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. 

[ERS Rich]

Try soaking the planks longer, place the end of the plank on a jar of water.  Try 5, 10, 15 minutes or longer.  If the wood swells, soak less, if not soak more.  Pine resin will inhibit water absorption.

 

My plank bender came with a wooden jig.  Place the plank in the jig, press down with the iron to form the plank along the jig.  

 

The plank will probably partially spring back, so the process may need to be repeated.

 

There are many ways to do this job.  Find what works for you.  The electric bender can work, but it’s time consuming.

 

For mass production, I’ll soak 10 planks, end in a jar, overnight, then use clothes pins to hold them around a round plastic container.  Let them dry overnight.
 

Also swelling for me, hasn’t been an issue.  Sometimes the grain swells, if so, let the wood dry completely, give it a light sand.  Haven’t had a problem with swelling changing the plank dimensions.

 

Good luck with it.

 

-Rich

Edited August 6 by ERS Rich

[palmerit]

It also depends on the type and thickness of wood. You wouldn't want to soak thin strips of basswood for a long time. In fact, just some surface water before using the plank bender would likely be more than enough for a regular bend with basswood. Edge bends of thick strips of basswood would benefit from a longer soak. 

[Dr PR]

Most of the wood we use for modelling has been dried - unless you cut strips from fresh wood. Wood shrinks significantly as is dries, and swells when it gets wet. Even just high humidity can cause wood to swell a bit. This swelling and shrinking can cause cracks to appear in seams between planks months or years after the model was built. I coat the interior of the planked hull with thin epoxy to glue everything together solidly. This prevents cracks from appearing due to changes in humidity.

 

When you soak planks for bending, be sure they are dry before putting them on the model. If you bend planks on the model, as I do, use only a small amount of water brushed on the strip, and heat until the moisture evaporates.

[Chaos Butterfly]

Hello everyone, 

Sorry for the late answer, I was busy those past few days.

I tried again the planking of the first piece and glued it.

I first soaked it 15mn in cold water before putting the piece of wood on the boat and used the electric bender while pressing it on the plank on the boat to give it the desired shape on one side, and the result look good to me.

I then Soaked it again during 5mn after a few minutes of drying it for the other side and it gave me thoses sames black marks again.

I still glued it and I let you see and let me know what you think of it.

Thanks for the advices

[CPDDET]

I'm thinking 2 different things when it comes to the marks on the wood. Either the iron is too hot ( you can check that with an instant read thermometer) or there is some kind of minerals in the water causing it. You could try distilled water. 

Good to see you making progress!

[Chaos Butterfly]

I think that the iron is too hot, but I can't change the temperature, I just plug it and it work, nothing more nothing less.

But yeah, it's fun, eager to see the final result.

[CPDDET]

Just keeping it moving back and forth, not leaving it in one place too long may help.

[palmerit]

If you add water to the surface (your finger or a paintbrush) that can help keep the temp down to help avoid scorching - while at the same time creating more steam that transfers the heat a bit more effectively.