Corsair by WBlakeny - FINISHED - 1:32 - SMALL - Bermuda boat - First scratch build

[WBlakeny]

Finally, i'm at the planking stage! 

 

I've never been able to do some nice planking without the need to conceal it with paint 

So, i decided i wanted to try out for the first time, to plank with the method Chuck described using the planking fan.

 

First prepare everything. 

 

I calculated the number of planks midships. It's something above 12 (don't mind the number on the calculator in the photo beneath, it's got the wrong calculation) So i'll have 4 belts of three planks. The garboard strake will be a bit larger than the normal planks.

 

 

In then took 3 pieces of a plank and glued them on a piece of paper. 

 

 

With that i marked the positions on the midships frame for each belt. Then i took some tape from which i cut off long strips. With one such strip i divided the hull in two, starting from the mark on the midships frame.

 

 

Afterwards i dived each belt again in two, making sure that there's never a space which is less then half the space i've got on the midships frame.

 

 

On the last belt at the stern at i'll have to insert a stealer or make a larger garboard strake. 

 

 

 

I then carefully copied the positions of each belt to the other side.

 

 

Still need to do some tweaking at the bow, but i'm almost there.

 

[Omega1234]

Looking good!!!

[Chuck]

That looks very good.  Well done.

[ziled68]

Chris,
I am glad summer is over so that you can get back to your Corsair. I am gald that you corrected that little mistake on the transom. Like you, if I make a mistake I try to correct it because if I don't, it will be the first place I look at whenever I look at the model. The fact that you are using belts to evenly distribute your planks on the Corsair will make it a very attractive model. I hope to see more progress.

 

Ray

Edited November 20, 2014 by ziled68

[dgbot]

Is that the planer by Proxxon? I saw a demo a few years ago but I have a thickness sander for my thickening. What are the advantages and disadvantages to a sander?

David B

[WBlakeny]

Hi David

 

I've never used a sander, so i couldn't compare.  I'm happy with my planer but it's not perfect.

Sometimes the finishing is't as smooth as i'd like it to be.

 

If you look close in the picture underneath, then you'll see tiny marks of the planer on the wood.

I get that result if i only want to take off a little of the plank. (a 10th of a mm or something like that)

 

 

If i want to take off more then i have no marks like these. I could imagine this being a great disadvantage versus the sander.

 

Another thing is, i have to be very careful when pushing a plank through it.  Because sometimes the beginning of the plank gets easily chopped in multiple pieces.

 

But i like my tool, it has been handy. I have it since this year though, so i image i'll get better at using it.

 

[WBlakeny]

Using a piece of paper i marked the width of a strake on the bulkhead.

Then with the paper i slide it over the planking fan, until i have my three planks with the space of the bulkhead belt.

 

 

Then transfer those marks to the bulkhead, and this i did for all the bulkheads of that belt.

 

[WBlakeny]

I used a wide masking tape to do the spilling. I first used a transparent 3M tape, but it didn't allow me to use a pencil to mark on it. I need to look further for other tapes. The masking tape isn't ideal for this.

 

 

I followed the curve of the previous plank with a pencil and marked the positions of the bulkheads.  Afterwards i removed the tape and transfered it to a piece of card.

 

 

Then i transfered the width of the plank, on each bulkhead, to each mark on the tape/card.

 

 

Using a french curve, or a flexi-curve i connected the dots, obtaining the form of the plank.

 

[WBlakeny]

I cutted the card template of the plank and traced them on a piece of cherry.

 

 

Then i cutted the plank. After several tries, i found out, that the best way to obtain a proper plank is to score it first using a scriber. Using the frech curves i traced the lines with a scriber. Then i gently cutted with a sharp knife in several passes the plank.

 

 

For some planks, where the curvature of the hull allowed it, i use some scrap wood to reinforce the planking. I glue some scrap wood on the back of the plank.

 

 

For some planks, especially a the bow, i soak them and let them dry to obtain the right bending.

 

 

Then glue the plank in place.

 

 

It took several tries to obtain a plank to my liking.

 

[WBlakeny]

Disaster!

 

While pushing in a pin to hold a plank in place, i used to much force on the keel. It snapped off all along te rabet and the joints.

 

I must take a mental note to always dowel the keel on future builds.

 

 

I gently putted the model aside, and didn't look at it for more then a week or so.

[Omega1234]

No problem! Disasters are always only seconds away. What matters is that they're overcome. Great job you're doing, by the way, with the planking. She'll look great once done.

 

All the best!

[willz]

fixing the broken bits is all part of the fun, and the experience makes sure you never make the same mistake

[WBlakeny]

True, it's not the end of the world (or at least for my little corsair). I was lucky that it snapped off cleanly. Now, i didn't want to simply glue it back in place, i wanted something stronger.

 

The keel being only 3mm, i thought about using pins to dowel it.

 

First i drilled the hull at several places.

 

 

Then dry fitted some pins from which i cut off the heads.

 

 

To locate the places to drill on the keel, i used 0,5 mmm (which is the same the diameter as the pins) lead pencil for a refillable lead pencil.

 

 

 

They were cut rather short to the hull.

 

 

After that i pressed the keel back to its place and the pencil did its job, marking the places to drill.

 

 

Next thing, drilling the wholes in the keel. 

 

Some months ago i bought something very usefull for a task like this.

A footswitch, first time i tried it and i immediately wondered why i never thought of this before. So handy...

 

 

Glueing the pins in place with CA. And then glueing the keel with some woodglue, using the clothing pins to make sure the keel is right aligned to the hull.

 

 

The result, all firmly back in its place. The only scar to see is right above the rabbet. 

And since this will be covered by the planking, i was very lucky.

 

[WBlakeny]

With all that corrected, we're back in business for the planking job.

 

Last night i glued another plank in its place. The last plank of the first belt. It sure is very time consuming, but i like to do it.

 

 

 

[mtaylor]

Nice fix, Chris.  Sometimes when things go wrong and hit the floor, we get lucky and the damage is hidden.  Yep, been there, done that, and have the T-Shirt.

[ziled68]

Chris,

You are officially my hero. That was an excellent come back from what would have been thought a total disaster. It has happened to me before and it really scared me to think I would have to start everything all over again. Great job Buddy.

 

Ray

[michael mott]

Nice recovery Chris, and a great job laying out the planking.

 

Michael

[WBlakeny]

Thank you all for the likes and nice comments.

 

To be honest, the first days after it, i was planning to stop my Corsair.  I was already studying the plans of la Jacynthe.

 

But then after the cooldown, i was thinking how i could solve this problem. I'm now really glad i did.

[WBlakeny]

Last night, I found a good tape to work with for the spilling, scotch Magic tape .

 

Then with a pencil i gently mark the edge of the prior planking run. 

 

 

The result is a plank on which i only had to do some minor tweaking for the perfect fit. 

 

The result underneath, while letting it dry on the hull after soaking.

 

 

I'm so happy, I got a plank right from the first time! Hopefully it wasn't just beginners luck. 

[WBlakeny]

After the keel story i'm not so fond of using pins to hold my planking anymore. So i'll be following Clay's instructions and make some friction clamps. You can see them already in action in my previous post. It's only purpose is to slide it over the bulkheads in order to hold the plank in its place.

 

I prepared a scrap piece of plywood for two such clamps, as a test. The bulkheads are 3.15 mm, so i milled a slot of 3 mm. 

 

 

Then i milled a recess in the front part of the clamps. 

 

 

Using the scroll saw i separated the two clamps

 

 

Testing the clamp, it works like a charm, but i'm thinking it needs a bigger recess.

 

[WBlakeny]

Back to the Corsair!  I'm sorry for having been away so long. I got frustrated with the planking and decided it was better to lay her aside for a while.

 

Since last time I've continued the planking, though very slow. It's what got me discouraged. When drawing the form, my planks tend to get very wavy. Is this normal? 

Cutting out a wavy plank is'nt easy. It's always a lot of trial and error and results often in discarding the formed plank.

 

One cause was not having a stable building board for her. It's a lesson I learned now and will not make again in the future!

So, one building board coming up, although a very (very very) simple one. I used an old piece of wood, a leftover from making my carport.

 

To make the supports i glued a piece of cherry of the wood i used for making the keel. 

 

 

The support blocks were carefully sawn in a way they fitted between the frames, so i can mount her upside down.

Which is more easy for her planking.

 

 

At this stage i'm inserting the last plank of the first belt on both sides. That plank didn't want to lay flat against her prior plank, but tended to creep upwards.

In order to let her remain in place i glued some wooden strips on the back. 

 

 

I then slided them over the prior plank and as such the new plank stayed nicely flat against the prior one.

 

 

I'm glad, the first belt is planked.

[captainbob]

I like the way you made your building board.  The ability to mount the boat both ways is clever.  For your planking, all you need is to do it and gain experience.  You're doing fine.

 

Bob

[WBlakeny]

Time to continue on the Corsair now that my President is finished. 

First thing is catching up with the log, I've some old photos from the planking.

 

I continued with the second belt of the planking. This one already went quicker and smoother then the first belt.

I'm getting the hang of it. My planking is not perfect though, the planks don't look to straight. There's a lot of area to improve

 

One thing I've found out that it is easier to make first a template for the plank on a piece of card.  Then afterwards you can immediately see if it fits correctly to the prior plank.

Another benefit of making a card template first, you can use it to guide the knife on the wood along its edges.

 

 

Both sides glued on.

 

 

Second belt finished.

 

[WBlakeny]

Starting on the garboard strake, i noticed it lacked some support near the bow for the planking. I used some balsa to fill that area up.

 

Glued in some pieces of balsa to fill the bow area up.

 

Then carefully sanded it down to match the lines of the hull.

[WBlakeny]

This brings the log up to date, i started on the third belt from the keel up now. The garboard strake has been put on on both sides.

And i'm now finishing the the third belt on starboard side.

 

Using rubber bands and wood pieces i was able to put the pressure on the plank where it is need to remain in its place till the glue has dried.

 

The garboard strake on the port side

[WBlakeny]

I've finished the third band last night. 

 

 

The end of the planking comes near. I've started the fourth and final band of planking.

[WBlakeny]

I'm up till the last plank on either side.  

 

I did a first try for a plank on that last row, but i had to throw it away. 

I thought it was going to be easy to fill that space up with a plank.

 

 

And I really should clean up my working table. 

[WBlakeny]

It has been a while since i was in my shipyard, i've had surgery on my knee. But all is well now and i'm back at my little Corsair.

I've completed the planking.

 

 

[WBlakeny]

I've drilled the holes for the trunneling. I first marked the spots with a pencil, then i made a dent on each hole. I wanted to make sure the drill didn't wander off while drilling the holes.

 

 

Then i filled the holes with a dab of glue and a toothpick.

 

 

And slowly my little boat changed into a porcupine. 

 

 

The day after i used a flush cutter to cut the toothpicks.

 

 

Let the sanding begin...

[WBlakeny]

Using different grades i sanded the hull smooth, finishing it off with steelwool.