stanley #101 "modelmaker's plane" for $125.00 (Lie-Nielsen No. 101 Bronze Violin Maker's Plane (highlandwoodworking.com)

 

Or you can buy an original cast iron Stanley #101 on eBay if you can find one for not too much money. (They are now collectables but can be had for $20.00 to or $30.00.) There are also decent copies of the cast iron Stanley #101 made by Kunz for around $29.00: Amazon.com: KUNZ POCKET PLANE COMPACT BLOCK PLANE WOOD CARVING WORKING No.101 by Kunz : Tools & Home Improvement

 

 

and even a Kunz copy of the otherwise super-rare old Stanley #100 "Squirrel tail pocket plane" that is the #101 with a handle which permits pushing the plane with the palm of hand for $26.00. (I have no idea why it costs less than the "tail-less" model! I love mine.) (Amazon.com: ROBERT LARSON 580-2200 Kunz Pocket Plane Raised Handle : Everything Else)

 

 

 

 

If not that, the current Stanley sheet metal framed model #12-101 "trimming plane" can be had retail on Amazon for $12.00 and on eBay for $5.00. (stanley 12-101 plane - Bing - Shopping and Vintage STANLEY 12-101 Trimming Plane New Old Stock - Original Package | eBay)'

 

 

This all may be more than you ever wanted to know about planking or planing, but, if so, perhaps it may be of interest to some other novices who come across it.

 

Have fun with your build!

 

 

 

 

Thank you Claire for asking a great question! Thank  you Bob for the super helpful answer!

[Bob Cleek]

6 hours ago, Claire7 said:

…and finally I do love tools, especially tiny ones and now covet a squirrel pocket plane! Something I didn’t know existed and now feel I need 😂. I did already purchase one recently when I saw in other logs it would be useful. I just combed through to find one that seemed good quality... It hasn’t arrived yet.

I forgot to mention that you will also need a shipwright's or planker's bevel gauge. This a small, flat gauge for taking up and transferring bevels in boatbuilding and planking. They're about 3" long for full-size boat building and will probably benefit by being somewhat smaller for modeling. Their small size make them suitable for taking up bevels in tight spaces.

 

 

This 3" one is sold by the WoodenBoat (magazine) Store for ten bucks. It's the only "store boughten" one I know of. A 3" Bevel Gauge - Small Boats Magazine (smallboatsmonthly.com) Most "boatyard mechanics" simply make their own from a piece of strip shim brass or even an old hacksaw blade (which has the convenience of a hole already drilled at either end) riveted together.  If you want to get really fancy, you can make one that has two outside faces between which the "blade" swings like a pocket knife, and can be pocketed when not in use without the pointed edges snagging on your shop overalls.

[Claire7]

Ugh, I felt like working on the pram today but have made a few mistakes. Namely cutting rabbets on the wrong side. I’ve added wood filler, sanded and cut them in the right place. So now the last three planks are drying in a curve. I’m not sure yet but it looks like the  sheer planks come up too high on the stern transom. I’ll have a look at others logs! 

[Claire7]

Well I’ve done my best, the planks end slightly below the marked line on the bow transom and a bit above the marked line on the stern transom. My method of keeping things in place is basically rubber bands plus tape, sometimes I just hold a stubborn plank by hand for a bit until it sets.

[Bob Cleek]

Do the instructions say anything about bending those planks? They can be heated up with a clothes iron or hair dryer on high and then quickly (while still hot) bent and held in place for a minute or three. They will hold the bend when they cool. That should save a lot of hassle with rubber bands and tape if ever the occasion might arise again.

[Claire7]

@Bob Cleek I did soak them to bend them first and dried them in a curve with rubber bands. I did find that they still need to be secured to dry in the right position.

[Claire7]

Thinking ahead to the annealing brass steps… does anyone know of by any chance I can use my gas stove burners or do I need to buy the butane torch? I did already order a soldering ceramic tile, the kind with tiny holes on it.

[druxey]

You can probably use the gas stove to get brass to cherry-red heat, but holding it safely while doing it would be the issue.

[Claire7]

@druxey thanks very much for the answer, I’ll investigate a bit more! 

[Claire7]

Turns out husband would like to try making crème brûlée so buying the torch makes sense. This is particularly good news because I love crème brûlée. 

[Montaigne]

It’s indeed delicious. I didn’t know it was torched. Learn something new every day. 

[Bob Cleek]

The torch will do fine to anneal small brass items, as will a gas stove burner. Get a pair, or better yet, a set, of long locking soldering tweezers for such purposes. They will come in handy for soldering, as well.  Amazon.com: Fiber Grip Tweezers Jewelry Hobby Craft Soldering Fiber Grip Cross Locking Set Bent and Straight Tip 5 PCS By JTS : Tools & Home Improvement (I picked this set because it shows a variety of soldering tweezers. I don't know what the quality may be, but the price seemed quite reasonable.)

 

 

While you're at it, in the soldering department, and for a lot of other tasks, especially rigging, I'd highly recommend acquiring a Quad Hands "helping hands" device. There are many cheaper Asian copies on the market now, but the original is still the professional industry standard and worth the few additional bucks. (Better materials, stronger magnets, and better clips.) They come in many sizes and configurations. Suit yourself. QuadHands® - Helping Hands Tool

 

See:  https://www.amazon.com/vdp/4c85a9f99b434f8c86151188ebcdf63b?ref=dp_vse_ibvc0

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 17, 2023 by Bob Cleek

[druxey]

Or simply rest the brass piece on the ceramic tile while heating it using the torch and enjoying your crème brûlée. Bon appetit!

 

Hint: you can see the colour of the metal change better under dim light.

[Claire7]

Ok I think I found a good option. I found one of those cordless soldering kits that include a torch tip. So I can anneal now and try soldering someday later on. This is the one I bought (prices in cad$). Assuming I should anneal before brass blackening? Looking forward to boat building today.

[Claire7]

After trimming here are my transoms. Better than I thought, only tiny gaps! I will add a tiny bit of filler then move on…