X-Acto knife or modeler's plane for tapering planks?

[Pitts2112]

Hello, all,

I'm getting ready to start my first kit, the Amanti Lady Nelson.  I've been absorbing the website here which is an amazing resource.  

 

I have one question about tools for tapering hull planks.  My only experience with wooden models is from a couple of balsa wood aircraft when I was a kid and I remember having a really hard time getting quality results with X-Acto blades on that wood, particularly trying to make long taper cuts on thin strips.  Are the planking woods in ship kits easier to work with?  Would a modeler's plane give better results than a razor knife?

 

Thanks for any tips!

[GrandpaPhil]

The last time I planked a wood hull (a long time ago) I used a knife and it worked well for me.

 

Some of the ship modeling books recommend using a modeler’s plane.

 

It’s up to you.

 

You could always try both and see what works for you.

Edited November 23 by GrandpaPhil

[Pitts2112]

8 minutes ago, GrandpaPhil said:

The last time I planked a wood hull (a long time ago) I used a knife and it worked well for me.

 

Some of the ship modeling books recommend using a modeler’s plane.

 

It’s up to you.

 

You could always try both and see what works for you.

So maybe worth getting an inexpensive plane and trying it out?  Sounds good.  Thanks!

[Knocklouder]

I have buildt 7 ships just using a  knife and sand paper. Some times I use a scaple  for realy fine stuff . I always want to get me one of those Lee Valley  mini plane but they are pricey. 

Bob M.

[GGibson]

After you draw a line on the wood plank where the taper should run to, if it's a decent amount that you can trim an excess off carefully with an X-Acto blade, go for it.  But for more precise tapering, I use and would recommend a sanding block and sandpaper.  Maybe start with 180/220 grit paper.  Good luck! 

[Tonphil1960]

Lee Valley has some great mini planes. 

[druxey]

Yes, pricey, but you get what you pay for. Looked after properly, one will last a lifetime and beyond.

[GGibson]

1 hour ago, Knocklouder said:

I always want to get me one of those Lee Valley  mini plane but they are pricey. 

 

49 minutes ago, Tonphil1960 said:

Lee Valley has some great mini planes. 

 

37 minutes ago, druxey said:

Yes, pricey, but you get what you pay for. Looked after properly, one will last a lifetime and beyond.

 

Great... another "ooooh, I gotta have THAT new tool now, too" thread.  Thanks, guys!  I'm such an easy target.... 🤷‍♀️🤣

 

I actually do have a nice little palm-sized plane.  Need to look to see if it has a brand name on it.  But keeping that Lee Valley website open "just in case"...

[Jack12477]

I have the entire collection of Lee Valley's Veritas miniature tools, use them a lot, not just on models but 1:1 as well. They are well worth the investment.  Also have the miniature worktop with the bench dogs et al. 

Edited November 24 by Jack12477

[Dziadeczek]

It is best to first build yourself a plank holding (clamping) jig, where you wedge your plank vertically (after you mark in pencil the contour of the plank) and then you proceed to shape (shave) the edge of this plank almost to the pencil line and finish it with a piece of wooden block with sandpaper glued to it. See the pic. 

A- base from wood clamped to a table

B- plywood rectangle glued to the base

C- plywood triangle glued to the base

D- another plywood triangle, loose, used for clamping the plank

E- shaving plane

F- plank wedged vertically between B and D

 

It is advisable to do two corresponding planks at the same time, wedged in this holding jig, firstly because one plank will go on the one side of the hull and the other one will go to the opposite side; ideally they should therefore be identical, provided that your hull is perfectly symmetrical... Also - secondly, it will speed up the time of shaving the contour for all planks...

For the shaving process I found out that the best planes are the mini-Ibex planes used by luthiers, those tiny ones held in fingers - see attached pic. Those provides max precision and control of the process.

They are quite pricey, but sometimes you can get used ones on Ebay for much cheaper. I got mine many years ago for 5$ from a local vendor in one model exhibit/show...

Edited November 24 by Dziadeczek

[GGibson]

4 hours ago, GGibson said:

I actually do have a nice little palm-sized plane.  Need to look to see if it has a brand name on it.

 

Yogeon Mini Black Hand Plane - Made in China - Purchased in 2021 on Amazon.  Haven't used it in planking, but I have used it several times when shaping square dowels to a circle for masts.  👍

[aliluke]

I'm just a scalpel - number 11 blade - and sandpaper guy. Hasn't let me down on six hulls to date. 

[Pitts2112]

3 hours ago, Dziadeczek said:

It is best to first build yourself a plank holding (clamping) jig, where you wedge your plank vertically (after you mark in pencil the contour of the plank) and then you proceed to shape (shave) the edge of this plank almost to the pencil line and finish it with a piece of wooden block with sandpaper glued to it. See the pic. 

A- base from wood clamped to a table

B- plywood rectangle glued to the base

C- plywood triangle glued to the base

D- another plywood triangle, loose, used for clamping the plank

E- shaving plane

F- plank wedged vertically between B and D

 

It is advisable to do two corresponding planks at the same time, wedged in this holding jig, firstly because one plank will go on the one side of the hull and the other one will go to the opposite side; ideally they should therefore be identical, provided that your hull is perfectly symmetrical... Also - secondly, it will speed up the time of shaving the contour for all planks...

For the shaving process I found out that the best planes are the mini-Ibex planes used by luthiers, those tiny ones held in fingers - see attached pic. Those provides max precision and control of the process.

They are quite pricey, but sometimes you can get used ones on Ebay for much cheaper. I got mine many years ago for 5$ from a local vendor in one model exhibit/show...

 

This is the kind of rig I was thinking of, or maybe even a shooting board type of thing since I'm also a little worried about keeping 90 degree angles.

[Dr PR]

I shape planks in three ways.

 

1. #11 blade in a hobby knife. Good for removing larger excess from plank.

2. I have a Stanley 12-101 mini plane. It is 3 1.2 inches (89 mm) long. I use this to shave the edge close to the line.

3. A sanding block with 100 grit sandpaper. I use this to shape the plank to the line, and any other fine shaping that is needed.

 

For beveling the plank edges I use either the plane or the sandpaper block.

 

I bought the Stanley plane decades ago at a local hobby shop. I have sharpened the blade several times, and I retract the blade and keep masking tape over the blade opening when it is not in use. I have used it so much that the black anodizing is worn off the bottom.

 

There are two "types" of planking.

 

If you are going to paint the wood or cover it with copper plates you really don't need to worry about getting everything perfect.  A few cracks and asymmetrical (port/starboard) planking won't matter. Varying thickness and widths in the planks also don't matter much (this is common with wood in kits).You can seal the hull and fill in any gaps with putty and then sand it smooth. Then the paint will hide any detail in the planking.

 

But if you are building a model where the wood will be visible and the planking detail emphasized then you need to be very careful and work with precision on each plank. This is a lot harder than you might think, and takes a lot of practice. For this a plank holding jig is useful, especially if it had a provision for angling the plank to the correct angle to get the correct bevel. You will also need planks with carefully controlled width and thickness, and a lot of wood suppliers fail on this point. Hard core modelers make their own planks and control the dimensions carefully.

 

I would caution against purchasing the most expensive tools, especially those designed for specific tasks not common in ship modeling. As several members have said here, they just use hobby knives or scalpels and sandpaper, and they get very good results.

 

A common bit of advice is to never buy a tool until you need it. There are a lot of flashy tools on the market, but many are good only for separating suckers from their money!

[CPDDET]

Perhaps not the best but a small investment to see if using planes is your thing.

https://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools/planes-sanders-files/planes/mini.html

[Pitts2112]

9 hours ago, Dr PR said:

I would caution against purchasing the most expensive tools, especially those designed for specific tasks not common in ship modeling. As several members have said here, they just use hobby knives or scalpels and sandpaper, and they get very good results.

 

A common bit of advice is to never buy a tool until you need it. There are a lot of flashy tools on the market, but many are good only for separating suckers from their money!

I'm a firm believer in this tool rule.  Until I end up in a tool shop, that is. 

 

Good advice on all your points.  Thanks very much!

 

[Pitts2112]

Based on everyone's advice, I think I'll stick with the razor knife and sanding block for now.  This will be my first model, after all, and if I think I'm going to notice the difference in results between the methods, I'm probably fooling myself.  Thanks everyone for the kind advice!

[mtaylor]

Comparing balsa with the planking wood in most kits is apples and oranges.   Balsa is soft and fuzzy.   Most planking woods, even basswood are harder.  Go with the files, sandpaper for starters and get a sense and feel for the wood.  Then go from there.  Planes are good also for harder woods.

[Dziadeczek]

An easy (fairly) way to make your own shaving planes