First build advice on planking

[chris_bham]

Afternoon,

 

I have just the last few days started to build my first model which is of HMS Endeavour longboat from the Artesania Latina range. I am going in with no experience building a wooden model before and so far go to the point where I have all the base in place and just now start the dreaded planking.

 

The instructions that come with this model are no use for this part as it’s seemed to suggest that you have previous planking experience (even if the set is for beginners). So advice please I have never done planking before and am not sure what the best way to go about it. I have read some stuff / seen pictures etc and have a rough idea. However, some advice and guidance would be very helpful so I can start this the weekend.

 

Regards

 

Chris

[CaptainSteve]

Chris,

Firstly ...

Secondly, welcome to the unfortunate hidden truth of too many kits.

Namely, hideous instruction manuals !!

 

Many that I have encountered have instructions in four to five languages with English translations that just made me scratch my head in wonder !!

 

Fortunately, you have found the one place on the Inter-Web thingy which can answer any ship-modelling question you may have. Just ask away ...

Edited January 22, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[rtropp]

Chris,

You have come to the right place.

There is a section of this website called Articles and Downloads. It has a lot of great information.

http://modelshipworldforum.com/ship-model-framing-and-planking-articles.php

 

This should get you some help.

 

Richard

Edited January 22, 2014 by rtropp

[Q A's Revenge]

Not sure if anyone has done a build log of this kit on here? If not maybe one of the other longboat logs will be of help. Lots of good stuff in this one although the construction may be different it might help with planking.

 

http://modelshipworldforum.com/resources/pinnace%20instructions%20me.pdf

[mtaylor]

There are three planking tutorials (all very good) at the beginning of this sub-forum.  Have a look....

[HIPEXEC]

First of all, you should know that planking is hard and tedious. Each plank must be treated like a separate model since each plank sits differently on the hull. Planks must be shaped, bent, twisted, tapered, beveled, cut, etc. However, when you finally plank your hull, you will feel like a million dollars. The tutorials on this website are very good. So is the advise you will get from members. Pretty soon you will be inventing your own methods that suit your talents.

Good luck.

[grsjax]

Just $.02 from someone who has screwed up more than one plank.  Take it slow, measure several times before cutting.  Use slow setting glue and lots of clamps rather than instant glues.  This is so when (not if) you find out at the last moment that your plank isn't fitting right you can remove it without breaking anything.

[gthursby]

I'm in the middle of doing the first layer of the Artesania "Scottish Maid", which is my first build

 

I don't know about the longboat that you are building, but the Scottish Maid kit instructions give a "simplified" (all things are relative!) planking scheme that gives the hull the right shape but does not give an authentic representation of the run of planking on an actual ship. This is discussed here -

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/4934-modifying-a-kit-planking-scheme/

 

if you look at the planking tutorials referred to at the top of this forum, they are designed to give the more authentic layout, so if you wonder why they seem very different form the kit instructions, that is why.

The Scottish Maid has very fine lines, so I am able to check the fitting of the planks by tempoarily sticking them on with dressmakers pins. The holes made with the pins can also be used as pilot holes for the planking pins used in the kit. I often pin on several planks at a time and try to check that nothing is going drastically wrong. Sometimes the model looks more like a hedgehog than a ship! In my very limited experience it is worth temporarily fixing parts by pinning or clamping first to check that all is well before glueing. Maybe with more experience this is not necessary.

 

Best of luck!