Planking Book?

[BWDChris]

I'm new to wooden ship models and I'm a little intimidated by the planking process. What book or video series would you recommend for a new guy to learn to properly plank a wooden ship model?

[prutser]

Planking Techniques for Model Ship builders by Donald Dressel. 

[Paul Le Wol]

You can also go to syrenshipmodel.com and download Chuck’s Revenue Cutter Cheerful monograph. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 deal with planking. Of course this is after you pop over to the new members forum and introduce yourself 😀

Edited September 9, 2023 by Paul Le Wol

[Knocklouder]

This is the place to be my friend.  Lots of great  info on planking in the MSW data base.  welcome aboard!!    

[SkiBee]

BWDChris, What ship are you starting with?

[allanyed]

Chris

Look in the articles data base here at MSW and study the paper written by noted ship model builder and author David Antscherl.   https://thenrg.org/resources/Documents/articles/APrimerOnPlanking.pdf

Also, the four part video series by Chuck Passaro gives information on equally effective yet different technique.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCWooJ1o3cM is a link for part 1.   

Allan

[BWDChris]

54 minutes ago, SkiBee said:

BWDChris, What ship are you starting with?

Not sure, Doing some research now. I want to start small but I also want to cover most or all of the basic skills. I want a model that is planked, and has a sail/sails. Probably the Polaris or Albatros from OcCre. Suggestions???

[robert952]

Adding my welcome aboard.  Here's my typical long winded answer/suggestion.  

 

I was thinking along the same lines of @SkiBee .  What are you wanting to build?

 

You say you are new to model ships.  You may want to review this thread which offers a lot of general advice for those new to this hobby:  A Cautionary Tale.  

 

I would suggest you consider starting with plank on bulkhead type over a plank on frame.  I haven't tackled a POF and it may be awhile.  But that's me.  Proceed at your own pace.  Your results may vary. 

 

If you haven't got a model in your stash and just now considering a kit, I'd suggest getting your feet wet with a simple model that has only a few 'planks'.  Model Expo carries Model Shipways line that has some kits designed for the beginner (Grand Banks Dory and Sailing Pram).  They also carry Midwest models (Dinghy or Flattie) which have a few boards.  The models are aimed at the beginner that can start you on a path to learning about planking.  If you have some experience with model building or a related hobby you may feel confident enough to build a more advanced model. (Shop around for what your budget can handle.)  

 

As to your specific question about books: 

 

@prutser suggestion is a good source. I haven't read @Paul Le Wol suggestion but I'm sure it has information you will find useful.  (Thanks for the recommendation, Paul.  I'll run out there and download it myself.) 

 

Many books on ship modeling have chapters on planking.  Examples The Ship Model Builders Assistant by Charles Davis and Ship Model Building by Gene Johnson.  I have these two in my in my library. These also cover other aspects of model ship building.  

 

There's a lot of other models and books out there. Find your comfort level when determining what to build. 

As @Knocklouder says, you are in a great source of info here at MSW.  Use the search box to find build logs on the boats I mentioned. Ask specific questions.  You will likely get several answers and suggestions.  Read through build logs to see how different people plank their models.  Also, you get a preview of models out there you might want to consider.  There's several on the Dory and Pram that have been built or in the process of being built.

 

(If you want to see my example of planking, I just finished planking Midwest Model's Maine Peapod.  Link to my build log is in my signature below. Maybe not the best example, but I am pleased with how it looks.) 

 

[Dziadeczek]

I once learnt how to plank from Jim Roberts' brochure "Planking the Built-up Ship Model".

[SkiBee]

I started the Long Boat and while I was waiting for a replacement piece, I changed my mind and built the Model Shipways Shipwright 3 Kit Combo Series.  This series is a great way to learn some of the basic skills that you will need on future builds.

[allanyed]

3 hours ago, BWDChris said:

oing some research now. I want to start small but I also want to cover most or all of the basic skills. I want a model that is planked, and has a sail/sails. Probably the Polaris or Albatros from OcCre. Suggestions???

Seriously look at the three part beginner series from Model Shipways designed by David Antscherl.  You will learn great skills that you can then use down the road and wind up with realistic models.   

 

Allan

 

[RossR]

I am a fan of Occre.  Building my second Occre ship right now.  They are a great way to get started in the hobby, but they are not designed to be planked in the traditional way.  The second layer of planking on the Occre models is very thin (about 0.5 mm).  The bending or spiling that would traditionally be done really doesn't work with that material, and the bulkhead former (piece that the bulkheads attach to that runs the length of the ship) is not designed to have a rabbet cut into it.  If you want to have fun building something and end up with something that looks good on your shelf, Occre is a great way to go.  They have video series for some of their models and I would watch them and plank the model according to their instructions if you go with Occre even though it is not the traditional way to plank.   

 

If you really want to learn "the right way" to plank a ship, consider Allen's advice or maybe the half hull project from the NRG.  I will be tackling that before building my US Brig Syren model that I have on the shelf.  I would have failed at planking a ship in the traditional way on my first ship, but that's me.  I get a little impatient.  I have seen some first time modelers do a great job of planking on their first ship on MSW.

 

Good luck.  

[vossy]

Hi, I would suggest starting with something like the Amati Santa Maria. It has all the elements of larger, complex ships but being such an early vessel (15th century), those elements are not as daunting as a Victory, San Felipe, Wasa etc. 

 

With the Santa Maria you will still have to double plank. But being an older ship the shape is far easier to obtain. Tricky bits on Victory like the bluff bow and stern area are not required on a vessel like Santa Maria.

 

With SM you still have to apply channels, plates and ratlines so you can get a great guide as to how to go about that before tackling more complex models. Rigging is more than substantial enough for a beginner and you can add sails if you wish.

 

Also as an added bonus, Santa Maria, whilst being one of history's most famous ships also lends itself to many interpretations as there are no known drawings or plans of the actual vessel. So you can add extra deck details etc. as long as they are from the period who is to say you are wrong?

 

But my final observance would be this: Santa Maria is the most awesome vessel that ever sailed! Just build it. You know you want to! 

[robert952]

@RossR I had forgotten about the NRG Half Hull.  Thanks for the reminder.

 

It's now on sale at the NRG store, too.  

[RossR]

10 minutes ago, robert952 said:

@RossR I had forgotten about the NRG Half Hull.  Thanks for the reminder.

 

It's now on sale at the NRG store, too.  

Just ordered it myself.   

[TOM G]

Hull planking for beginners.    https://modelshipworldforum.com/resources/Framing_and_Planking/plankingprojectbeginners.pdf    

[robert952]

@Paul Le Wol I feel I need to point out:  syrenmodelshipcompany.com is incorrect.  The correct URL is this link  syrenshipmodelcompany.com 

 

To go straight to the monographs click here:  HMS Winchelsea 1764.  

[Paul Le Wol]

47 minutes ago, robert952 said:

@Paul Le Wol I feel I need to point out:  syrenmodelshipcompany.com is incorrect.  The correct URL is this link  syrenshipmodelcompany.com 

 

To go straight to the monographs click here:  HMS Winchelsea 1764.  

Hi Robert, thank you for correcting the url. My apologies to anyone inconvenienced by my mistake. I will edit my post right away.

 

[Roger Pellett]

An originally ballyhooed reason for buying POB kits instead of solid carved hull ones was that they were like “building the real thing.”  So, try doing what real shipwrights did BC (before CAD).  Make a planking expansion drawing!

 

On a sheet of paper, draw the profile of the hull.  Next draw lines perpendicular to the keel upward at the location of each bulkhead.  Next cut a handful of paper strips.  Wrap a strip around each bulkhead from the keel rabbit to the sheer line and make a mark there.  This will measure the girth of each bulkhead half.  Plot these girth’s on your drawing at the bulkhead location lines, and connect the points with a curve.  This is an accurate picture of the area that you have to cover.  Next, plot any known planking lines such as the Wales on the drawing.  You can now play around on the drawing with different planking schemes.  CAD users can easily erase schemes that they don’t like.  Otherwise, make several copies.

 

Roger

 

 

[CiscoH]

18th century longboat by model shipways.  basic planking and rigging, its small, and usually 50 bucks.  excellent instructions too

[BWDChris]

On 9/8/2023 at 12:38 PM, Paul Le Wol said:

You can also go to syrenshipmodel.com and download Chuck’s Revenue Cutter Cheerful monograph. Chapters 3, 4, and 5 deal with planking. Of course this is after you pop over to the new members forum and introduce yourself 😀

Chuck has some great guides as do other links provided on this thread. Only they seem to be directed at scratch builds and not kits. Using the planking fan, wider gaboard plank, and spiling, and rabbets, don’t seem to go with kit builds and beginners like myself. 

[Paul Le Wol]

Hi Chris, I think you will find that Chuck’s guides and techniques will work with any kit or scratch built model that you choose to build. Cheerful is a kit. I have used Chuck’s planking techniques on my pinky build which is a Model Shipways kit. In my opinion, planking is planking. Have a look at some of the Winchelsea builds. They all use the same techniques and I don’t think that you will find better planking anywhere.

 

[Robert Curtis]

i started with modelers central, they have several starter models with and accompanying dvd explaining the process begining to end. I found it very helpful, dont know how i would have completed first model without that help. good luck, it's a lot of fun.