Bluenose by Tony28 - Amati - scale 1:100 - first build

[Tony28]

Hi all. I’ve started my first build. It was a 50th Birthday gift from the in-laws. Made an okay start but now struggling. I’ve always fancied a go at model shop building and finally now have the opportunity. As you will see by the photograph below, I’ve made an okay start but now approaching a difficult section. I’d wrongly assumed that instructions would be specific, accurate and helpful. What I have in front of me now reads as follows…

 

“Apply first planking. Some nails will help. At stem, leave enough space for cutwater positioning. Check thickness of keel.” 
 

It then goes on to say sand hull prior the second planking. okay, so that’s the entire planking instructions!?? Great. 
 

Q1) what is leave enough space for cutwater positioning on this ship specifically? 
 

Q2) check thickness of keel. Can anyone explain why? What do I do?

 

I’ve read and watched many videos on planking but nothing is the same as this hull.
 

I’ve also seen many videos now all showing several different methods of planking so no idea what to now do. As you will see, the deck is complete, bulwarks on…now the planking. 
 

any help will be much appreciated! 

[ccoyle]

3 hours ago, Tony28 said:

I’ve read and watched many videos on planking but nothing is the same as this hull.

 

If you can get your hands on a copy of Ship Modeling Simplified by Frank Mastini, he shows a simplified planking technique using the very similar Bluenose kit from Artesania Latina. A historically correct technique is not absolutely required if you intend to paint your model.

 

A couple of bits of general advice:

• Avoid using the nails, unless you intend to remove them prior to sanding. There are better techniques for the job.
• The Amati design uses shamefully few bulkheads. Adding some pine or basswood filler blocks between them, then sanding them down to match the hull contours, will make planking much easier.

Cheers!

[gsdpic]

Another possibly helpful tip is to read ahead in the instructions to see what is coming after the planking.  Where it says "leave enough space for cutwater positioning", I'd look ahead in the instructions for anything else about the cutwater.  The cutwater is the leading edge of the hull, usually a sort of wedge shape, that slices into the water rather than having a blunt area hit the water first.   From the instructions, I guess that the kit may provide another piece of wood specifically for this purpose, so the planking instructions are just telling you to take that piece into account when planking.  With luck, locating the instructions for that piece will make it more clear how the planking at the very front of the hull should be completed.

 

As for the keel, it is not clear if they expect to plank over the keel or just down to that keel since it appears to be a different type of wood, perhaps the same type as the second layer of planking.   If you plank over it, the keel may appear too thick.  Also, if the kit supplied any sort of mounting pedestals for the finished boat, it could be that you need to be careful about the width of the keel so that the pedestals still fit.  I've done that before....had some brass pedestals that had a slot in the top to fit the keel in but ended up with a keel that was too thick to fit in the pedestals.

 

And welcome to MSW.

 

 

[Tony28]

Thank you both. I bought a copy of that book. Good read and learning. I’ve set up a couple of planks each side. I think it’s time to start tapering them a bit. I think. 
 

Wondering about sanding first planking. I’m worried that my planking is not great and not level. But I don’t t see how I’ll ever get it level. Sanding is just going to flex the 2mm planks in between the bulk heads. I’m assuming I should add more bulk heads then? Fillers like? 
My problem with that is it seems like a bit of a cheat. I mean, why bother with filling in between bulkheads…might as well start with a solid hull if you’re going to do that, no? 
 

Anyway, this is where I’m at. Do others think I should now be tapering? Should I rip off what I’ve done? All seems like a botch really.  

 

 

[hamilton]

I built this kit over a decade ago so my memory is foggy, but the cutwater you refer to above is to be added along the keel edge forward - you need to leave a gap in the planking from the bottom of the keel (horizontal section) forward and then add the cutwater as a strip between the plank-ends once the planking is complete. I hope this helps with your first question.

 

As for question 2, I'll be honest and say I haven't read the other members' responses, so I may be repeating here, but I believe this is just to ensure consistency in its width after you plank the hull. This part of the build was, I recall. confusing for me too as it wasn't clear whether I was supposed to plank over the keel all the way to its base or only to the bottom of the bulkhead frames. I believe I planked only to the bottom of the frames to maintain the width of the laser cut keel and not thicken its width by planking over it....I also hope this response is clear....

 

This was a fun build as I recall, and I think it's a good one for getting into the hobby as long as you keep in mind that the rig on this one is quite a bit simplified from the actual vessel (good for learning the basics) and that the small scale sometimes makes it a bit tricky. But if you approach it as a learning experience, then you can start to hone skills that will help with the next one. Have fun!

hamilton

[hamilton]

Missed your last question from your latest post....I use a scalpel blade to shave off thickness of the planks where they buckle out from one another and then sand them as smooth as possible. I also use (as many do) healthy doses of wood filler (actually I use acrylic modelling paste, which I find to be a very good product for this purpose) will help with any cracks or seams and then more sanding. 

 

Is this a double-planked hull? I can't recall from when I built it, but I thought it was only single planked.....In any case, on this model it isn't necessary to get a pristine planking job on the hull - unless you don't plan on painting it. Once you fill and sand the planks and paint them, you will not see any of the imperfections of the planking itself.

hamilton

[Tony28]

Thanks hamilton. I’ve ordered some paste. Here tomorrow but won’t be needing it for a week or so I guess! 
 

latest pics below. 6 planks either side. Tapered back but haven’t at front. If I’m honest, I’ve no idea if it’s right. Any thoughts appreciated! 
 

this is double planked so not too bothered about a few issues. Keel looks like it’s not planked. How should I proceed now? Same as I have? Or go to keel then down? 
 

thanks everyone, it’s killing me tbh, and patience is not a trait of mine!! 
 

 

[gsdpic]

Frankly, that planking looks excellent for a first effort.  At some point soon you might want to start going keel down, though figuring out where the first plank by the keel should go might be difficult.   There is another build log for this kit that shows the planking in progress.  That person chose to plank over the keel but also chose to go keel down at about the point you are at.  Here is that log:

 

If the keel is not planked, it might be difficult to bevel the edge of the planks on the bulkheads next to the keel to have a smooth transition between the keel and the planking.

 

Two other thoughts....

- assuming you are planning to fully paint the hull, the main goal of the planking is to get a smooth and fair surface.  In other words, there is far more than one "right" way to lay out the planks and get a smooth surface.

- the other build log indicated that he just did one layer of planking before painting.  Given how smooth your first layer is looking, that might be an option for you as well, unless you just want more planking experience.  I guess that the second layer of planking is likely some very thin strips of wood, so either way you will want to make that first layer as smooth as possible.

 

[Tony28]

Thank you Gary. You never know if what you are doing is right so thank you. 
 

Yeah, I’ve  studied that build. I must admit, I’d be very happy with a similar outcome so might just do what they did. 
 

I agree, it’ll be hard to get a good transition at the keel. I’ll try mocking it up and see what it looks like. If I do decide to go keel down from this point, any pointers? Yes, second plank is 0.5mm walnut. I’ll paint it anyway as I don’t think it’ll be good enough to varnish or oil. 
 

thank you again. 
 

Tony. 
 

 

[Tony28]

Okay, so a bit done over the weekend. Felt crap so not a great deal. 
I'm kinda stuck now. I’ve seen two build logs on here of this ship. One stops planking at the keel, the other goes on over it completely. 
 

I can’t see a good way of blending in the planking with the keel. No rabbet to glue into. I think they’ve kept the design simple but in doing so, seriously compromised the details.  
 

If I now cover the keel, will that give any issues later? It’s all being painted but wanted to practice for future and possible second planking. 
 

Most importantly though, if I do cover the keel, how should I now proceed? Start at top edge of keel with straight plank then go down to meet where I’m currently at? Or continue building up to it (carry on as I am)  Or do I start with the awkward one where keel meets bulk heads then work up and down. 
 

Help much appreciated as always!! 

 

Edited November 20, 2023 by Tony28

[Tony28]

Had a bit of a mare. Got this far. Messed up I think. Not tapered enough bow and stern. But even if I had gone from 5mm to 2.5mm it’ll still look similar. I did the maths for each bulk head, but when I try to fit 8 planks to the bow and stern ends, they need to be 1mm or even less. How do you cope with this? 
 

I can botch this first layer a bit, but I’d like to get the second planking right at least. 
 

help appreciated please!!! 

[Tony28]

Well. Just got on with it. No idea if it’s any good or not. Fill the rest  tomorrow and see. Planking is difficult and on such a small scale with a hull like this, it’s bonkers. I’d do a few things differently but I can’t find a single video of planking a hull similar to this. Not one and I’ve searched and searched. I didn’t split the hill into sections before starting and that was a mistake. I was left with slithers of wood on a single bulk head. 
 

ADVICE TO OTHERS WITH THIS EXACT MODEL. put in more bulkheads, fill bow and stern bulkheads with a solid infill. Finally, plank in 3 sections. I am sure advice was given to me regarding this, but I guess you learn best from your own mistakes! This appears to be standard practice and it’s good advice. 
 

I am now certain, despite previously being unsure that this model does NOT need planking over the keel, but I did it anyway. I think like others, I made this choice as it’s just better looking. 
 

I used modelling filler which I really didn’t get on with. Sanding just creates rubbery little pieces. Later, I went back to good old polyfiller and it’s so much better. Fills and sticks really well and sands beautifully. (See pics in later post for this filler rather than in this post). 
 

Edited December 22, 2023 by Tony28
Mistakes

[gsdpic]

Looks good to me.   As said before, a hull like this is typically filled, sanded, and painted so the exact plank lay out may not matter as much.   But you are correct that a hull shape like that does not lend itself to some of the normal planking techniques.

[hamilton]

Looks really good to me! This is one of the easier hull forms to plank I found - much less tapering and spiling involved and since the hull is finished this provides an opportunity to bury any defects of the planking itself. 

hamilton

[Tony28]

Not painted yet but decided to do some deck building stuff. Got to this stage and was going to attach wheel with a brass pin….no sign of said pin?? Any ideas? 
 

EDIT. The pin is basically a brass nail. Not great but I ended up using it as the small scale didn’t show up any issues, especially as it’s painted black. (Not that the instructions tell you this). 
 

Edited December 22, 2023 by Tony28
Update

[Tony28]

Quick update. More spray n filler on hull. Also made some custom parts for bits I didn’t like. Walnut very thin and delicate but should be okay when glued. 

[Tony28]

Bit more done. Sorted rudder and part of winch. Tiny little posts made also. Get some painting done tomorrow I think as lots of parts are black and white together. Hull has had 4th coat of primer. Needs one more. 

[Tony28]

A quick update on deck stuff. Largely finished except for a winch wheel. The finish is okay unless you look real close. I’ve got in a nasty habit of photographing, zooming in and despairing at the results.  

 

I really have no idea if what I’ve done is any good. The scale is 1:100 so I’m finding it very tough. 

[gsdpic]

Looking very good to me.  The combination of the dark wood and white paint on the deck house and other bits is very attractive.

 

And you are correct, for most of us mere mortals, close up photography reveals flaws that you would never notice at normal viewing distance.   There have been numerous times I thought I was done with something, then I took some pictures of it and decided to go back and do some re-work or touch up.   But I don't see anything in your photos above that would cause me to consider that.

[Tony28]

2 hours ago, gsdpic said:

Looking very good to me.  The combination of the dark wood and white paint on the deck house and other bits is very attractive.

 

And you are correct, for most of us mere mortals, close up photography reveals flaws that you would never notice at normal viewing distance.   There have been numerous times I thought I was done with something, then I took some pictures of it and decided to go back and do some re-work or touch up.   But I don't see anything in your photos above that would cause me to consider that.

Thanks Gary, appreciate your thoughts. It’s a whole new level of detail for me. Bits of wood 1 and 2mm thick  and whole deck parts made of several pieces smaller than a ring. 
 

Huge learning curve..and I have rigging and sail making to look forward to.   

 

Thank you. 
 

 

[allanyed]

4 hours ago, Tony28 said:

I’ve got in a nasty habit of photographing, zooming in and despairing at the results.  

This is a great habit!!   When you think you have things looking really good take some closeups and look again.   Invariably I wind up doing a bit more finishing or sometimes replacements which is for the better. 

 

For a first model and such a small scale your work is wonderful.

 

Allan

[Tony28]

Thanks Allan. ⚓  

[Tony28]

Okay, not much more done but wanted to see what it all looked like. Deck items not all completed or stuck down yet, hull not painted. I decided to do things like this, despite the instructions. 
 

1) Complete hull and prime to get as perfect as possible. Not glued on the gunwales as I want to paint inside of the rail on ship before gluing. (Not sure what this is called) 
 

2) Complete all deck items. This is because I want to then finish the deck before painting the inside of gunwales as mentioned above. And to finish the deck, I want to mask off the deck items..so I need them done.

 

I decided to do a fair bit of extra work to the dory boats. The instructions are to create a very basic boat and add a couple of seats. I haven’t finished them yet but had a look on here for larger scale models of bluenose (scale 1:64 I think) and try to emulate these. Not easy at all at 1:100 scale but I’ve had a go. They are better than what was given in the kit I think anyway. Will finish these next. 

 

3) I then plan to (as I then haven’t done it yet) to mask deck where items will be glued and give 3 coats of Danish oil. 
 

4) Paint inner wall Deck (not sure of the name still)

 

5) Glue on gunwales. 
 

6) Paint the hull. So easy to just say like that! 

 

7) Attach all deck parts. Some gluing and some with slight mechanical fixing like 1mm brass dowel. 
 

Hull will then be done. It’s taking time! 

[hamilton]

I think your build looks really great! Very neat work at this small scale!

hamilton

[Amati Bluenose]

Hi Tony -

 

I am building the same ship from Amati.  Your pictures and the comments here are going to be proving most helpful to me.  Any chance we could swap email addresses so we could communicate directly?

 

I am just starting construction.  Next step is filing down the struts to receive the planking and then I will be putting the decks on.

 

Hope to hear from you.  

 

Mike C.