I have to say it's therapeutic to write down part of my journey over the last few months - let's hope I apply all of this going forward.
Thanks for allowing me to share...
I had chosen the Bluenose as my step up project based on several recommendations that mentioned the relatively simple hull. In that respect, I'd agree its hull is a nice introduction to bulkhead framing and planking without having to cut your teeth with 90 degree bends and complex curves! Still, the model has challenged me in many other ways - some unique to the Bluenose, others common to many models.
Keel rabbeting - This process went pretty smoothly and my bearding line layout proved to be decently accurate when I planked. However, what I thought was a rabbet that was deep enough at the keel later proved to be too shallow in places. Luckily, some minor rabbet clean up and/or plank beveling gave me decent results.
Installing the bulkheads - I left a few joints too tight at glue up and a couple bulkheads were difficult to square - just when I thought they were square, they would drift due to uneven forces. I also admit I relied on my eye a little too much and this bit me on two bulkheads, which I had to remove, clean up and reinstall. I soon switched to ensuring each joint was loose enough to accept glue but firm enough to stay relatively square, plus I used generic lego blocks/small bar clamps to lock them in place. On the bright side, I utilized the tip of gradually brushing the joint with 99% IPA to loosen the glue (lower concentration IPA doesn't work) - this and some patience made removal much easier.
Bulkhead-to-bearding line - Although the plans show otherwise, some bulkheads didn't fit anywhere close to the bearding line - my bearding line was pretty close to plan so not much I can do about that. Other bulkheads overlapped the bearding line and I shaved their sides where needed. I was a bit concerned that the BHs that were far from the line would give me problems during planking but overall, I didn't sense any big issues - though I suppose my hull's curvature might be different than the ideal.
Fairing - I used long homemade sanding blocks to fair much of the hull but did decide to utilize my detail sander to "move things along" (the full size tool, not the mini hobby versions). Overall this was effective and I did check curvature along the way with planks. However, I later discovered I had sanded too deeply here and there and had to glue thin shims to two bulkheads to even things out. Even then, once I reached those points during planking, I still had to adjust relative thickness, even sanding down the shims I earlier installed. Hey, it's a process.
Plank clamping and gluing - For much of the hull, where bulkheads were still exposed, I used the familiar modified binder clip trick to hold the planks in place. Later during the process I came to enjoy using map pins (the ones with the ball heads) to secure them with pretty consistent results (I found the pin diameter of standard push pins to be too large). I rarely needed to push through the planks but instead inserted them on the sides of the planks. In some cases I'd need to push in the pin at an angle, if the plank was on a curve for instance. In most cases, I simply pressed the plank tight next to its neighbor and added a pin on its side. As for gluing, I only used wood glue and quite a lot of it. By this I mean I glued all edges and would generally mop down all joints with a damp brush, rinse the brush, repeat, etc. This method also closed many thin gaps that I might have missed or might later require filler. The down side is I use a lot of glue!
Hull Planking - Overall, I was pretty happy with the results and only the tight complex curves at the stern required some minor rework. I regularly used the water soak/clamp/dry method to shape those curvy planks with overall good results. Some planks required beveling as well. I didn't have any major gaps to fill, thank goodness. As for those joints requiring custom stealers, mine were a mix. In some cases I was able to cut a nice overlapping joint per best practices, in other cases, I chose to cut long, mitered planks, and one or two of those didn't end over a bulkhead. But, I'm happy with the overall result.
Smoothing the hull - For most of the convex surfaces, I used a mini block plane set at a very shallow depth to shave the surfaces, with good results. For the complex curves, I relied on progressive sanding sponges to get it shaped to where it stands today. I'm holding off on finish sanding until I'm ready to prime and paint. Which brings me to a decision rattling around in my head....
What are ya'll's thoughts on the order of painting the hull and finishing/painting the deck? I see pros and cons either way. And I still need to decide whether to paint the waterways....
More soon...
