Norwegian Sailing Pram by Taken Aback - Model Shipways - 1:12

[Taken Aback]

I've started this build, hot on the heels of the Grand Banks Dory, which is not quite complete: I have to finish the oars, tholes and seats. I've been working on those bits as I begin work on the pram.

 

So far I've assembled the build board, which went fine with the exception of my breaking the stern transom holder on test fitting the transom to it. A bit of cleaning out some char, a dab of PVA and small blob of patience and it seems to be holding. I drew a centerline on the board, per a few build logs, and the cut outs for the moulds and transom supports seemed to line up. Kenchington's build log with its wonderful pics and descriptions is guiding me through this stage. Thanks!

 

By using the hobby knife like a chisel I was able to pare away the bevels on both transoms and achieve some nice, crisp flats where required. I've found my ability to sand away material with a guide produces a less than perfect bevel. Paring then a very light touch up with some 220 paper produces the best results for me.

 

I don't understand why the stern transom holder isn't glued into the build board, as it is quite floppy and provides little to no lateral support for the transom. Anyone? I'm tempted to glue it in then saw it off when the board is no longer needed, as I did on the dory. As Kenchington did, I will be gluing mine in. His addition of a support for the stern transom knee was brilliant, so I will copy that. As it stands before gluing and mods:

 

[JacquesCousteau]

Great start!

[Taken Aback]

Some progress has been made, between several trips to a distant veterinarian's office for a couple of aging pets. Some vet can now afford a Vanguard Models HMS Indefatigable kit, and perhaps a few spare cannons. The pets are doing fine now, so, money well spent.

 

Anyway, I've added a stern knee support to the build board, as recommended by Kenchington's build log, and discovered that the knee itself wasn't perfectly perpendicular to the transom. Out came the alcohol, (isopropyl for the knee, Hendrick's gin for me) and off came the knee. A bit of fiddly sanding and scraping, back on it went, much more accurately with the centerline.

 

For beveling the bottom planks I found that, for me, carving away the bevel with the knife yielded a much crisper bevel than sanding, just as with the transom bevels. I have more control with a knife, probably from chisel work in the past, than I do with a sanding stick. As a bonus feature, it goes faster, as well. YMMV.

 

The bottom and keel planks have been bent into shape, after experimentation with various methods of bending. Steaming and soaking/drying didn't produce the results I wanted, and on this model where the planks are mostly "floating" in space without bulkheads, Chuck's ironing in situ didn't work well for me either. In the end, I used a combination of techniques, and got the planks shaped to my satisfaction.

 

The bottom boards are now glued at the bow, and waiting for the stern transom knee to cure completely before I glue them to the stern. The keel board is bent, sanded and ready to be glued into place after that. Checking that spot at the bow transom to plank interface will be crucial to see if I need to do any further fitting to achieve a tight joint, once I test fit the keel board.

 

My ability to take a decent pic seems to be quite stunted, but once the bottom boards are in place I'll give it a go.

[Taken Aback]

Inspection of the keelboard to transom joint revealed that the stern transom bevels for the bottom boards aren't cut low enough in relation to the tab that protrudes to the keelboard, in other words, there is a gap. Instead of rebeveling, which would have then require more rebeveling on the rest of the transom, I filled in the gap between the transom and knee to keelboard with a scrap, then scraped and sanded it flush with the bottom boards.

 

At the bow I did the same with the little triangle under the knee between the bottom boards. It wouldn't have shown at the bow, but adds a bit of strength.

 

After that, gluing up the keelboard didn't take much time at all, and I can now trim off the excess at each transom in preparation for the garboards.

 

After reading on some build logs about the gains which need to be cut in the garboards, I test fitted a garboard at the stem and made my attempt at a gain. Not sure if the pic will show, but I outlined my work with pencil to help with visibility. It fits well at the bow transom/garboard/bottom board joint now. Next will be the stern gain, which seems like it will be more challenging, given that the garboard seems to require a bit of twisting. Pondering now whether to bend and let dry first, then attempt the gain.

[druxey]

That gain looks very good! At the tip is should be whisker thin, though.

Edited Wednesday at 03:15 PM by druxey

[Taken Aback]

Druxey, thanks! I will take another look at it. I can feel it slotting in with a bit of finger pressure.

[Bryan Woods]

You’re doing a good job. I would cut the gain when it was flat. Trying to think back when I did the pram, I probably didn’t cut them. Probably just put a bevel on them, thinking if I cut I would probably cut part of it off:-)

[Taken Aback]

Thanks, Bryan! It seems like cutting the gain on a flat plank would be the smart play, but that bend into place at the stern seems to need a bit of twisting, as well.

 

Decisions.

[Bryan Woods]

I’ve only been modeling for about two years. I’ve tried lots of way to bend the wood. My go to tool is a ladies hair straightener I bought at a thrift store for $3.00. I just mist both sides and run it through. Then clamp it to the hull making sure it where I want it , then let it set for a bit.

This is one I’m working on now.

 

 

I’ve gotten better at pulling up the plank as I pull it through, to get the bend as close as possible.

 

[palmerit]

I haven’t had much luck bending basswood (used in probably all Model Shipways and Midwest models) using heat (with something like a plug in plank bender). That work well - for me - with the harder woods (like pear) used in Vanguard models. I just wet the basswood with hot tap water and secure it in place with clamps and rubber bands (making sure the clamps do not directly touch the wood but with a scrap piece of wood between because the wood is so soft) and let it dry overnight. You wouldn’t want to try to glue even damp basswood (it soaks up a fair amount of water and glue doesn’t like wet wood based on experience and things I’ve read). 

[ubjs]

I'm building a Norwegian Pram myself now, but it's not going well. I don't get along with dory builds at all, I've tried Bluejackets before.

 

To all beginners who are trying to put together a dory and not succeeding, I can console you with the fact that it's much easier to build a regular hull with a little more real wood. I've built a number of hulls, Vasa, Bohuslän, Polaris, Spray, Lilla Dan. They're not fantastic builds but ok.

 

But putting together a Norwegian Pram, as I said, doesn't go well. I don't get along with this thin, soft wood.

 

When it comes to bending the hull parts for the Pram, I recommend the same as Palmerit.

I usually bend with an electric plank bender, but it doesn't work for the Pram, you get burn marks right away and also sinks in the wood.

[Kenchington]

Bending the pram's planks shouldn't be difficult.

 

Lay one in a baking pan (borrowed from the kitchen). Put a bit of weight on top to hold it down, when it tries to float. (Coffee mug works well for that.) Boil some water in a kettle (kitchen, again). Pour boiling water into pan. Wait a few minutes. (Set the cook's kitchen timer to ensure the wait isn't shortened.) Lift out the plank, blot it dry with paper towel, then bend it into place with fingers, clothes-pegs and large paperclips. Leave to dry, overnight if necessary.

 

Yes, thin pieces of basswood do need delicate handling, but that's something that those of us with big hands and more muscle than finesse have to learn!

 

Trevor

[Taken Aback]

Thanks for the great tips, all! Last night I used a baking dish, and hot water, weighted the garboard down and soaked for several minutes. Dried it a bit, clamped and banded into place, and this morning it looks great! 

 

Bryan, my wife has several (dozen) of those hair straightener dealios, I will surreptitiously borrow one and give it a go. What's the worst that could happen?

 

Will be gluing on the garboard today, and beginning to cut the bevels and gains on the other.

[Bryan Woods]

13 minutes ago, Taken Aback said:

What's the worst that could happen?

You would maybe have to make another plank:-) When I was doing the pram , I did as you are doing. .

 

[palmerit]

8 hours ago, ubjs said:

To all beginners who are trying to put together a dory and not succeeding, I can console you with the fact that it's much easier to build a regular hull with a little more real wood. I've built a number of hulls, Vasa, Bohuslän, Polaris, Spray, Lilla Dan. They're not fantastic builds but ok.

I started on the Vanguard Sherbourne and paused part of the way through - after having a tough go at planking it - to do the Shipwright Series (Dory, Pram, Smack). I was surprised at how different those three models really are - especially in terms of planking - from the Sherbourne (or other strip plank-on-bulkhead models I've worked on). These small simple (and relatively inexpensive) models do give you some practice at sanding, shaping, and beveling wood, which is useful certainly on large kits. But they face some unique challenges you do not have on larger kits. Building these also forces you to find creative solutions to clamping (clamps, rubber bands, clips) pieces of wood into place to dry and cure, which is also useful on large kits to be sure. I started these in part because I was a bit scared of the rigging on the Sherbourne. The Dory (at least the Model Shipways Dory) has no rigging, the Pram has minimal, the Smack a bit more. After finishing the Smack's rigging I felt like I could tackle with some research what to do on the Sherbourne.

[Taken Aback]

Palmerit, that was my thinking exactly, but as I have looked at videos and build logs, I see just how different the plank on bulkhead build technique is. But, I look at these Model Shipways builds as training, and am enjoying the process. But, I have been planning on ordering the Sherbourne for my first "real" model, before I begin the lobster smack, as a reward for training myself in the ways of this fascinating world.

 

It's nice to see fellow Tennesseans here!