Swift by adivedog - Artesania Latina - 1:50 - First build

[themadchemist]

...and don't miss Dee Dee's Coquillier and MBLS builds. That Coquillier was an interesting planking job, with such a unique shaped hull. Dee Dee's builds are also known for having some pretty interesting research and photo's. I'd put a link but they are in the above sig.

 

Now, Dee Dee's is one Swift I can't wait to see built, at first I was disappointed the Coquillier was next, but seeing it, I now know why it was picked.

[adivedog]

Thanks Dee Dee, checking now.

[adivedog]

Haven't gotten much done the last four days. Have been pondering over how I'm going to do the planking. I took off the garboard plank I had glued on and am in the process of starting over. For every step forward it's two steps back, but  I'm not going to get in a hurry.  Actually, after taking off the planks. I have beveled more of the false keel, with a slight bevel all the way just past frame 7. That should help the 2nd plank fit better against the garboard especially at #7.

And have done a little more shaping to get everything better aligned.

 

After gluing the garboard plank on starboard side this morning ( hopefully for the last time), I was going through the plans and noticed I didn't put in the bulkheads for the lower decks. I stained them and managed to get them in.

 

So now, if all goes well, will get on with the planking. the frames are marked so hopefully things will start to move.

 

By the way, printed the fan and used it to mark the frames. Turned out, it was easy to do. I used card stock for frame length, transferred marks to card and then put them on the frame.

Edited September 2, 2014 by adivedog

[themadchemist]

Back when I was still a gearhead, I found on auto body work that it was all in the prep work. Seems you spend 90% on the time getting the surface ready for paint. I find this true also with planking. The fairing of the bulkheads (POB) or frames (POF) is the most laborious part of the over all task. With a correctly faired frame, it makes planking just that more easy.

 

You probably saw a big difference by beveling that keel. You'll have to remove quite a bit of thickness at stern once she's planked as the keel and 2 layers of planking is quite a bit wider then the keel, but that a ways off. If you haven't consider scraper's for wood removal rather then sandpaper, you might. I find scraping is less messy then sanding and faster. in a pinch a single edge razor will work, but not for curves like the ogee. 

IIRC Lee Valley has free shipping ATM. That's where I purchased mine and I find the Ogee and small card scrapers invaluable for lots of things.

 

You've also crossed one of the most important parts of ship building.... Taking off planks seems a backwards step, but the satisfaction of getting it right for you, makes it all worth it. I've been amazed by some of the deconstruction I've seen on MSW. I'm always glad when people show that, as it shows that this hobby sometimes requires one of the PF schoolmaster's "DO IT AGAIN" (Sorry I just had to throw a PF reference in there).

 

I can see this is going to be a fun journey to watch unfold. Reveling is others success is what makes this community such an important part of successfully navigating this mysterious hobby. It's not for everyone, I think that's why I like it so much. I chose chemistry for much the same reasons.

 

Can't wait for pictures.

[adivedog]

Thanks Keith

 

I was an Industrial Electrician by trade and usually did troubleshooting to keeps things running, but once in a while had to run a lot of conduit, usually for new equipment.  I'd scope it out for a while and usually found the best way to do it, not always the first instinct. If you pay attention and think things over, the answer will eventually come.

 

That's helping me slow down now and dry fit everything and see what it's going to look like.

[themadchemist]

My grad research in chem taught me to slow down and step back. I built my own instrument, which was a huge learning opportunity with LOTS of troubleshooting. I've always enjoyed a good hands on problem solving project. I've always been a visual learner also and the physics of sail intrigued me. That was one of the aspects of this hobby that drew me in, that one could make the build as close to mechanically real as they chose.

 

Honestly though, being an analytical chemist is about 50% dish washing. Always lots of glassware to wash. I remember Joe refused to sign off on the MS until every piece of glassware I used was cleaned. Luckily, Mom had trained me for that

 

Speaking of Mom, when I was a kid she would always get on to me for breaking my toys. She never quite got that I played with toys by disassembling them

I always just wanted to know how it worked inside. My first second computer I built from scraps the university was throwing away. It still runs, which is funny because I saw where they now have CNC adaption kits for the old unimat lathes. So I'm thinking of using that old beast to run the CNC if I get to that point.

Right now I need cooler weather so I can work on turning the garage into the sawdust factory. One of the symptoms of lyme disease is heat intolerance, we've been lucky this year though. I saw where IN has been even milder. I think I saw where Indy didn't have a day break 90^o  all July.

[adivedog]

No, I think they finally hit 90 a week or two ago. I'm 50 miles north of Indy.               But I'm a Bears fan.

 

I tried chemistry once. I got a chemistry set for xmas when I was a kid. One night when everyone was gone, I was experimenting with different mixtures and made one with sulfur.  Heated it up, and needless to say, when Mom got home, the chemistry set was no more.  Would I have been somewhat of an analytical chemist then.

[adivedog]

Have been slowly working on the planks. It's a little slower than expected, but I've got plenty of time. Am down to the last 4 planks on the larboard side. Have found out just a while ago, the plank widths vary from 4.8 to 5.1. I've been measuring after each plank is put on and wondered why there was a little bit of difference.

 

Should be posting some pictures this afternoon.

 

The planking is coming along better than I expected.

[adivedog]

I'll try to get caught up here on the build.

 

Started off using Keith's idea for garboard, stopping between frames 2 & 3, then using Russ's idea of using a wider piece of board and cutting rather than a lateral bend.

 

 

Everything except one garboard was dry fitted.

 

 

I thought about it for a day or two and decided to go another way.  I felt the way I did it would help give me more room at the bow and all the way back. Right or wrong, I took off the glued garboard and refitted a new one flipped 180 degrees. You can see the difference. This way there was only one plank running up to frame two instead of two and no hard bend.

 

 

Edited September 10, 2014 by adivedog

[adivedog]

Once I got  the first plank on the top. I started to measure and mark the frames using the fan. Thanks Dee Dee.

 

 

 

After using the card stock to get length, used the fan to get the width I needed for each plank on every frame. Then marked the frames.

 

 

 

Now, I put on the garboards on both sides, then re_ measured the distances and re marked.  I should have done it this way the first time. Figured the number of planks by using the length on frame 5 and dividing by

5 (mm).  I would need 9 planks ( Total of 11 counting garboard and top plank), so could then use the fan.

 

Am I getting everyone confused ?   To simplify before I confuse myself. I put on the top plank and garboard then measured and marked the frames.  

 

 

 

[adivedog]

Here's some of the photos of progress so far. Am down to the last 4 planks on the larboard side, then will get on the starboard.

 

 

 

 

There is a slight gap on the planks at the bow, but it will fill.  Not sure what I did on the 2nd plank. It's out a little to much. I don't think I double checked the way it was laying when I glued. Again no problem.

 

 

I used clamps with inverted pads to hold planks together for glue.

 

 

[themadchemist]

There is no one absolute correct way to do any one thing. That's why ship and boat construction is a great never ending topic to study. Not just us as modelers, but the real builders development of things nautical over time are a testament to the never end possibilities that the human mind can develop.
 
I'm looking forward to watching this progress as your statement, "I thought about it for a day or two and decided..." tell a lot about your approach. Spending time thinking is a VERY overlooked part of this hobby.

[adivedog]

This should get me caught up on the build. I was bending a plank a while ago and it pulled apart ?  I glued it together and am waiting on it to dry, so I can find out if it will work, since it came apart about 3 inches from the bow, where there is more lateral bending.

 

 

 

[3sheets10]

Hello John, 

 

Just finished looking through your build! It looks great so far! It is obvious that you are taking your time and doing everything very cleanly, something that took me awhile to learn and understand and I still struggle with it (I need a big learning curve I suppose). You have a lot of talented people commenting on your work so far, you are in good hands. I look forward to following the rest of your build! 

 

Tyler 

[adivedog]

Thanks Tyler, I'm not ordinarily so patient either. That's what surprises me about the model building, is that I will take my time instead of rushing and making mistakes. I did get in a hurry a couple of times and wound up learning how to take things apart and doing them again.

[adivedog]

Keith, I've surprised myself with my attitude toward this build and the patience I'm using. But that's partly so I don't screw something up and have to redo it.

 

BTW, the syringe works great.

[themadchemist]

[adivedog]

 

Just put the last plank in on the larboard side.  No dropped planks and very little gaps. Overall, real happy with how it went.

I really learned a lot on this job.  I read over a planking tutorial again today that I had read before starting and much of what it said finally made sense.

When I was first starting out, I read tutorials, looked at build logs, got advice, and watched some videos. It was almost to much sensory overload for me, almost overwhelming with all the info. Being a more "learn from doing" person, as I progress, much of what I was told and read is making a lot more sense.

 

 

 

It looks like the second garboard on starboard doesn't sit on the edge of false keel, but it does. So it will all work when sanded an the Keel is put on.

 

 

 

[themadchemist]

Well put.

I experienced the same, its amazing how hind-sight is 20/20. and the experience adds a lot to the understanding for those of us that need to learn from doing.

 

Beautiful first planking, you be even more amazed what sanding or scraping does to it.

Great Job

[GuntherMT]

That's a great planking for your first one.  Mine was terrible in comparison, and after sanding and finishing, looks just fine, so yours should be gorgeous when you finish it up.

[adivedog]

Thanks Brian,  it's like someone on here said, it's like putting a jigsaw puzzle together, only you have to make the pieces too.

 

I spent a lot of time on it and re-measuring, and a lot of luck too.

[adivedog]

Off and running on the starboard side.

 

One thing for anyone doing planking for the first time.  After you do 6 or 7 planks, it get easier and faster, and less intimidating.

[lamarvalley]

Looks like a good start John and that sentiment is true for everything… in life and model boat building…. practice makes it less daunting and easier.

 

Wait til you get to rigging      

[themadchemist]

it also becomes more fun and for me relaxing. The slow process of fitting planks is one that draws me into "the zone" you know when you look at the clock and go, WOW, where did that all that time go. I've actually gotten so engrossed that when I saw the sun coming through the windows was my first indicator that I'd worked through the night.  

 

For a beautiful single planked hull from a first timer, just check out Randy's Florencia, Its a beauty. (tmc says as he looks at the SF1 kit on the shelve).

You just gotta love a Galleon.

 

It's funny Randy's talking about rigging, because it was his and Robbyn's issues with their SF2 kits which caused me to slow way down and start pouring into research of the Gaff rig. Randy is right, as big as the learning curve is on planking, rigging may be even bigger. But that's not to intimidate, that's the challenge of this hobby. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.

[adivedog]

Randy, It's going to be a while before I get to the rigging, so hopefully I can be a little prepared. I go to Texas for the winter, so from the middle of Nov. until the first of April, the Swift will be waiting. We'll see how far along I can get by then.  Can't take it with me as I'm limited on space there.

 

Keith,  my brain is just slowing down on the planking, don't even want to think about the rigging yet.

[adivedog]

Almost done with starboard side. Getting ready to start on the bulwarks.

 

 

 

[Dee_Dee]

John,

 

Your planking is looking good! 

 

I calculated the number of planks the same way, then added two more planks.  Since my hull is going to be single planked, the sides of each plank had to be beveled to get a tight fit.  If I had just used 16 planks, there would be no room left at the bow, but there would be numerous gap towards the stern and I would need to add at least two stealers.

 

Keep up the good work and go slowly!

 

Dee Dee  

 

[adivedog]

Thanks Dee Dee, I checked out your planking and it looks really good.  I don't think I'm ready to tackle a single planked hull yet.

Edited September 16, 2014 by adivedog

[adivedog]

Just finished the first layer of planking.  Quite an experience.  When I first got the model unboxed and saw all the planks and parts, I thought " what did I get myself into", especially thinking about the planking and rigging. Now, am thrilled to death getting it done and having it turn out so well. Still not ready to try a single planked ship, but happy none the less.

 

Ran into a little problem with the starboard side though. I used up all but two of the planks that were at least 5 mm wide, so as I got further along, I knew this side wouldn't fill in as good as the larboard. Most of the planks were 4.9 - 4.97. 

 

I had bought some 1/16 (1.5 mm) x 1/4 (6.5 mm) inch basswood at Menards ( like Home Depot ) right after I got the kit, just in case I needed them.

When I got to the last plank, the gap on 5 & 6 frames were right at 6.5 mm so my purchase was justified. Had to sand a lot on both ends but it worked out.

No gaps, no dropped planks.

 

Tomorrow will put some poly on the main deck and get ready for the bulkheads.

 

Shot of the last plank after glued. I use map marker pins I cut to about 1/4" to secure the planks and push them against the frames.

 

 

Final product

 

 

Edited September 17, 2014 by adivedog

[themadchemist]

Beautiful work John.

 

Wait until you sand it, you won't believe the difference sanding and scrapping will make.

That's one of my other favorite parts

 

This is getting fun to watch, she's going to be one NICE Pilot.