HM Schooner Pickle by rshousha - Caldercraft - My First Caldercraft Kit!

[JRB9019]

Hi Rick

 

Welcome back to the Pickle World.

 

I notice you took a long break - join the club.

 

I started my Pickle In September 2012 and managed to complete the hull, decking and painting. Then life decided to intervene - apart from not having the right equipment to be able to see what I was doing and Pickle was left to hiberrnate.

 

Then a few weeks ago, things changed for the better, the wraps came of Pickle and we're back with a vengance!!

I've even finished the carronades - now that was fun!

 

Amazing what magnification and good lighting does to help - but that doesn't seem to be an issue with your workshop ................... sigh, one day, one day!!!!

 

Onwards and upwards

John

[rshousha]

You said it Spyglass.When I was a kid I played the piano. What an ungrateful instrument. I took it up again when I started working and I was just never able to get things going again. I bought an electronic keyboard so I wouldn't wake the neighbors as I was living in an apartment at the time, rigged it up so I could listen to myself in the car on the way to work and took private lessons once a week. 

 

But during that time I was travelling on business every couple of weeks for a few days and every couple of months for a week at a time. Whenever I got back to the ivories, I had moved back twice as far as the length of the trip. 

 

And then the kids arrived and that was the end of that. 

 

Models just kind of sit there and, if you've taken good notes, it is a quick jump to the spot you left off. 

 

Happily, models don't put themselves back in the box!

 

Cheers, 

Rick 

Edited November 3, 2015 by rshousha

[donrobinson]

Hi Rick;

Good to see you back at it, looking forward to seeing your progress

[rshousha]

Thanks. I am tempted to put up the awful mess I've done and see if you can all help me get out of it. This is actually great fun as I learn about wooden ship building. it sure is different from car models. Even those Pocher models I've built are a lot more straightforward than ship building. 

 

Did I mention this is really fun? What's the point of doing something easy when you can do something hard? 

 

Cheers, 

Rick 

[rshousha]

Greetings, 

 

For those of you who are eagerly awaiting pictures, I want to mention that I have officially completed a rather awful first planking. However, after some searching, I have found that other beginners are not doing that much better than I am so I will be adding some pictures shortly. 

 

I think I can actually pull this thing off!

 

I am looking forward to getting help. 

 

Best Regards, 

 

Rick 

[rshousha]

I like it. We should have kits with three or four sets of planks, then. 

 

Here's a picture of where I'm at. I think I've cleaned up the mess, about enough to put a second practice layer on, before the real second planking. Since I sanded down the first planking until it was practically translucent in places. I figure I can put down a second "first planking" and sand that one down by 60% or so and end up with the equivalent of one first planking. 

 

One of the reasons why I want to do this is because I was a little disappointed by the distance between the bulkheads on the kit. As you can see from the putty, this resulted in considerable waviness in the planks. I've done what I could to even things out with putty but a second layer of planks will even things out even more. Then, the real second planking should go on pretty evenly. 

 

Cheers, 

 

Rick 

Edited November 13, 2015 by rshousha

[JRB9019]

Hi Rick

 

First planking done? That's cool.

 

I think many people look at their first attempts of planking and wonder where it all went wrong!

I certainly did - it looked terrible - and I had to in-fill with additional planking around the bow area to make the 2nd planking sit........... but there you go. Yes, and I will be using balsa wood in-fills aroudn teh bow-area in future.!!

 

Life is one long learning curve - the modelling learning curve is just a bit steeper!!!

 

You mentioned you have sanded a lot down. Shouldn't be too much of a problem - just don't forget that once all your planking is complete, to give the inside of the hull a good coating of wood glue to really bond everything.

 

If you want to make yourself feel better and see how NOT to plank - check my build log out - Phase 2 is the planking section...

 

Onwards and upwards.

John

 

[rshousha]

Hi John,

 

My first planking started out looking pretty much like yours and you seemed to have done a good job of evening things out. Your build gave me the inspiration I needed to work things out on my side. Until I saw yours the other day, I thought there was no hope for mine. Thanks for posting what you did. It was a great help. 

 

One thing I noticed is that the grain of the supplied walnut seems a little coarse. I have some extra basswood strip here from another project and was thinking of using that for the second planking. I used that on the inside of the hull and it looks pretty good after the painting. I'll start slowly with that and see how it goes as I want to paint the sides. if it works out, I may just use that stuff as the second planking. 

 

Thanks again for posting your build. 

 

Best Regards,

 

Rick 

[rshousha]

Greetings,

 

I found these nice little strips of lime and started on the second "first" planking. It's a heck of a lot more fun now, building this model. OK, so as I work my way down the hull, it's pretty evident that the stern is bigger than the bow. What do I do now? I can start spreading out the planks evenly, adding stealers every second plank or so, or I can continue until I finish the bow and then work in a triangular shape in the stern.

 

Hmm, it seems I've just answered my own question. 

 

Cheers, 

Rick 

Edited November 19, 2015 by rshousha

[rshousha]

All,

 

I cannot believe how time flies. I started this project on November 14th, 2014! I am just now getting through the first planking. OK, life is wonderful and I have a bunch of other things to do but, still, I am amazed. 

 

I will have to put in an hour a day for the next two months and see if I move ahead. 

 

Cheers, 

 

Rick 

[rshousha]

So I measured the space I have left and started tapering the planks at the bow and the stern. However, as I get down the hull, I'm having more and more difficulty getting the planks to lay against the hull. That clinker effect near the bow is getting more and more pronounced and I don't see how one can lay the planks "in their natural run" as I've seen in so many instructions.

 

I am now twisting the planks in all kinds of directions to get them to lay against the hull. This can't be right. 

 

Where did I go wrong? 

 

Cheers, 

 

Rick 

Edited November 25, 2015 by rshousha

[JRB9019]

Rick, far be it for me to offer advice whilst being in the company of so many awesome modellers, but I'll try!

 

You start your planking from the top downwards as you are doing - until you are about half-way.

Then, start again from the keel and plank upwards. In this way, the planks seem to run easier and the gaps are filled with cut-down pieces later.

 

Blue Ensign's log shows the pictures of this process very clearly - to see, press >>> the link, I trust it's OK to provide links to other peoples logs???

 

As it is written there and in other logs, the first planking is the basis for the rest so it needs to run smooth and provide the correct shape so that the 2nd planking lies correctly. What the first planking looks like doesn't really matter - well, apart from personal pride's needs I suppose!!.

 

Hope that helps.

John

[rshousha]

Hi John,

 

Thanks for the note. Yes, I think you hit the nail on the head  . In such a small hull, working as you say should work but I think dividing the hull in sections is even better. I put those lines vertically, then I divided the lines to give myself the number of planks I would need, how much to taper, and how many stealers I would need at the stern. Although the theory may be right, the hull is a complex 3-dimensional shape and you need to be able to lay the planks as close to their natural curve as possible. 

 

By dividing the hull along these natural curves, using a piece of tape, say, or a plank, to draw the lines, you can then set a number of planks for each of those sections. 

 

So, instead of starting from the whale down and then from the keel up, you would start from the whale down, then from the next line up, then from that line down, then from the next line up, and so on. I think that would even more easily and keep the lay of the planks in a more natural condition. 

 

What do you think? Good theory???

 

Cheers, 

Rick 

[rshousha]

John, 

 

I had a look at BlueEnsign's log and I am trying to avoid the look he has of two sections of planking. I think dividing into more than two sections would give a smoother look. 

 

I have the second planking to try it....and the next boat, and the next boat, and the next boat....

 

Cheers, 

Rick 

[donrobinson]

Hey Rick, things are looking good. If it was me I would put the garboard plank on now so as to avoid trying to make stealers and joggle planks there. You are at the bottom of the hull now, or very close, it is a lot harder to put small pieces in at the keel versus in the "middle". I believe you are painting the hull but it is always good try and do it as right as possible(look who is talking, LOL). It is hard to tell but looks like tapering at the bow should have started sooner, probably third or fourth plank, but that is just for future reference. The famous saying of "letting planks lie naturally" is really hard to grasp sometimes, I know I had a hard time with that and still do. You have to remember, and it's hard, that anything more than the slightest twist is too much and it is then time for a stealer or joggle plank which is more work(this is why I always forget  ).

 Then, if you are like me, this will be all forgotten by the time the next hull is started    

 

Have a Good Day

[Thunder]

So, instead of starting from the whale down and then from the keel up, you would start from the whale down, then from the next line up, then from that line down, then from the next line up, and so on. I think that would even more easily and keep the lay of the planks in a more natural condition. 

 

What do you think?

 

I think what you have described above is more or less the way that a real ship would of been planked. Saying that, I always plank on these lines but it rarely makes it easier.

 

My order of planking is, Wale Positions, Garboard strake, main wale up, I then divide the lower hull into sections with naturally placed planks and plank in sections removing the original 'naturally placed' planks as I go.

 

Divide areas by plank width to get amount of planks needed at widest part. You can then calculate taper of each end of plank. Even better use proportional dividers.

 

Adrian

[rshousha]

Don, 

 

Indeed, you are right about forgetting. Now, we have all these nice blogs to refer to. We just need to remember to look. 

 

I think starting sooner would help. 

 

All that twisting and spleing (spiling???) makes me use the cool travel iron I bought. Why do things easy when you can complicate the hell out of them? 

 

Adrian, 

 

Your explanation is exactly what I am going to do in the second planking. 

 

Spyglass,

 

I went from .14 to .095 inches in the tapering but only started the tapering on the last four planks. I'm pretty sure that's part of the problem. 

 

Gentlemen, 

 

The excitement is building for the second planking.

 

Regards, 

Rick 

[Seventynet]

Rick, far from me a first time builder to give advice, and I don't know how realistic this advice is for your particular build, but the solution to severe twists is to spile. You seem to have mentioned that in your last post but since you did not mention the need to start with wider planks to make spiling possible I am not sure you are doing it. It is really amazing how a plank will fit in 3 dimensions once it has been spiled. Since I am taking the risk of telling you something you don't already know, I will now shut up. But if you do want more information on the technique to use let me know and I can point you to some good sources.

Best, Ian

[rshousha]

Ian, 

 

I did buy the lovely little travel iron with the intention of spiling the planks. Perhaps I'm not doing it right. What I have been doing is bending the planks across the grain. In other words, the plank, before I bend it to conform to the hull, is first made to look like a squashed banana. is that right? 

 

I think the question here is how to get that banana shape right. I'll do one this evening and post it. Then we'll have something to discuss. 

 

I am getting some great help from another builder, Bear, who has been a great help, and has sent a really good explanation of the spiling method, using a larger plank to start. I will have a close look at his notes this evening. 

 

I have to say this is most enlightening. 

 

Plastic is so last year. 

 

Best Regards, 

 

Rick 

[Seventynet]

It sure sounds like you have it in hand. The best article I came across on spiling (which in my case means the simplest) was called "planking the hull - a tutorial". I did quite a bit of spiling on my Victory but ended up using a slightly different kind of wood since the kit doesn't supply wider mansonia planks. So the experience was bittersweet.

 

Best, Ian

Edited July 8, 2016 by Seventynet

[rshousha]

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends.

 

Best Regards, 

Rick 

[Seventynet]

Hi Rick, just wrapping our discussion up, my little investigation on the article can be found here: http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/439-planking-tutorials/page-2#entry366331. Have a good one.

Best, Ian

[rshousha]

Greetings, 

 

Well, the little travel iron I bought to steam the planks sure has done it. I'd say that's one most useful tool. 

 

So, here are the steps I've used: 

 

1-Divide the hull lengthwise

2-Measure the length of the divisions

3-calculate the number of planks that will be needed

4-calculate the width of the planks at each of the vertical lines

5-taper two planks at a time to fit the estimated measurements

5-Spline the planks. OK, this needs a bit of explanation. At first I just curved the planks into a kind of banana shape. That didn't work too well. Then I started noting where the curve had to be along the plank. That was better. Then I realized the plank goes easily one way and not the other. So, that means the plank needs to be bent first where it wants to go not where you want it to go. THEN, you fit the plank to the curve in the hull and then you cut off the ends. 

5-Curve and twist the planks to fit the hull

 

Once you get the method, it's really not so hard. 

 

I did miss dividing the hull into sections to get a more historically accurate shape but, hey, there are still many boats to do!

 

I'm pretty happy with this. 

 

Regards, 

Rick 

Edited November 29, 2015 by rshousha

[S.Coleman]

Well it has come up real nice. Your doing a great job.

[donrobinson]

Look's as though you have the planking all figured out. Nice work

[rshousha]

Greetings, 

 

With the beginning of the next step (installing the wales) and the second planking, it was time to clean up the shipyard. 

 

Now I can see why it could be interesting to get that three-roller plank bender. It sure is hard to get a nice shape from the travel iron I'm using. 

 

Regards, 
 

Rick 

Edited December 2, 2015 by rshousha

[Seventynet]

Nice planking job Rick.

[rshousha]

OK, the next step starts. I've added the black strake and the first layer of the wale. Next, I'm adding the garboard strake and then I'll measure the hull and do all the steps I learned earlier. Since I will be starting with no wrong planks, it should start to look like the drawing of the Cheerful below the Pickle. 

 

And now let's see if the reality looks like the theory. 

 

Cheers, 

 

Rick

Edited December 4, 2015 by rshousha

[rshousha]

Hi Spy,

 

Actually, you have a good eye. I have added one plank above the black strake. That one is in the area that will be painted yellow. The gun port openings need to be adjusted a little to get the dimensions you mentioned. The order was this: first I put the black strake on, then I added the first layer of the wale below that, then I added one strip at the bottom of the gun port template (above the black strake). 

 

There will be two more planks above that one. Those will be cut to fit the gun ports, as well. Once the gun ports are framed (not in the instructions, but I think it might be fun to do) it should look alright. 

 

Cheers,

 

Rick 

[rshousha]

Finally, some forward motion on Pickle. 

 

I've added the garboard strakes. I'm not sure if they were done right, but it's about the best position I could come up with. We'll see how that works out as the second planking progresses. 

 

I added frames around the gun ports. That was tedious. I can only imagine doing this on a hundred-gun ship. I guess imagination will turn to reality one of these days. I can't wait. 

 

I added the wale. 

 

I measured the remaining area between the garboard strake and the wale and it turns out there is space for 17 and a quarter planks in the middle. This would mean I need to taper the planks by 50% at the end, starting with a gently taper about 30% of the way forward. Also, this means there should be one stealer width missing at the stern. 

 

OK, so I'm going to try something fun and risky with the planking. We'll see if this works. I am going to lay a plank in the middle of the hull and work my way up and also down from there. If my calculations are good, there should be almost nothing to fiddle with as I get to the ends. 

 

Thoughts? 

 

And now for some action. 

 

Cheers, 

 

Rick 

Edited December 12, 2015 by rshousha