Installing gun ports

[richardpepi]

I am building Vanguard

Has anyone tried fitting gun ports before the final planking.

Its would seem this is a fiddly process.

I am consider installing gun ports first and  leaving them  .5mm proud of the surface to be planked( Sand them back to .5mm proud)  and then planking up to them.

Anyone tried this.

? Thoughts

[Keith_W]

Most people cut out the gunports after the first planking. It is much easier to mark the wood and make mistakes without your mistakes being on show because you have ruined the veneer layer.

[testazyk]

I agree with Keith and that's what I always do.  It's also a good idea to make a jig that you can use to ensure that your ports are all the same size.  Lastly, when you do your final layer of planking around the ports you will inevitably have to do some sanding/filing to square everything off.  If you put a light coat of lacquer around the port it will help prevent the wood from splitting as you file.  And whether or not the plans call for it, building a little frame inside each port hides the first layer of planking and gives your model a nice look. 

[HIPEXEC]

I built my ports by cutting the planks as I installed them. I got very square cuts and all the right size. ...And I only had to plank once. It took carefull planning, but I'm not a good hole cutter.