Chaperon 1884 Stern Wheeler

Fine job on the planking Jan! You mention filler - DON'T! Rather create copious amounts of sawdust from the scrap pieces of wood and mix that with your PVA. Then use this mixture instead of filler where required. When properly dry (24 hours) sand as you would have done. Repeat process where necessary. Then, pull closer the PC and see if you can find Flugger (with an umlaut on the "u") primer (for interior finishes) in the USA. If not, order it. The primer is a Danish product. You will very glad that you did!

As to the deck planking, let's hear what the others say, but categorically, no Sharpie!
 
Pathfinder65 said:
A question for Peter:

Before I fall off the deep end and have to start over.
The start of the deck. First a picture of the deck dry fitted.

View attachment 250783

The deck is in four pieces. The individual planks show up well on two but aren't clearly defined on the other two pieces.

View attachment 250784

Do I use a pencil or a fine point Sharpie to highlight them? Is worth the Herculean effort to punch in and imitate the treenails?
My plan is to stain this deck in Min Wax Light Oak.

Jan
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I would plank the deck with boards.
Never use a sharpie, as the ink will spread into unfinished wood! ;)
 
Thanks guys for the responses. I'll have to put on my thinking cap, make some measurements and order material. I was sort of leaning toward planking as an improvement for the build. I've also ordered some pedestals and a baseboard. ( No fine wood pieces in my stash pile). I'll need those once the hull prep and final paint job is finished.

Jan
 
Heinrich said:
Fine job on the planking Jan! You mention filler - DON'T! Rather create copious amounts of sawdust from the scrap pieces of wood and mix that with your PVA. Then use this mixture instead of filler where required. When properly dry (24 hours) sand as you would have done. Repeat process where necessary. Then, pull closer the PC and see if you can find Flugger (with an umlaut on the "u") primer (for interior finishes) in the USA. If not, order it. The primer is a Danish product. You will very glad that you did!

As to the deck planking, let's hear what the others say, but categorically, no Sharpie!
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Owee Heinrich, that's a lot of sawdust:p:p, I'll give looking for "Flugger" a shot. I use acrylic paint only models, is "Flugger" compatible???

Jan
 
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@Dean62 That is EXACTLY why I said no Sharpie! Thumbsup

@Alexander74 Planking the deck is first prize, Sasha - just like Dean said as well. Thumbsup

@Pathfinder65 "Copious" just means "enough". Looking at your deck, not much will be required. The Flugger I have is water-based. I am not sure whether they have an acrylic primer as well.
 
No formula Jan. I just take a blob of PVA and work the sawdust into that so that the paste has assumed the colour of the sawdust and there are no white parts visible. As far as thickness goes - just so that have a "spreadable" paste. Then just use it like you would have used filler and let it to dry properly (preferably overnight) before you start sanding.
 
Another way to fill all the small spaces:

Place PVA with your finger within the space and sand. The dust will mix and be glued instantly.

If the space is big, and you need to fill a lot follow Heinrich indications.

If the hull will be painted, then use a wood filler that can be sanded. Fill, sand, fill again, sand until perfection. Then primer followed by the paint.

Cheers
Daniel
PS: There is a nice built of the Chaperon at MSW. I have this model on my stock plus 2 AL Mississippi. The vintage and the new version.
 
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Heinrich said:
No formula Jan. I just take a blob of PVA and work the sawdust into that so that the paste has assumed the colour of the sawdust and there are no white parts visible. As far as thickness goes - just so that have a "spreadable" paste. Then just use it like you would have used filler and let it to dry properly (preferably overnight) before you start sanding.
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Excellent, I will definitely give that a try.

Jan
 
Dematosdg said:
Another way to fill all the small spaces:

Place PVA with your finger within the space and sand. The dust will mix and be glued instantly.

If the space is big, and you need to fill a lot follow Heinrich indications.

If the hull will be painted, then use a wood filler that can be sanded. Fill, sand, fill again, sand until perfection. Then primer followed by the paint.

Cheers
Daniel
PS: There is a nice built of the Chaperon at MSW. I have this model on my stock plus 2 AL Mississippi. The vintage and the new version.
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Thanks, I will have to give your method a try. Planking this hull has been a great learning experience, especially the Port and Starboard side bow areas. The flat bottom was a good lesson in cut, fit and bending planks.

I have “Googled” Chaperon builds and did find the ones on MSW. I think I’ve worn out my iMac looking at those over and over.

Jan
 
Planking thickness:


The scribed planking on the main deck appears to be 1/8 of an inch wide. Is 1/32 X 1/8 inch the right dimension for the future planking? What type of wood would be recommended? The reason I ask is all my planking has always been included the kits I’ve build, I never had to give it ant thought. :D

Jan
 
I'm curious Jan. Are you going to lay down decking over the scribed piece or start over with new decking (discarding the scribed piece)? The answer to that might inform the issue of thickness (and, yes, I do know you are asking about width in your recent post).
 
Jan those plank measurements are PERFECT! Thumbs-Up 1/8 of an inch equates to 3.175mm - on the Haarlem the width of the Kolderstok-supplied deck planking was 3mm. 1/32 of an inch equates to a thickness of 0.793mm. On the Haarlem the planks were 0.7mm thick. So more spot-on that, you can't find. It is certainly more than suitable.! Okay
 
Colleagues, we give examples of the size of a deck board for ships. Pathfinder 65 assembles a paddle steamer for the river. I'm not sure, but maybe the size of the deck board was different for this type of vessel. I don't have an answer to this question yet. I'll try to ask our colleagues in Russia.
 
As to the type of wood, beech or maple are normally popular for decks, but I'm sure you will get some other recommendations as well.
 
Wow, thanks for all the responses. To answer Pauls question the deck pieces supplied in the kit have the planks "inscribed" (I don't know if that is the proper term).

E4D692B7-AEEA-453E-B179-654C8DBF05F0_1_201_a.jpeg

I can feel a very slight indentation when I run the tip of a #11 blade across the "groove". But if you notice the two pieces the picture above , on the bottom one the "grooves" stand out, but the top one I would have to use a blade tip to scribe them a bit deeper and then somehow make them stand out. The two pieces supplied for the stern portion of the deck have similar problems. Hence all the questions on working with the existing as best as I can or make a decent fix.

I'm in the process of cutting out and assembling all the pieces that comprise the "structures" on this deck, ie. the stairwell to the next deck, the boiler and the aft structure. The theory is to test fit those into the area those pieces will occupy on the deck since that area would not need to be planked.

The thickness of the plank question is the result of looking at the plans and trying to figure out if the deck is raised by the new planking will that affect the rest of build since this is deck is the foundation so to speak.

Ah, questions, questions.

Jan
 
Heinrich said:
Jan those plank measurements are PERFECT! Thumbs-Up 1/8 of an inch equates to 3.175mm - on the Haarlem the width of the Kolderstok-supplied deck planking was 3mm. 1/32 of an inch equates to a thickness of 0.793mm. On the Haarlem the planks were 0.7mm thick. So more spot-on that, you can't find. It is certainly more than suitable.! Okay
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I think you're right. Now I'll have work on sources. My normal go to Hobby dealer closed his doors in April, so now it's internet shopping time. I can get Boxwood or Mahogany from a dealer upstate, but not until late September maybe (:(). Oh well will soldier on.

BTW: We have been waiting almost six months for a delivery of lumber to finish the overhaul of our back deck. A while back I remarked to the Admiral that "prices seem to be going up, the quantity and quality of the product seems to be less and the delivery is questionable". :confused:

Jan
 
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