HM Cutter Alert by Desertanimal - Vanguard Models - 1:64 scale

[Desertanimal]

This is my fourth build after completing the Dory, Pram and Lobster Smack. I’ve been looking forward to this build for a while. In real time I actually started the build on November 28th 2024. I’ve been worried about starting a log as it’s just one more thing to keep up on. Now that I have a head start I think it’s safe and I can keep it updated. 

 

Most of my build is based on build logs by @Thukydides and @Blue Ensign. I am very appreciative of the work they shared in their very detailed logs. There were many others also and I will call you out when I use a particular technique I learned.

The beginning is pretty straightforward and has been covered very well before now so I will kind of speed through this part.

 

The kit is very well made and went together very nicely. I did make up some little slotted blocks to hold her upright. 

 

 

There has been plenty of discussion about these parts not lining up on some build logs. I’ll be honest, they had me little concerned. Mine lined up fine. 

 

 

False deck going on.

 

 

Now the fun really begins. Time to plank. I had decided early on that I was going to attempt this build at as high a level as possible. With that in mind and being new to planking a boat this size I had planned on the first planking to be a trial run for the second layer. I referred to many logs about planking both the Alert and others. I used @Chuck’s method of plank bending with water heat and a jig to make the lateral bends. I bought a little quilting iron with a tiny little foot. I saw someone on here use it. It is great.  So here I go…

 

** One tip I will share regarding the little iron. I bought a timed outlet on amazon for about $12 and plug the iron into that. It has multiple settings for hours to be on. I usually set it for 2 hours, after that time it shuts off. So later I’m not wondering if I turned off the iron.

 

 

I put a small piece of the pear planking in the rabbet to make sure I would have room to tuck that layer into the rabbet nice and cleanly.

 

 

You can see I had to put a little skinny plank in there. By this point I’m just going by the seat of my pants. Best laid plans and all…

 

 

I’m definitely going to need some filler, but overall I am quite happy with this layer. I couldn’t have done it without all the great logs and information about bending planks out there. 

 

 

That will about do for now. Next up, second layer planking!

 

Chris

 

[Thukydides]

Good job and good luck. You have made a good start.

 

It is hard tell from the pictures, but it looks to me like you didn’t edge bend the planks enough at the bow. That is why they are twisting out from the bulkhead (or maybe the faring was not enough). This is not a big deal as you can sand it all down and use filler where necessary, but it is something to watch for the second layer where people will actually see it. The planks should lay against the hull with minimal to no pressure. If you are having to force them in place you have not edge bent them enough.

[Desertanimal]

So now I’m on to the second layer of planks. Again I went through soooo many build logs to try to get a handle on what to do. This step really had me nervous. Someone directed me to an older PDF on planking that was a big help in illustrating things for me. I definitely learn best visually. 

Anyway after filling and sanding the first layer a couple of times, not sure why I have no pictures of those steps, I’ve got what I hope is a smooth well shaped hull. Getting the bend around the bow is certainly a challenge. I didn’t have much breakage but I did a few. Not so much from forcing the wood onto the boat but trying to rush the tight bend with the water and the iron then bending it over too quickly. 

After much thought I did use CA for the glueing. I made a tiny glue applicator by heating a needle and cutting off half the eye to form a fork to pick up glue. I used that and the tiny glue applicator tips also. I was very judicious in the amount of glue to use as I did not want to deal the mess of squeeze out. I made a hard effort to get the plank bent to fit before it was on the boat. That way the glue is not fighting the wood, just holding it in place. 

I experienced about the same amount of differences in the planks as other’s have mentioned, some being a little thinner and such. I would consider it well in tolerable levels and I never felt I was going to be short. 

 

I made a poor man’s keel clamp. It’s mdf with a 1mm rabbet in each side then I glued in some screws and added wing nuts to the other side. Works great. 

 

When it was time to turn it over I used rubber cement and glued it to an almond milk container, yes I washed it out. Now that I think about it a full one would have been way more stable but I think I would have had to fess up when I heard “What happened to the almond milk?!!!” From the other room.

 

 

 I had some issues with a weird angle showing up near the bow as seen in the second photo. Below is after it’s been fixed. Is this OK? Is there something better I could have done?

 

 

Planking complete. I’ll tell you what, that was a relief. There were plenty of times I was sweating hope it was going to look good in the end. I know filler can hide a lot but I was really trying to get tight joints. Here she is pre sanding. The pattern of the planks is off somewhere and the two sides don’t match on 1 row I think. I’m good with it though. Warts and all, she’s mine.

(Not sure why the lighting in a few shots had the wood so light colored. Actually it’s the colors in the above photos.)

 

 

 

Sanded and ready for some next steps! I was quite happy with the planking. I’m glad they all tucked into the rabbet nicely and my joints were ok to me. I’d love any feedback as I’d like to improve my skills all the time.

 

 

Thank you for checking in! Next she starts to get some color.

Chris