Swift 1805 by Cannon Fodder - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - Scale 1:50 - Second ship built

[themadchemist]

Looking good.

 

I noticed a couple of places where there are intents in your planking, most probably from drying while clamped. A small trick I learned kinda by accident is that if your dap those creases/dents with a wet brush and keep wetting them, the wood will expand back most of the way back out and leave less to fill or sand out later.

 

Your right on the filler, I'd check out Jesse's Scottish Maid build if you haven't. Rather then filler he used planks, then sanded them back to fill larger places. That garboard end curvature would be a great place to do that. Jesse straighten out a rather large asymmetry with that method and it worked beautifully. One of the nice things about that method is the wood has the same sanding hardness. I've found many fillers harden much harder then the surrounding wood and can cause sanding unevenness. Just a thought.

 

Looks like you have a very nice run on your sheer plank. Have you considered replacing the kits ply bulwarks with solid sheet?

3" x 24" in all thicknesses can be typically picked up for under $3 and they bend much better. Capt' Harv recommended it to me and I'm glad I switched.

Now that my long boats done, I should be starting back on the DSotM Swift bash. I'll be modifying the rig considerably.

I love watching others interpretation on this kit. There are some really great Swift builds on MSW. 

I agree the wood is subpar, that is why I replaced most of it. I do think she's a great kit for learning though.

 

Keep on Planking! 

[HIPEXEC]

Great job so far. The Swift was my first build, so I can identify with what you're doing. I discovered using a sharp pencil to make deck nails on my current build. Many people look at them and think I actually nailed each plank. Nice Job!

Rich.

[Gabek]

Welcome to the "Swifties" - there is something about the Swift that drives you crazy but you still love it! I made a point of walking away whenever I lost patience and came back to the model when I was in a good space again. Don't be afraid to change or modify the kit, that seems to be the norm...and Keith is the king of the bash! Enjoy and don't hesitate to ask questions here. I found Frank Mastini's, "Ship Modelling Simplified" a really good general resource.

 

Regards,

Gabe

[Cannon Fodder]

I'd rather not replace the kit wood despite its quality. I'm learning how to deal with wood. I imagine I'll run into a great degree of variation on quality of wood over the coming years. At the same time I am not thinking about that step yet.

 

And that filling method worked perfectly there.

 

Thanks Gabe,

 

Here is an update, with a couple more strakes in place. Because I left my garboard go so far forward I have crowding at the front. I plan on dropping the next plank near the bow.

 

Cheers.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Cannon Fodder

[themadchemist]

Looking good CF.

 

With the garboard issue you'll have to drop planks. It gets rather crowded up front. ..and as its 1st planking it doesn't matter anyway. Strangely I did the 1st planking with no dropped planks purposefully to see if I could. Then On my 2nd planking I dropped I plank, again purposefully, just for the experience. So go with what feels right and achieves the goals you have set. Just don't forget to have FUN, its the only mandatory rule

 

I know what you mean about working with the wood given, My kit was the older version though and much of it had dried and none of the Mahogany matched color anymore. Plus I didn't like the Ply used in the bulwarks, it was very brittle and I think soaking would have delaminated it or worse.

 

I see your making good use of rubber bands. When you get more in to the concave shape of the stern planking, I found balsa wedges and blocks placed under the bands helped hold the planking down very well.

 

I hope you don't think me bossy, I'm just trying to help if possible. Since everything I know came from a MSW member willing to help, I feel it's a way of paying back what was passed to me. 

I fixed my Swift log yesterday as it had over 200 pictures lost in the server crash, so it's all there now. I have enjoyed my Swift bashing and love watching all the differing ways its building can be approached.

 

Keep On Planking

[Cannon Fodder]

Fan Template use in pictures. This is for the benefit of Mike who on his bounty in struggling with how to figure out plank tapering. I was going to do a video but got cold feet. And I was actually was going to wing my tapering instead of measuring.

 

Starting at the fifth bulkhead I measured it off.

 

I took the slip of paper I was using and marked off 5mm wide planks and transferred that back to the fifth and fourth bulkhead which happened to be imperceptibly smaller.

 

I took this same measurement to the planking fan and found where the 5mm ticks matched up with the lines if the fan and the distance between them. I marked this as my starting point and drew in my own edge of my planks.

 

I then went back to the model and measured the third bulkhead.

 

Taking this new measurement to the fan, I slid it to the left of my starting point until it fit top to bottom from my edges and then marked the new width of my planks at that bulkhead as determine by this fan. And transferred this to the bulkhead on the model.

 

Rinse and repeat for the second and first bulkheads and bow.

 

And the result, plank widths marked on my bulkheads to which I can taper my planks to.

Edited April 6, 2014 by Cannon Fodder

[Mike Dowling]

Oh CF, so much effort on your part for which I really am very grateful You know there is a 'but' coming! But, the thing is I can understand the principle and the need to taper. Where do you get or how do you make the fan template in the first place. What is the significance of the vertical line across your template. If it represents a bulkhead why isn't there a line for each one? On your very first tick strip where you measured the gap you added a new line to the template. I can't see that you have used this new line at all. Doesn't this then indicate an ongoing gap? Lastly, for now at least, using your fan surely would mean tapering the planks on both sides. Somewhere in my head I thought I read you only do one side.

Sorry, you can see I am still lost and I don't want to mess up your build log for everyone else. PM may be the way forward thank you for the offer. I will try and do some more pictures for you and clarify measurements.

[Cannon Fodder]

If you print the template that I linked in your build, it is also in the downloads section under planking at the top of the website as well, you will see the vertical line comes with the fan template, it represents where the spacing is 5/32 inch. Sorry I never show the whole fan, I did not make it, it here for free and linked in your build too.

 

I do use it, it does represent the bottom of each measurement gap and the edge of that plank that I measure to, as measured off the hull, and I line up the top and bottom the slip of paper to the left of the starting point that I marked on the fan template. Go back to photo of where I got the line from. It's about finding your starting point on the fan template. The point where you have full width planks. This is the point you need to note the top and bottom on the fan template which you see I marked, I drew in the line because I had room for a partial plank.

 

It also means I haven't tapered enough and will probably drop a plank, and if you pay attention in the pics I do just that between my first and second bulkhead. Count the tics.

[Captain Al]

This is pretty good CF. I am gaining an understanding of the technique. If you were to draw up your own fan, could you simply start at one end of the paper (say the right side) and divide the width of your paper into equal parts (eg. if the paper is 10 inches, divide it into ten one inch widths. Then go to the left edge of the paper and find the exact center (eg at 5 inches) and mark say one inch above and one inche below the 5 inch point -- basically finding the exact middle two inches of the paper. Then divide that two inches into ten equal parts (ie. 1/5 of an inch each) (here is where metrics work so much better than inches cause you'll never find a ruler using fifths of inches -- but it would work if you start with say sixteen equal divisions instead of the ten)....anyway, back to the drawing. Once you now have equally spaced ten divisions (for want of a better word) on each side of the paper, you connect them with straight lines and you would have your fan. You want to make the left side (the side I said would be 2 inches) at least as small as the amount of space you need to fill at the narrow end of your hull, and the right side, wide end, to be at least as wide as the widest bulkhead amid ship.

 

I wonder why you even need to transfer back to the bulkheads your spacing lines. In the end you need to have these widths marked on your plank in order to guide your taper. Once the taper is made, the plank should fit in. Do you do this just for visual assurance that it all looks good?

 

What method has worked well for you in actually doing the taper? I have considered this: I would rig up a vise with very long but rigid jaws. It would be good if the full plank could rest in these jaws. I would insert the plank into the jaws at the same angle as the taper, so that on one end (say the right side of the plank) the whole width of the plank would be inside the jaws, but at the left side (side to be narrower) the amount of plank to be taken off would extend above the jaws. Then I would sand or plain down the plank until it is level/flush with the top edge of the jaws. When removed, it would have the correct taper. Since you are not supposed to taper more than half the width of any plank, and since most planking seems to be 5 mm, that means that 2.5 mm would stick up above the jaws on the left side, and 2.5 mm would be inside the jaws. I think 2.5mm would be enough inside to hold the piece securely, but this is the part of it all I still need to experiment with. Also, heed must be taken to sand or file or plain directly down on the plank. it would seem that any side force could easily snap the plank along its grain. This is my contemplated method. How do you do it?

[Cannon Fodder]

Tapering my strake by hand pictorial

[Cannon Fodder]

I like having the plank bent to shape before I shave it down. I use an x-acto blade. I shave off bits from the surface that I am trying to match with the plank that is already in place. I would sand with 220 grit after shaving. I would go back and forth many times until satisfied with the mating of the planks. Being care not to do too much each time. You can see the amount of material I took in the pics above. One fit I glue. I am developing a likeness for pins vs the clamps to get the plank to dry. Mostly it's a combo of the two.

[Cannon Fodder]

Planking done! And the method of boiling water two minute soak for the fitted side pieces, can't think of the name at the moment. Softened them quite well without fear of snapping for the bend in the bow.

Pins, rubber bands and fitted brace spreaders worked pretty well to get it in place. Oddly the instructions say to plank them first!?

[Cannon Fodder]

Oi! struggled to get them glued on once.  All crooked, back to square one.  Had to strip em off, wasn't satisfied, slightly dismayed at the moment.

[Mike Dowling]

Don't be dismayed - you should see the state of my hull !!! Actually, you shouldn't, you would be totally ashamed of you student!!! Happy Easter anyway.

[Cannon Fodder]

Photo update, this is the second attempt at the bulwarks. The first attempt they ended up sticking out too far to the stern, I neglected to trim them in the bow, and all wonky in terms of the 3D curve they are doing. And the transom was going to be a bear since the stern was not even close to upright.

I have some gaps to fill.

Here is the worst.

I believe it is mistakes on the hull early coming back to haunt.

I think I can fix a lot with filler and slivers of plank and some later trim pieces that cover up the gaps and then if course the inner planking.

Thanks for looking.

[Cannon Fodder]

I found the bulwarks far to awkward to clamp on there and ended up using the hobby nails provided to get them to say put with PVA glue underneath.

[Cannon Fodder]

I am back from a week in Mexico with an update from the past month.

So I was able to complete the work on the bulwarks and get the hull sanded and filled. I am gaining skill in fitting the wood together without gaps. I'm doing a much better job of this with this build vs the Jolly boat. I have also completed planking the inner bulwarks and have attached the keel. How do you not get so much residue of the PVA everywhere? I have thousands of q-tips but it still seems to hang out? I am using them dry.

[Mike Dowling]

That looks really smart CF! You have done some really careful work there, I am impressed.

[Cannon Fodder]

This is not a dead build, we are moving to Bend, Oregon and have sold our house. Looking for new work, wishing I was building.

[PopJack]

Good luck with the move and finding a great rewarding position.

[Cannon Fodder]

finished the second planking and now I gotta pack it away. Hopefully for not more than a month or so. I'll need to carve out a corner in the new garage. Then I get to have a second unboxing...

[themadchemist]

good luck with the move, its always a difficult task no matter the circumstance.

[adivedog]

Am looking forward to when you can get back on the build. Have been following your build closely, as I'm starting the Swift build now.

 

Good luck on the move. Am sure you'll have your hands full for a while.

[Cannon Fodder]

Well I got a job, I've been home with a 3 and a 4 year old all my myself. Admiral has been down in Bend starting with her new ship for the past couple of weeks. The ship building is all packed up and ready to go. I want this month to end already...

 

I did finish the second planking before packing it up. I'll be sure to post pictures when I unbox again.  I found it harder than the first planking. That thin veneer was brittle and split really easy, very difficult to shape.

[themadchemist]

I know the Walnut is more brittle then cherry, but I found with a bit of water and a sealing iron you can force it to whatever shape you want. Its a super handy tool for around $20 that's great for wood bending. Of course I haven't used it on Walnut, but Randy (lamarvalley) single planked his San Francisco with mahogany with great success using one and it is a brittle wood.

[testazyk]

Hi CF-- Congrats on the new job and best wishes in your new place.  I've really been enjoying your log because the Swift was my first build and I had most of the challenges you've had.  Especially those @#$$% bulwarks!  But it was a great learning experience and I'm glad I stuck with it!

[adivedog]

What pencil did you use to edge the planks, I tried the regular 2H today and it doesn't look right. Went to Staples but they didn't have any softer pencils.?

[Cannon Fodder]

Adivedog- I started with an HB but that was too light too, and went softer even, anything softer that a 2B probably would get the same effect

[Cannon Fodder]

New shipyard unpacked!

Hull survived!

Edited September 9, 2014 by Cannon Fodder

[themadchemist]

Its good to see you settled. Moving is such a pain.