Cutting gunports

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Jan 20, 2021
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I am currently building the wooden ship CSS Alabama. I am to the point where I need to cut gun ports into the hull and was wondering if there were any suggestions on how to accurately and neatly cut the ports? Thanks in advance for any help.
 
I am currently building the wooden ship CSS Alabama. I am to the point where I need to cut gun ports into the hull and was wondering if there were any suggestions on how to accurately and neatly cut the ports? Thanks in advance for any help.
maybe best is, when you show the actual status of your hull with one or two photos - so we can get a better view of the status in order to make best suggestions
 
After first planking, transfer the gunport locations from the plans using a waterline marker, flexible rulers, or a template derived from the plans or sometimes supplied by the kit maker. After gunports are drawn on in pencil and run out fair and look good to your eye ( eyeballing from stem to stern and every which way so they run fair) using a small (1/16” or thereabouts) drill bit and drill around the inside perimeter of the gunport outline- leave yourself at least 1/16” ( or thereabouts :) ) shy of the line and then “connect the dots” cutting the rest out with a small razor saw or a Olfa brand micro saw or Micro Mark sells some sawblades that look like a #11 x-acto blade. Thenuse a good Swiss needle file or diamond or permagrit file to sneak up on the final gunport lines. On your second planking you cut the planks to match the gunports before laying them. Hope that helps....
 
After first planking, transfer the gunport locations from the plans using a waterline marker, flexible rulers, or a template derived from the plans or sometimes supplied by the kit maker. After gunports are drawn on in pencil and run out fair and look good to your eye ( eyeballing from stem to stern and every which way so they run fair) using a small (1/16” or thereabouts) drill bit and drill around the inside perimeter of the gunport outline- leave yourself at least 1/16” ( or thereabouts :) ) shy of the line and then “connect the dots” cutting the rest out with a small razor saw or a Olfa brand micro saw or Micro Mark sells some sawblades that look like a #11 x-acto blade. Thenuse a good Swiss needle file or diamond or permagrit file to sneak up on the final gunport lines. On your second planking you cut the planks to match the gunports before laying them. Hope that helps....
Couldn't agree more with Lou's approach. The only things I might add is to also make a tentative/approximate mark of where the gun will be on the first layer of planking as you apply it (you will be able to tell because you can still see the blocks). That will give you a good guide of where the ports will go and you can draw a line along the dots to see the fair run and make any adjustments. Always cut the port smaller than it needs to be so you can make adjustments as you file it square.

Lastly, if you haven't already drilled the holes for the guns (assuming your kit has guns with pegs fitting into blocks) in the blocks its a good idea to do it when you've finished the first layer of planking. You will know they are in the right position and won't risk damaging the second layer of planking with the drill. Don't ask me how I know that.
 
Wow!!!!! Thanks very much for the feedback. With the nice weather we have been having in PA, my model building has been cut short for outside work but these suggestions will help me a lot when I can get back to it. By the way, my model is a Bluejacket kit that does not have a second planking. Thanks again for the help.
 
I am currently building the wooden ship CSS Alabama. I am to the point where I need to cut gun ports into the hull and was wondering if there were any suggestions on how to accurately and neatly cut the ports? Thanks in advance for any help.
Hallo @iceman47
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