Licorne by mtaylor - 3/16" scale - POF - TERMINATED LOG

[mtaylor]

Thanks JP.. I'll consider that idea. 

 

Russ & Mario, Thanks. I'm convinced clothespins are greatest tool we can have.  I use them for a lot of things.

[DSiemens]

I'll try that.  I've also rubber cemented a bit of sandpaper to the jaws of two of my clamps where I need the clamp not to slip.    

 

 

 

 

Have to admit I did the same thing to up the power of a home made rubber band gun and used it as a long range fly swatter.  

 

Any ways incredible work!  It looks tedious but extremely consistent.    

[rdsaplala]

Ingenious Special Tools you have there, Mark  Excellent work on those deck fittings and planking Sir, it's amazing how much amount of detail you've added given the smaller scale you're working on 

Edited March 31, 2013 by rdsaplala

[mtaylor]

Time for an update... been much going on in real life and in the shipyard.  Janet's healing nicely and is ahead of therapy.  She hopes to be back in the pool in about 2 weeks.  Work is still a four-letter word.

 

The gundeck is finally and completely planked.       

At least for now the planking is version MkIV there may be a MkV.  Per the picture, the yard crew is sanding and holystoning the deck. The left side is in progress.  The right awaits them and their implements of smoothness.

 

Version MkI was an attempt at planking where the planks follow the run of the hull. The planks have a curve to them.  I started by full-width at mid-ships and planned to taper at bow and stern.  After about 50% planked, I found that I needed to do some drop planks so off I went.. However, at 1/8" (approx. 3mm) wide planks, I soon realized I was making mess and ripped out the planks.

 

Which lead to MkII.  Nibbed!!!  I put in a margin plank and started nibbing.  Again, the width of the planks became an issue along with, as I found out, the French at that point time didn't use nibbing.  Yep... ripped it out.

 

The, MkIII...hooked scarfs.   Yes.!!!..  Hmm... er.. no.  Needed wider planks. Nothing in stock. Rip out the few planks installed and back to the drawing board.

 

So we come to MkIV.  I've ordered sufficient stock of silver maple in boards of sufficient dimensions to permit hook scarfs.  But decided not to wait.  Figured since about 75% of the gundeck won't be seen ("uh-oh", the crowd mummers) I'd figure out a method.  Got out the dremel and put a groove into the lower part of the waterway where it meets the beams thinking I could slide the deck planks into the groove and give the appearance of the waterway on top of the planks.   That works.

 

When the wood gets here, I'll make another executive decision on ripping it out and doing it right, or letting it go and do the forecastle and the quarterdeck "properly".   The decision will be based upon how does it look with a ship's boat, guns, etc in place.  Once the sanding is done, and I've made some cardboard cutouts to see exactly what's visable and what isn't, I'll decide.   Before I get hit with "that's not the way the real ones were done"... I know.  I'm taking similar liberties at this point much like H. Hahn.  No knees for the deck beams, etc.  His pictures show planking much like what I have done, but admittedly.. I'm no H. Hahn.

 

[JPett]

Ahoy Mark

 

Nice to see you back in the shipyard. 

 

She "Looks great".

[Jim Lad]

Hey, Mark, that's not the way the real ones were done!    

 

She looks fine, mate - I'd leave it at Mk. IV.

 

John

[gjdale]

Hi Mark,

 

Glad to hear that Janet is doing so well - long may it continue.

 

Shame about work though - but I guess that's a pretty permanent state solved only by retirement! Bring it on!!!

 

Love the way you've experimented with the deck and not been afraid to rip it out and start over. I think that Mk IV looks pretty good, but based on your previous record, I'm putting my money on Mk V

 

Any takers?

[augie]

Welcome back.  And best wishes to the wife for continued progress.

 

The wait was certainly worthwhile and I applaud your effort.......and re-efforts!

[BANYAN]

Great to see an update Mark and to hear all is proceeding well with your wife's recuperation.  Mk IV deck, now that has to be some form of record huh - seen plenty of action by the sound of it

 

cheers

 

Pat

[capnharv2]

Mark,

 

It really looks good! I admire the fact that the first 3 versions were probably good enough, but that you wanted to do better.

 

I think of re-planking exercises like this as a learning experience for our next model(s). But I also realize that the more we learn, the more we learn that there's so much more to learn.

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

[michael mott]

hello Mark, great to hear your wife is healing well. The hull planking is one of those areas that if you are not happy with the way it looks it is much better to rework than to compromise, because you know at some later point it would get redone anyway, so why wait.

 

Michael

[cog]

Mark,

 

Listen to the expert (Michael) He has used an alternative: See your deck as layered, if you don't like it just add the next.   No kiddin', it's true what Michael writes, but you must feel good with it. Anyway, I'm glad you're making saw dust again and Janet is doing better. I like the look of the current version, though the crew should be on their knees at the other side ...

[Blue Ensign]

It’s a tricky situation Mark, but the fact that you have removed previous decks, and are thinking of replacing the current one indicates to me that perhaps you feel that given the extra commitment and detailing required in a scratch pof build, she and you deserve better. In that case I would go again with a good supply of wider boards to facilitate the planking pattern.
 

Incidently did Licorne have strakes of heavier top and butt planking along the  outer edges where the guns run in and out.
 

On the other hand if you have already conceded some simplifications and not much of the Gun deck will be visible, a nicely planked Quarterdeck and Foc’sle will go a long way to easing any feeling of disappointment you may have about the gundeck.
 

I of course speak only as a hacker of pob kits where one can more readily accept deficiencies and simplifications because it is only the visible that matters, and levels of accuracy have already been conceded.
 

Look forward with interest to see what you eventually decide.
 

Regards,
 

B.E.

[Sjors]

Hi Mark,

 

i see an update and a picture       

I'm glad to read that Janet is better and better!

And work is always a four letter word…….it's the same as we have over here……. werk ( Dutch )

Dirty word…...

 

[Padeen]

Hi Mark,

'gald to see an update and that your wife is doing well. 

Four decks! Mamma mia!   I know nearly nothing about French deck patterns of the period (nor of other countries, for what matters!) but... I did not get exactly what is not correct with the MkIV version?

[jaerschen]

Hello Mark,

 

congrats to this nice model.

I see you are man of resources. That's best way to a fine model.

 

Juergen

[rafine]

It looks real good to me, Mark -- but what do I know.

 

Bob

[Trussben]

Glad to see you working at the deck again mark and great news that the admiral is recovering well. I'm going through a lot if the same life issues as you it seems at the moment, but I hope to get back building this week.

I'm sure mark V will be awesome.

 

Ben

[Modeler12]

Mark, I have looked and will look again at your pictures. They are great and it is interesting to follow your build ala H. Hahn. They are going to help me if I proceed with my next project. Thanks again.

[mtaylor]

Thanks for looking and your nice comments everyone.

 

At this point, MkIV is looking better and better to my eyes (or maybe to my impatience?) and will probably be left in place.  When I started this, I knew it was going to be a learning ship and this deck definitely was a learning experience.     The new wood will not be showing up for at least a month due to the supplier's health issues so depending on where in the Licorne I head next, it may or may not be an option to rework.   

 

B.E.

I don't know if the French used top and butt planking.  I'm a former kit hacker/basher meself...  

 

Caroline,

The MkIV is a kit-bashers hack since kits don't normally supply extra timber in extra-width stock.  The appearnce now is that the waterway is laid ontop of the planking which was seldom done in real life.

 

Bob,

You, sir, are a master of understatement as anyone who has seen your builds can attest.

 

Ben,

I hope all goes well for you and yours and you can get back to the workshop and the good life.

 

When I get home tonite, I'll be posting my latest sanding tool... a rotary deck sander that I think I got the bugs worked out on. 

[Trussben]

Hi mark, when you say wood supplier, do you mean Jeff? If so is his chest bad again?

 

Intrigued by this deck sander, can't wait to see it.

 

Ben

[mtaylor]

Ben,

Not Jeff.  And I just found out, my supplier is doing better... hmm..

 

Anyway, sanding decks is tedious and tiring and with my fat fingers, problematical.  So.. a tool, preferably power was called for.  After remembering that a floor buffer could be used to sand a wooden floor, I reached for the Dremel.   I'm using the mandrel for the cut-off disks and one of the felt buffing pads.  A chunk of sandpaper is rubber cemented to the pad.   I'm looking around for a rubber disk, the right size to perfect it a tad more.  I turn the Dremel on low and hold it as perpendicular to the deck as I can get and apply next to zero pressure.  It does a nice job, fast.

 

[JPett]

Ahoy Mark

 

Home Depot sells neoprene washers. Their in the metal drawers in the hardware department

[mtaylor]

Dooohhh.. JP, you are so right.  I pass by Lowe's on the way home from work.. they're two blocks from where I work.  Those rubber feet people put on furniture might work better also.

[AnobiumPunctatum]

Mark, is there not a big risk to damage the gratings and other openings?

[augie]

Good idea with the felt pad though.....keeps the pressure from getting out of control?  Really interested in seeing a before/after.

 

Good luck Mark!

[popeye the sailor]

I thought I put in my two cents........guess I forgot to push the button.   so, your sticking with #4.......good!  I liked it.....glad your not going to punish yourself.  does that sander leave anything in the way of swirl marks?  just curious 

[michael mott]

Mark the sander looks like a good tool for a lot of things, I would be very Leary of using it for the decks though.and this is my reason;

 

 

1) Wood fibres run along the length in straight grained wood and it seems that you have straight grained wood.

 

2) no matter how lightly you use the sander it will cut across the grain tearing up the fibres and they will need to be removed in order to get a fine polish to the deck.

 

Unless you have very uneven thicknesses to the planking, Might I humbly suggest a bit of scraping followed by steel wool using both along the grain. I think you would be happier with the results in the "long run" (pun intended).

 

Michael

[mtaylor]

Christian,

The gratings are on the center which is raised above the deck. When I sanded that, I used a pencil oscillating sanding with 240 grit paper followed by 320 grit.

 

Michael,

Admittedly, the planking was not as smooth as I'd have liked.  The deck sander is being used with 220 grit to get it down level and smooth.  I'll finish with my pencil osillating sander with 320 paper.   I started with the scraper but everything is pretty tight in there due to the tumblehome.  

 

Popeye,

No swirl marks that I can see, but see my response to Michael on how I'll finish.  A very light touch is mandatory.

[cog]

Mark,

 

I used a narrow chisel (10mm wide) to scrape the Dolphyn's deck ... I know yours is a tad longer and wider so it'll take a bit of time, but in the end you'll get there (sanding or scraping ...)