Fair American by GaryKap - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Scale 1:48

[wq3296]

Greetings Gary,

 

Transom looks proper - nice job. Relative to waterway: Yes, stanchions are irregular. I fit mine directly to the ship and trimmed each stanchion somewhat so that the waterway would fit properly with a fair run. Per the drawings, there should be 1/2" clear from the top of the waterway (exclusive of cover board) to the top of the stanchion. To achieve this, I had to shim up the waterway at some of the bulkheads with scrap wood. I extended the shims all the way to the keel/former and will sand them to final shape to ensure that the deck fits correctly.

 

wq3296

[KenW]

I see you have been making great progress.  I never seem to be able to spend as much time in the shipyard as I want each day.

Anyway -  I also found the waterway bend was not easy.  I used my wife's steam iron and it worked pretty well, but I had to sand out the "folds" in the wood.  So I didn't use any scarf joints.  I think I soaked the wood for a couple of days.

 

Your decal name plate looks good.  You can use the same technique for the scroll work - just make a scan from the plans and adjust the size.

 

As for the companion way, I was thinking of using a sliding top over the door.  (Not sure that is the best wording.)  That is what my father's boat had, but I don't know if it is period correct.  Be happy to get some input there.

Keep up the good work.

[wq3296]

Greetings Gary/Ken,

 

I have Howard I. Chapelle's book The History of American Sailing Ships, which shows multiple options for access to the officer's cabin under the quarter deck. Ken, good news for you. Since you already have the cabin bulkhead built, you could build a simple hatch, say 3'x3',to simulate an access hatch. I would locate the hatch on the deck centerline about a foot back from the bulkhead. There would have been an angled set of steps from the hatch to the deck below. I would show the hatch with a cover on it (to avoid having to detail steps) and put four stanchions around it with a rope on three sides to show what the hatch is for. This is period correct and apparently was quite common. You could modify your door to look like a window.

 

There is a drawing in the book of the Armed Schooner Berbice, 1780, built in the West Indies for the Royal Navy, thought to be American built. Chapelle's drawing shows a companion way centered on the quarter deck with a door approx. 4' high with a top sloping downward from the door toward the stern.

 

I hope this helps.

 

wq3296

[GaryKap]

Bob, Ken, wq3296 and others -  I need HELP figuring out the planking scheme.  I have completed the bulwark ceiling (inboard) and used five of the ten supplied planks 1/32  x 1/8 x 24 inches.  But now looking at my remaining parts, I am concerned that I do not have enough of these planks to complete the bulwarks on the outside of the ship.  The parts list shows the following:

     1/32 x 3/16 x 24   (2)   Transom plank outboard, counter plank

     1/32 x 5/32 x 24   (3)   Topsides plank

     1/32 x 1/8   x 24   (10)  Bulwark plank, quick work

and then under WALNUT it lists

     5/52 x .030 x 19    (16) bulwark plank     note:  .030 inches equals 1/32 inch

OK - so what should I have done and what do I do now?  I"m a bit frustrated by some of the undefined terms.  What do they mean by "quick work"?

And when I hear "topsides" I think of the outside of the hull between the waterline and the deck.  But virtually all of this is taken up by the wales and black strake - all thicker timbers than 1/32.  And why THREE pieces?  I could use the walnut to plank the bulwarks, but I don't see where anyone else has done this. Your thoughts and suggestions are appreciated. 

 

Thanks

 

<<Gary>>

[russ]

Gary:

Quick work is the short bulwarks planks between the gun ports. 

 

The bulwarks plank is the plank above and below the gun ports.

 

The topsides planks are the outer planks below the rail and above the wales and black strakes.

 

The transom plank is the outer plank of the stern and the counter plank is probably the area where the name is located.

 

Russ

[wq3296]

Greetings Gary,

 

As I see it you have two options: 1. buy more basswood; 2. use the walnut. I believe the intent of the drawings and instructions is that the walnut should be used for all exterior hull planking. It seems that the parts list uses some generic wording which could lead you to believe that the basswood is to be used for all exterior hull planking. The parts list shows a sufficient number of walnut strips to plank the entire hull. I will be using these to plank my hull. The wales and black strakes are basswood because these planks are usually painted. The walnut gives you the option to paint the hull, or not. I expect many builders will prefer a nicely finished natural walnut look to a painted hull. On the other hand, you could buy some extra basswood strips from MD or a local hobby store. I think the walnut is a big plus.

 

wq3296

[wq3296]

Greetings Gary,

 

After looking at the walnut supplied with the kit, it appears to be quite good and should finish up nicely. I have rifles with oiled walnut stocks and they look spectacular. The walnut may be more difficult to deal with than basswood, so you should consider this as you make your decision. However, I think you should give it a go because you will be pleased with the results. If not, paint it. Don't get caught up with what others have done - from what I have read about MS's FA, they based this model on the original which, arguably, is pretty rough.

[rafine]

I'm afraid that I can't help you about the kit wood, since I substituted boxwood and holly for it. Somewhat more expensive, but well worth it.

 

Bob

[GaryKap]

Thank you Russ, wq3296, and Bob for your thoughts and replies.  I did some math, and if I use all of the 1/32 inch thick basswood,  I SHOULD be able to plank the bulwarks with the basswood.  On the other hand, the walnut does look nice so I could use that as well.  At least now I know my options.  And thanks to Russ, I also know what the "quick work" is.  I wonder how that term came to be...

 

<<gary>>

[KenW]

Looking at the plans:  I note on Sheet #5, that the outboard bulwark planking above the black strake is 1/32 inches thick.  (The inboard bulwark planking is also 1/32.)  However, the hull planking below the wales is 1/16 inches thick.  My impression was that the walnut planks were to be used only if you decided to double plank the hull.

Like rafine, I ordered holly planks.  I want to leave the wood unpainted but still have a color scheme that matches the Rodger's model.

[wq3296]

Greetings Ken,

 

I checked the plans and instructions and saw no direct reference to double planking. All of the details show single planking. However, I can see how you could draw this conclusion since there are 36 walnut planks and 36 1/16" basswood planks. You could single plank with the 1/32" walnut, but there will be little room for error in terms of hull shape. On the other, If you double plank with the walnut over the basswood, you end up with 4 1/2" scale hull thickness, which could be a little on the heavy side.

 

I think the holly will look fine below the wale, especially if you are trying to model the original. What plank thickness are you using? I am going with the walnut.

wq3296

[GaryKap]

Hi Guys - I have just completed the wales and will add the black strake tomorrow, and maybe some of the bulwarks as well.  I still can't decide whether to use the basswood or the walnut.  When I get to planking the bottom, I am inclined to use the basswood.  As Ken points out, it is the correct thickness.  This being my first attempt at a planked ship model, I will likely wind up painting the bottom.  Paint and wood filler can hide a multitude of errors... .  I will add photos when I get to a good point.

 

<<Gary>>

 

p.s.  I changed the order of planking from the instructions and the planking manual.  I wanted to wait until the wales, black strake, and bulwark planks were on before I attached the transom.  This way I should get a nice tight joining of the planks and the transom.  Hopefully you'll see what I mean in the photos.

[russ]

Gary:

The 1/16" basswood will be a better choice for the bottom planking. If you are single planking, you will appreciate the extra thickness. This will allow for some sanding.

 

Russ

[KenW]

I am using 1/16 inch planking for the hull below the wales (holly planks).  That is the thickness according to the plans.

I'm still not comfortable with the process of determining the width of those planks.  But I have a plan and will see how it goes.

Good luck with your work.

Cheers.

[GaryKap]

OK - the reference to double planking FAIR AMERICAN is on the Model Expo web site in their description of the kit:  Model Shipways’ Fair American kit contains over 60 cut or shaped wooden parts, plus 120 extra wood strips for a second layer of planking, should you wish to build your model with a double planked hull.  And I am still undecided about using either walnut or basswood planks.  As an experiment, I took one of the walnut strips, soaked it for a couple of hours, and the was able to wrap it right around my wife's hot curling iron.  So that removes my concern about the tight bends at the stern.  Also, the 1/32 walnut fits more comfortably into the rabbit slot along the keel than does the 1/16 basswood plank.  The edges of the walnut planks are a bit rough tough, and it might be difficult to snug them tight against each other.  Gaps between the planks would greatly detract from the appearance of the final model. 

 

I did get the black strakes on today.  Might put up some photos soon.

 

<<Gary>>

[wq3296]

Greetings Gary,

 

Yes, if you soak and heat the walnut, it is pliable enough for planking in tight areas. It also finishes better than the basswood (no fuzz). I like your approach of doing test runs before actually building. Note that you can use slivers of the walnut to fill in any gaps that may occur, or even wood filler. Another technique is to fill gaps with a mixture of wood glue and dust from sanding the walnut surrounding the area to be filled. I have seen this method used to fill small imperfections in gun stocks, too. The main concern is to MAKE SURE your frames are very well faired so that the planks will fit tightly to each other. Spend much time fairing and check often with a batten. If worse comes to worst, you can always paint the hull. By the way, you can use green or buff to paint the inboard bulwarks if you want a different, yet period correct, look. See recent posts under general discussion.

wq3296

[GaryKap]

Hello wq3296, Ken, Russ, Bob, and others.  Well, I finally made a decison.  I am going to plank the lower hull first and use the basswood.  I found the walnut to be difficult to cut with an Xacto knife and also it is very brittle and splits easily.  Not good.  I shaped the garboard strakes and have them soaking now so they can be bent to the shape I need. 

 

I am enclosing photos that may offer an idea.  I needed a way to hold the hull firmly without breaking parts off.  I did not want to clamp the keel because I think with the rabbits on either side, only a narrow strip of glue joins it to the bulwark former.  Again inspired by Bob, I discovered that I could mount two short lengths of quarter inch diameter dowel on a 2 X 6 spaced so they would go into the mast sockets on the hull.  (see pix).  With the 2x6 clamped to the work bench, this provides a stable secure way for me to work on the lower hull.  In addition, I mounted two pins on the 2x6 that go into the holes in the keel drilled for the pedistal screws.  This lets me work on the hull right side up. 

 

From the pictures, you can see that I have the wales and black strake in place and have applied a coat of primer.

 

 

[wq3296]

Greetings Gary,

 

You can't go wrong with the basswood - particularly as this will be your first time with POB. The walnut can be challenging as you found out. Your work looks very good. I am taking a different approach to construction, and will focus on the deck and aft cabin. As you have indicated, seven windows in the transom appear to be too much, and I doubt the original ship was built that way simply due to structural considerations. I will use five of the seven supplied with the kit. I will use the other two for the quarter deck cabin bulkhead, on either side of the companionway. They scale correctly and seem appropriate. Time for grog.

 

wq3296

[KenW]

I like that method of holding the hull while planking.  I'm always afraid of breaking off that top of the stem post that holds the figurehead.

Even with the head rails I worry. 

Keep us all posted on your progress.

[GaryKap]

OK - I have installed the garboard strake and one full strake below the wales.  Here is my plan for the rest of the planking.  Firstoff, I decided to do the calculations in millimeters as they are MUCH easier for me than fractions.  The supplied planks are 3/16 inch and that equals 5 millimeters.  I measured the distance along each bulwark from the garboard strake up to to one recently installed using a strip of thin wood and cutting it to length.  I did this for bulwarks 2 - 15.  Then I measured the length of each strip in milimeters.  See photo below.  I recorded this information on a spreadsheet.  (column B ).  Notice that the lengths decrease progressively from stern to bow.  Then I divided each total length by 5 (width of each plank) to determine how many planks would be needed at each bulkhead.  In column D I rounded the number in column C up to the next whole number.  Examining the results, it appeared that using either 14, 15, or 16 strakes to fill the space would be workable.  Columns E, F, and G caculate the strake width in millimeters at each bulkhead for values of 14, 15, or 16 strakes respectively.  If I used 16 tapered strakes, I could theoretically do the whole thing with no stealers.  I chose to do 15 strakes.  This would let me fully plank back to bulkhead 13 with no stealers.  I expect that because of the complex curves of the buttocks, some fancy additional work will be needed here anyway.

 

To taper the planks, I will lay one out along the bulkheads and mark the center of each bulkhead on the plank.  Then using a metric ruler, I will mark the plank width at each bulkhead location.  To achieve the long smooth taper, I will clamp four or six planks together and use coarse sandpaper and a long sanding block, sanding until I have the correct plank widths.  I plan to do half of the planking and then repeat this process to insure a good result.

 

Sound like a plan?

[wq3296]

Greetings Gary,

 

Solid engineering approach to the problem. However, there are many variables that I think will conspire against you not having to use stealers or spiled planks. Note that stealers and spliling were (are) used to build wooden vessels and are quite typical so I wouldn't shy away from them. If done correctly, and in appropriate applications, they add interest to a good hull planking job. Some of these variables include: inconsistent plank width, inability to measure precisely when you are talking millimeters, planks will expand when soaked resulting in dimensional creep as you proceed with the planking, planks will change in size and not fit tightly as you bend them into place, and others. Since this ship hull has drag to it, as born out by your measurements, you will need to start tapering planks toward the bow almost immediately. Resist temptation to use only full width planks early on just because they seem to fit. You will find sooner or later that you won't have enough room to fit planks without having to severely taper some planks or cut them off resulting in pointed ends - this will look like hell. Taper each plank a little when the need becomes obvious and you can minimize stealers.

 

For what it's worth, I would start the planking at the main wale and continue all the way to the keel.  

 

wq3296

[russ]

Gary:

You will need to actually go through the process to see if it will work. I have never planked a hull with strips like this. I have always worked from much wider stock, cutting my planks from that. Your plan might work. I am not sure if you can do that much edge bending, but if it is not too extreme, it might be okay.

 

Russ

[KenW]

This will indeed be interesting.  We both are planking the lower hull at the same time so I hope progress reports will be made often.

I have 3 strakes completed on the starboard side and two on the port.  It looks good so far, but I feel that it will get more interesting as I get closer to the half way point.

Keep the posts coming.

[GaryKap]

Thanks to wq3296 and Russ for your comments and suggestions.  This is what is really great about the Model Ship World forum - I feel like I have experienced people looking over my shoulder and offering helpful tips as I work on my project. 

 

I have decided to go ahead with the approach I outlined above.  Partly because it makes the most sense to me.  I have read and re-read the various planking manuals, and could not relate to bands and battons.  And I am not attempting the beautiful holly wood planking that rafine shows in his build log.  Just plain old basswood that can handle a bunch of sanding.  And I will be painting the hull anyway.  I do want this to be a learning experience, however.  So I will strive to do as good a planking job as I can. 

 

I have found that clamping a group of planks on end and coarse sanding them with a long sanding block is a workable way to achieve a long smooth taper.  I will provide some photos soon.  Ken, I will be looking for photos of your progress on your build log.  By the way, a hot curling iron works great for bending planks to fit around those curvacious buttocks.

 

<<Gary>>

[GaryKap]

Here are the photos showing my procedure for making a long smooth taper in the planks to get the widths shown in the spreadsheet above at each bulkhead.

I marked the bulkhead locations on six planks and clamped them together vertically.  I used 100 grit (coarse) sandpaper on a long sanding block to taper the six planks, using a metric ruler and a magnifying glass to check my dimensions.  When I thought I was close, I removed the planks and laid them flat, clamping them together again.  You can see the result in the second photo.  I could then measure the width of the six planks at any bulkhead and compare this width with the desired width.  For example, at bulkhead 2, I want each plank to be 3.8 mm wide.  3.8 X 6 = 22.8 mm.  And that's the check.  When I measured the six bundled planks at the bulkead two mark, the width came out to be slightly under 23 millimeters.  Close enough!  I repeated this at each bulkhead mark to make sure the taper was correct. 

 

When these planks are fitted to the hull, I will have six strakes installed below the wale.  When I have eight strakes installed, I will repeat my basic procedure described in post # 50 and adjust as needed. 

 

<<Gary>>

 

[wq3296]

Greetings Gary,

 

I understand and appreciate your method. However, from a practical point of view, you won't know if it was worth the effort until you start laying up the planks. No matter how you slice it and dice it, each and every plank will be different due to variables that you cannot foresee. You will need to "cut and try" each plank anyway, and if you take too much off as you mass produce the planks... I would feel more comfortable with your doing 2-3 planks at a time instead of 7-8, and then installing them to make sure all is well. Frankly, I do one plank at a time - measure, cut, measure again, try it, more fetteling, fit it.

 

With all that said, I am curious to see how it all comes out. If it works as slickly as you hope, my hat is off to you, and I will have learned something. I expect you will have good success based on your level of effort and attention to detail. It must have taken you some time to do the spread sheet and take all those measurements. Good work. wq3296

[wallyh]

Hi,

I just recently picked up on your post and I wish my progress was as good as yours. Where would I find a picture of a companion way - I agree with you on the size of the door. I also like the skylight idea - what size would that be?

Thank you for any answers.

Wally

[wq3296]

Greetings Wally,

 

As it turns out, I just finished the skylight - twice. The first attempt ended up being too big at 1 1/4"L, 5/8"W, 1/2"H. When I test fitted it, it seemed out of scale. The new version is 1"L, 1/2"W, 1/4"H. This size is right on in terms of scale and looks correct. I used a basswood block at 1" x 1/2" x 1/4". I then drew a line length wise along its center, and drew lines along each side 1/8" from the top edge. To form the sloped roof, sand from the center line down to the side lines. If you do this slowly and carefully, you can work the roof slopes in so that the gable ends are even on each end. Since I wanted natural wood finish, I clad the sides and gable ends with thin birch plywood. To form the light panels that fit on the roof slopes, I used thin strips of the birch to form a frame work for the four "glass" panels on each side. Before installing the frames on the slopes, I covered them with aluminum foil (dull side up) to simulate glass. It is easier to paint (or stain) the frames before installation to avoid messing up your "glass". I will be installing lengths of thin wire length wise over the panels which wood have been used to protect the glass. If you don't want to use the sloped roof, it would also be correct to have a flat roof. This is how did it, but I am sure there are many other methods and materials that may be used. I would suggest that you keep to the dimensions, since they seem to work. Note that in Gary's build log he has included pictures of another model that shows a skylight.

 

Relative to the companionway, start with a rectangular block of wood with finish dimensions as follows: 1 1/4"H, 5/8"W, 3/4"D. I started with a solid block and then veneered it with mahogany to arrive at the finished dimensions. With the block standing on end for clarity, draw a vertical line 3/4" high and 1/2" in from the aft end. By cutting along these lines, you will end up with a notch in the block that will fit over the forward end of the cabin roof and extend down to the main deck. The companionway as described is intended to be installed after the decks are planked, so you may have to tweak the dimensions slightly for a perfect fit. The all important door is about 1 1/16"H and 1/2"W. You could make the door out of thin material and glue to the forward end of the companion way. I rounded off the aft end of the top, but you could finish it off flat all the way across, too.

 

wq3296

[wallyh]

Thank you so much for your detailed information on the skylight and companion way. I will try my best to incorporate this into my model.

Wally

[GaryKap]

Here is a progress update after installing nine strakes down from the wales.  The planks are laying nicely on the bulkheads.  

I have done some light sanding but obviously will have to do more when all the planks are on.  So far my approach to planking the hull seems to be working out OK.  I estimate that six more strakes and some stealers will finish the job.

 

<<Gary>>