Armed Virginia Sloop by GuntherMT - FINISHED - Model Shipways - scale 1:48

[Grimber]

very nice job with the paint.  and I agree the black looks good,  think if you went blue it would distract with the black, ochre, blue then what ever you go with on the hull.

[GuntherMT]

Alistair, I'll pass on adding the trim just to experience the pain, thanks. 

 

Magee, the 'white' hull is basswood, it gets planked over with a layer of walnut (the next step in construction actually), which I plan to leave natural as long as it comes out nice.

 

David & Grimber, thanks for the comments, and thanks to everyone for visiting and the likes. 

 

No update, as I really haven't done anything except add a couple coats of poly (and remember to put on the taff rail).  I've been pretty busy, and finally finished getting the future workshop cleaned out, and am now waiting for the new flooring to arrive (eta around Dec. 18th).  And of course there is all the Christmas stuff that goes on this time of year that eats into available time.

[GuntherMT]

Let the second planking begin!

 

 

So far done completely with PVA glue and no clamps, just holding each plank in position until the CVA takes enough set to hold it.  We'll see how far along I get with this system.

 

For the stern, I've only gotten two of the planks wrapped to the transom so far, and I've used water and heat to get them into shape prior to gluing.  Hopefully will be able to continue to get the shape of the planks at the stern very close to shape before placing.  If not I'll likely have to resort to clamps at some point.

[Dimitris71]

Good morning, excellent work on this build Brian. She is very beautiful...

 

Cheers

 

Dimitris

[Cap'n Magee]

Looking good.  I agree, the walnut looks excellent!

[Grimber]

yes, the walnut is great.

 

on the stern have you tried letting your plank go long ( trim for width fit but not cut it off)  then you can use the extra length to help when bending around the curvature, like clamping further up near the transom or just for more leverage when bending.  once it holds the curvature then trim off and glue.  or something along that lines.

Edited December 12, 2014 by Grimber

[dgbot]

Nicely done.

David B

[GuntherMT]

Thanks for all the nice comments.  I didn't make any progress on the ship today as I was busy running errands, taking care of appointments, and then wrapping Christmas presents.  Next year I'm considering the benefits of gift cards for everyone!  Hehe.

[augie]

That walnut is really going to make her look first rate.  GREAT start.

 

Nice collection of gifts there!

[Mahuna]

Hi Brian

 

Which one is mine?

 

Frank

[GuntherMT]

Frank,

 

You can pretend one of them is for you, and go out and buy something that will make you happy if you want. 

[GuntherMT]

Brief early Saturday update.  The first group of planking (of 4 planned sections) is complete on both sides, and the 2nd group is started on the port side.

 

As I was cropping these pictures I realized how much damage I'm managing to inflict on my poor painted cap rails, so I'm going to need to do a lot of repainting when I'm done with all the heavy handling of the hull.  In the meantime I'm going to cover the rails with tape to try to prevent further damage, since I'm apparently incapable of doing work on the hull and not beating up the already completed work.

 

[HIPEXEC]

Looks okay to me.

[Grimber]

I kept having the same problems of beating up my paint job.  Mindful of the tape too, I put some on to cover it, did some work went to take the tape off and because of handling i think I pressed that tape down good in spots and so the paint peeled up with the tape.

[GuntherMT]

Planking progresses.  Band 1 on the starboard side complete, band 1 and 2 on port side complete now, so 3 of 8 done.

 

I'm liking the way it's coming together.  As long as I don't make a massive mistake at some point along the line I fully expect to leave the hull below the wale natural.  I may do something with the waterline (paint line) but still undecided at this point, not sure if it would look good or terrible with the natural above and below it.

 

Still using just PVA, but I am using pins with collars to temporarily clamp some of the planks at the stem and stern to help me hold the trickier ones in place while the glue sets.  Getting the curves mostly set into the planks using a heat gun makes things go pretty smoothly for the most part.

 

I do need to figure out how to open up the rabbet a bit before laying the garboard strake, as I currently can't get the thickness of a plank into it along the keel, and I need to get these planks flush.  Combination of sanding blocks and filing I imagine, but I've got band 2 on the starboard side to complete while I ponder that.

 

 

Still not completely happy with how the planks meet the transom, but can't think of any way to improve it at this time. I'm thinking that it would look better with wider strakes landing on the transom, but I'm not going to deconstruct half the planking in order to add the drop planks needed to get wider strakes to it at this point.

 

 

[themadchemist]

She's looking good Brian.

Typically the plank is narrower at points where it goes through a maximum in curvature. That wrap under the transom is a tricky area, what you've done looks good, it will be interesting to see as it progresses around to the stern post. The use of stealers may be a good way to fill in that area. You could incorporate a half stealer and full stealer, just for the practice of it. I like the way you use the tape line as a pseudo-batten, that's a great idea.

 

However you plank her, side to side symmetry for me is one of the more important aspects, especially at the stem and stern line. Of course the Stern will be broken up somewhat with the rudder, which doesn't standout as much as the stem line, but honestly I don't see that as an issue, as your doing a beautiful job..

 

I think she will look awesome natural.

 

...and on the pseudo-rabbet. Use a #10 blade. The one that is flat on the back (unsharpened) and has a curved front edge. Putting the flat edge up against the keel, angle the curved edge into the hull and scrap in your rabbet. I did this on the DSotM and the plank to keel rabbet line turned out nice and tight and gives the impression of the plank fitting into the keel rabbet, which is what I think your wanting. You can do this at the stem also if needed.

 

That walnut is really going to POP with finish. Have you considered what you may use, many use the wipe on polys but I am still am stuck on the old school tung oiling.

[GuntherMT]

Thanks Keith,

 

The tape isn't an original idea, it's how Bob Hunt does it in his practicum, but I do like it as it's easy to play with and adjust until I get it where I like.  The downside is of course that it doesn't give me any feedback as to how a real plank/batten would want to lay along that line.

 

I won't need to do stealers 'just for practice', they will definitely be needed in the bottom band, and maybe one in the 3rd.

 

I am absolutely trying to keep the side to side symmetry good, as I agree it's visually very important.

 

Thanks for the tip on the rabbet, it took me a minute to understand your blade orientation description, but once the lightbulb came on, it makes perfect sense!

 

I plan to use Min-Wax wipe on Poly, as that's what I've tested with, and I like the results.

[themadchemist]

I don't know if the #10 blades come in differing sizes as I have a in house supplier , Its nice having a wife working in the OR.... but the one I used was a small blade. I found the rounded tip made a bit wider pseudo-rabbet that was wider then using an #11 blade. I 2nd planked with 0.5mm cherry and basically scraped and fitted the size of the pseudo-rabbet with a scrap piece of planking. Having the blunt side riding the keel, helps keeps it straight and doesn't mare the keel. The ones she brings from the OR have a widen back for bracing the blade, which makes a nice frictionless edge, I don't know if the store bought one are that way.

 

I've always loved the stern hulls where the planking wraps up into the counter. Its such an attractive feature on a hull. BTW have you considered whether to treenail the hull or not?

[Grimber]

can you fit a emory board or a fingernail file into the rabbet?  may be all you need to opene it up enough to side the plank in.

[GuntherMT]

can you fit a emory board or a fingernail file into the rabbet?  may be all you need to opene it up enough to side the plank in.

 

Pretty sure neither of those are thinner than .030"

 

I'll make it work with a combination of knife trimming of the rabbet itself and sanding blocks to smooth down the planking leading up to the rabbet.

[Mahuna]

Hi Brian:

 

For close sanding, as in the rabbet, I use a sanding stick made by gluing sandpaper onto a popsicle stick, then trim the end of the stick to the shape and size I need.

 

Frank

[GuntherMT]

Hi Brian:

 

For close sanding, as in the rabbet, I use a sanding stick made by gluing sandpaper onto a popsicle stick, then trim the end of the stick to the shape and size I need.

 

Frank

 

Thanks Frank,

 

I have several different popsicle stick sanding sticks, but for some odd reason it never occurred to me that I could thin and/or shape the end.  Sometimes it's the simplest things that elude my brain.

[GuntherMT]

Less done than I would have liked in the last couple days, but finished the 2nd band of planking tonight.

 

The pictures make the bow look more out of symmetry than the stern, but when measured the bow is actually within 1mm of even, and the stern is off by about 2x that much.  I think it will blend in with how narrow the planks are where they bend over the transom, but I'll try to get it adjusted across the next few planks.

 

[russ]

Brian:

So far the planking looks very good. Nice work.

 

Russ

[BareHook]

Looking really good, remember all planking appear rough looking initially, but when you sand it and add finish it really brings it to life.

 

BTW, don't forget to do the bottom band with the garboard strake, you don't want to leave that till last... much easier to do the final fitting of planks in the middle band.

 

Ken

[Mahuna]

Hi Brian

 

Excellent planking - looking forward to seeing it in real life.

 

Frank

[GuntherMT]

Thank you gentlemen as well as for all those who have dropped in and clicked the like button.

 

Ken - I am doing garboard and starting up from the bottom next - there was some discussion on the last page about that and how to open up the rabbet a bit.

Frank - I'll try to remember to bring her with me the next time I'm headed out your way.  If I don't get in touch about maybe next Monday or Tuesday, then things are a bit full for the following week and it will likely be the new year before the schedule works out.

[aliluke]

The planking is looking really fine Brian. I'm looking forward to seeing it natural below the wale but painted above. I'd still argue for a fully painted version but that is my taste. Very impressed by your scuppers. When it comes to the sweep ports I can give you some tips, if you wish, that made mine come out well - to my eye that is. I've seen some ports on AVS's that don't look so good...but given your work you probably have this in hand too!

[GuntherMT]

Thank you Alistair,

 

I'd be more than happy to hear your input on the sweep ports, as I honestly haven't really done any real planning or investigation into how to do them yet.  I know I've seen in someone else's build log that they built a little jig to locate the holes the same each time, but I haven't gone past reading that.  My guess is that I'm going to have to tackle that sometime fairly soon though!

[aliluke]

Hi Brian

I tried to track down my photos for the sweep ports but they are lost (total hard drive failure a few years back).

 

What I did is tape both sides of the ports with Tamiya masking tape. Putting the tape on the inside is important as it stops the potential of splitting the inner bulwark planks. On the outside tapes mark the the centre of the port with a pencil, then add two small pencil marks for the upper and lower parts of the port. With the tape on, you won't mark the hull timbers. Check each one for alignment and the angles and if all are good use an awl to mark the center and each outer point of each port. Drill the centre with a small bit and the outer points with a smaller bit. Take off the tape and join the centre hole to the outer holes with a # 11 blade. Finish with needle files. Using the tape is the trick - it allows you to pencil mark the set outs and adjust them without damage to the outer hull. It also holds the inner planking to stop them splitting. For drilling I only ever use a pin vise.

 

My best advice is keep the ports very small at first and widen to make them credible with caution. Many AVS's have sweep ports that are far to big in my opinion. I used an oar to check the credibility of my ports but that stretches me towards madness. With all my advice my sweep ports were a very difficult thing to do and came out just so-so.

 

Best thought - keep them small!