Rattlesnake by JPett - Model Shipways - Scale 1/64th - Kit #MS2028

[augie]

All I need say is ....... you did it.  You know what that means.

 

Congrats on a stellar job.

[realworkingsailor]

Wow... Very nice planking... Worth the time and effort. She looks really good

 

Andy

[themadchemist]

Nice work JPett.

I hate to say this but I give you a week and you'll be missing planking, maybe 2 weeks. When you lay that last plank you think THANK GOODNESS! but then for me the rhythm of planking was missed very soon after.

 

Beautiful job, It just shows what patience and help from MSW can do.  

[bhermann]

That is sweet, JP - your hard work and planning - and rework - have certainly paid off.  And your documentation of the process will be a great resource for the rest of us.  Thanks for sharing your struggles, and congratulations on a job very well done.

 

Bob

[patrickmil]

Fantastic looking planking! Your hull looks great! I'm impressed with your first time efforts.

[fish]

Jpett,

 

There is nothing I can say that hasn't already been said, I can't believe you made basswood look that good!

 

-Aaron

[yvesvidal]

Jpett,

 

This planking work is stunning. This is very serious competition with Chuck Passaro and some of the best masters!

 

Congratulations.

 

Yves

[Martin W]

JPett -- Very, very nice.  Both the bow & stern line up beautifully, and the variations in wood tone only add to the beauty and precision of your work.  This is a Ratt that will set the standard.

 

Bravo,

 

Martin

[mtaylor]

Wonderful planking JP..  have one on me to celebrate.

[JPett]

Ahoy MSW

 

Thank you all for the comments: They are very kind and much appreciated :)

 

In reality, it is you guys that deserve praise more then I. 

 

If my planking proves anything, it would be the benefit of sites like MSW. I merely applied elbow grease and persistence (my only real talent). It was following the example and advice of others that took the time to post in their logs or respond in mine that allowed me to reach this point in my build. Thank you all.

 

Back to the Build:

 

Other then contemplating some changes to the paint scheme as a result of an image I received in a PM, I have been on a small break from building. I decided to clean the shipyard and reset it. Over the last four months, working on this project produced a lot of little mementos which are now very neatly organized in the trash bin and vacuum cleaner. 

I will be doing treenails, additional coats of poly, my transom and redoing for the third time my gunports. I understand that with Decks, three times is the charm. I hope that this will be true for Gunports too. This decision will all make sense in that post which might not be for a week or three. Again “thank you all” for your help on my journey. Till then.

 

 

Let this Pic document that my little closet work area was actually clean.

Edited May 10, 2013 by JPett

[themadchemist]

Wow, nice and tidy.....if they only stayed that way. Of course that would mean no more building, so I take it back. May your work area need a cleaning again soon.

[mtaylor]

As someone once put it a long time ago... "a clean desk is the sign of work not being done".  Or maybe it was "a clean desk is the sign of a sick mind"????  What Keith said about needing a cleaning again soon.   

 

That is a nice work area, clean or dirty.

[Blue Ensign]

My old boss used to say tidy desk, tidy mind, when viewing the detritis that was my desk, I would reply tidy desk, nothing to do!

 

JP is the exception that proves the rule, and the completion of a very successful planking  phase is an ideal time to have  a GTU.

 

ps.JP -  Don't under-estimate persistence as a talent, it's what gets the job done.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[popeye the sailor]

I think you under estimate yourself a little there........you did a swell job there......and I'm sticking to it.

[themadchemist]

Persistance and determination are the 2 most important talants one can possess, and you have lots of both. They will make you more successful then many other talents and allow a higher completion then average.

As a techer I always preferred a B student with persistance to an A student without. Too many individuals are good at things because to only do what they are good at.

[src]

JP,

I cant say any more than what has already been said, She looks great! You made basswood look awesome!

Sam

[texxn5]

JP, this all looks fantastic. I will definitely refer to this when I start planking the Morgan. I am going to go on an extended RV trip soon, but will take the Morgan and some tools and plank along the way. It'll be slow cause the Admiral wants to do some touring, but there will be days when perhaps I can work some in the mobile shipyard. Keep up the good work.

John

[Martin W]

Hi JPett -- Maybe, just maybe it's time for a progress photo on your treenailing?  A sure way to break up the tedium is to take a photo or two.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin (fellow Ratter)

[Ferit]

Ahoy J.Pett,

How long will we wait?...

Pictures and pictures...

[JPett]

Ahoy Martin and Ferit

Sadly, my lady does not wish to have her picture taken in her current state. It is kind of a morning thing. Like if you took a picture of the Admiral when she first woke up. After the surgeons remove the camera, you would know better

 

Yes: Sadly there was a slight problem in the shipyard, a cosmetic one, and it has been addressed: Well it is being addressed. I estimate it will take another two to four weeks for me to correct my misstep.

 

This mistake while very amateurish will be included in my log. I have come up with a way to document what I did. This documenting how I got where I did has added some much needed fun to this project, and is the real reason I am not posting any pictures yet. If I let the fun out of the bag now, I would be lost.

I am hoping that with this extended weekend I can make some additional progress and move past this sooner then later. Till then

[sport29652]

The suspense is killing me now. I am just ready to start planking. Does this misstep have anything to do with that ?

[JPett]

Ahoy Sport

 

Your good, The misstep had nothing to do with how I put the planks on. Just what I did to them afterward. It really isn't that bad either.

 

If this helps, the only thing I wish I had done differently was how I tapered the first three or four strakes. I plan to paint a black band on the wales and making sure the planks followed this same line would have been a good idea. Mine line will not follow the planks exactly but drift into the fourth strake towards the bow where my planks taper. It could have, had I thought of this before I started I would have made sure the first strakes followed this line.

 

 

 

 

** Edited to clarify, sorry I like things to be right

Edited May 25, 2013 by JPett

[Trussben]

Ah Hindsight!!!! Happens a lot in this hobby.

 

Ben

[russ]

J.Pett:

Now you can see why many of us like to set the wales first and then plank off of that.

 

Russ

[JPett]

Ahoy Mates

 

Ben: I'm learning

 

Russ: TY, I did start with the wales making them full width planks but I started to taper them to early. Right around bulkhead "E" and my paint drift will start there and run to bulkhead "C". I am hoping to fudge the paint drift and keep it to a 32nd and then swing it back on the plank line by "B". It now makes sense why I had to use wider planks in belt B between these bulkheads .

 

In the end it should be hard to notice but I did not consider this while planking and that was a mistake.  If I am thinking correctly I should have started the taper around "C". Please let me know if this is correct.

[russ]

I do not know that I would have tapered the wales much at all. But, whatever the taper, it would be minimal and so your idea is a good one.

 

However, I would also have painted the wales before the rest of the planking was laid.

 

Russ

[Salty Sea Dog]

It sounds like you have thought through a good plan and I know with your determination, it's gonna look great!

 

Just one pic?.....

[Ferit]

I repeat my post #185, 04 May 2013...

 

Ahoy JPett,

Sure that she will be excellent by reason of your perfectionism... :mellow:

Edited May 25, 2013 by shiponthehorizon

[popeye the sailor]

it'll be interesting what change you made.......it was such a good job to begin with.........

[JPett]

Ahoy Mates

 

Thank you for you interest in my build

 

Russ: I have gone back and checked my notes and the plans to see where I made this mistake. As I read the planking layout supplied on the plans which I used, it shows the wales tapering at the bow. They start around bulkhead "E" as I did. They are however, tapered in a way that provides a nice flow for the black paint which is what I now see I missed. This makes my early post about starting the taper around bulkhead "C" incorrect. I thought important to report this for anyone following this build.

 

I also considered painting the wales once complete as Ben had, but choose not to. There is no delineation between the wales and the lower hull planking on the Ratt and I was concerned about any sanding dragging color on the planks just below the painted wales. I did speak with Ben privately regarding this and he had his color scheme before he started, I did not. This allowed him to treat and protect the lower planks prior to installing them. I also felt that with my lack of experience I would have had to repaint them anyways once I was done.  I am using a clear satin ploy which will allow me to use tape to provide a clean line and this is how I plan to correct my mistake. I will find out shortly if this was the right move

 

PS: Your comment regarding setting the wales first has finally set in. Thank you. On my next build I will divide belt A into two sections. The wales and any remaining planks in that belt. Complete and check  (or set) the wales then use this line to finish the planking. I may even make them their own belt.

 

 

Buck: I have to find one first

 

Ferit: I think you mean "my reason of insanity" lol 

 

Popeye: I thought I could make it better. As much as I was very happy with the way my planking came out I did not like the look of the basswood. My little runabout showed me how beautiful wood can be and I did not find this to be true with my Ratt. Had I cherry picked the wood first I think I might have felt differently but I did not. So I tried to do something about it. It wasn't what I did as much as how I did it, that I am now correcting. I am very confident  that I will be very happy with my new plan. It is just a "boatload" of work.  

Edited May 25, 2013 by JPett