How do I bend planks with electric bender (beginner)

[Chaos Butterfly]

Hello everyone

I received for my birthday my first boat model of the HMS Bounty (Jolly Boat) from Artesia Latina because they know I like building things but such a thing is a first for me.

I finished the inner frame (if you can call it like that) and the instructions tell me to attach the plank to the hull (I'm french) and for that I need to bend them.

I tried one a few days ago, i moistened it 5mn before trying to bend it and it didn't gave me the results I expected.

It was hard to even give it a shape and it's a bit black on some part of the plank because it's hot.

How do I use it, is there something I don't know?

[palmerit]

I've pasted below a useful set of posts on this site that have links to videos on planking (in English). One challenge of plank bending is that you sometimes (often) need to bend in two directions, as illustrated in the Passaro videos. It takes a good bit of practice and experience to understand plank bending. It's probably the most challenge aspect of this hobby. 

 

It's good practice to try to get the plank bending right. Sometimes you just need to rip off a plank and redo it. A lot of people recommend treating each plank as its own "project". If you're painting the model, you can certainly use a lot of filler (wood filler or bondo) and do lots of sanding. My first planking was really stepped (clinker) and a mess. But with a ton of filler, sanding, filler, sanding I was able to get a descent hull that looked fairly good after painting. The masters at this art can just leave the planks bare, just finished with some shellac. Maybe someday I'll be able to do that myself.

 

The Modelkit Stuff channel has a Vanguard Model Sherbourne build going on that has some videos on plank bending.

https://www.youtube.com/@ModelkitStuff

 

Another great resource is the YouTube video channel by Olha Batchvarov. She's now working on the Model Shipways Philadelphia and that has some fairly simple plank bending.

https://www.youtube.com/c/OlhaBatchvarov

 

An useful aspect of Olha's Philadelphia videos, where she is building in real time live, is that even though she is an expert model building, she is still spending hours and hours on the planking of a fairly simple hull. There really are no shortcuts to doing this right.

 

 

[Dr PR]

Most people seem to use a plank bending method with the planks off the hull and in some type of jig. Some boil or steam the planks, and some people just soak them. In my opinion this is all way too much trouble and the results are less than perfect.

 

For me the best way is to shape the plank on the hull, where the hull serves as the jig and has the exact curvature and twist necessary. Here are a couple of links that illustrate this method.

 

https://modelshipworld.com/topic/37060-uss-cape-msi-2-by-dr-pr-148-inshore-minesweeper/?do=findComment&comment=1074225

https://modelshipworld.com/topic/37060-uss-cape-msi-2-by-dr-pr-148-inshore-minesweeper/?do=findComment&comment=1075263

 

You don't say what type of "plank bender" tool you are trying to use. That could influence the method you try.

 

 

[CPDDET]

You can either use spiling, as real ships were done, or plank bending.

I tend to use a combination of both.

The NRG Half Hull kit does a decent job of teaching spiling. 

When I do bend, I just "paint" the plank with a thin layer of water and then apply heat. Many times I do this on the model.

For example, I will use spiling instead of edge bending to shape the plank. Then glue one end of the plank in place, brush on a bit of water and apply heat while bending the other end of the plank in place.

This process is used almost exclusively at the bow and stern. Just use spiling for the planks in-between.

Be advised, spiling has a definite learning curve.

[catopower]

When I bend planks using an electric plank bender, I do this off of the model and I don't use any special jigs. 

 

Most of the first layer kit material is very porous and doesn't really need much water. When you heat the plank, move the head of the bender along the wood, much like ironing a shirt. You don't want to hold it in one place or you only burn the wood. I do the work on a flat wood surface, gently pressing the iron along the wood, while holding the other end up off the surface, creating bending pressure. Try not press too hard, or you will break or crush the wood.

 

As the wood dries out, apply more water to it. You don't want it to dry it out.

 

As CPDDET says above, you can do this while the wood is on the model as well.

 

You're basically steaming the wood, loosening the fibers. This should allow you to bend the wood to shape and soften it temporarily, so you can also bend the wood by hand, edgewise, as needed. It just takes practice, and you'll find your own way that works best for you.

 

Later on, you can learn about more advanced methods of planking, a technique called spiling, and various details of how actual ships and boats were planked.

 

It's your first wooden ship model, so just have fun with it!

[CPDDET]

Remember, it's the heat thats used to bend wood, not the water.

Steam is used because it can heat wood without burning it. When you touch a hot iron to moist wood it creates steam which heats the wood and allows it to bend.

Some people soak planks but I find that causes the wood to swell too much, at least for me.

Try a few different methods and see what works best for you.

I'll take a temp reading of my iron and let you know what that is. I know it dosent burn the wood and I can hear the hiss of steam when I use it.

[CPDDET]

OK. My iron, on a medium setting, heats to about 330 degrees. Water turns to steam at 212 so the iron is plenty hot to do that.

I can apply the iron to a dry piece of basswood for more than 30 seconds, keeping it in one place, and see no signs of scorching.