I love your attention to detail! Magic Mike
I've finished the 2nd layer of planking. It looks ok, let's just say I'm glad I'm painting the hull. I'm sure I'll get better with experience, but my hull doesn't look as smooth as I'd like. I filled in some of the gaps between some of the planks with some very diluted wood putty. Again, I'm ok with this look as I'm going to paint it.
As you can see from the last pic, I needed to clean out the bow where the false keel will be mounted. I went as far with the planks as I could intending to cut out a groove for the false keel later. I didn't want to cut the planks to the length they needed to be and risk them being short, leaving a big gap. I used my Dremel to cut the groove and it fits pretty snuggly.
Next step is to sand the hull and the groove for the false keel before I attach it. Then prep it for painting.
As you can see from the last pic, I needed to clean out the bow where the false keel will be mounted. I went as far with the planks as I could intending to cut out a groove for the false keel later. I didn't want to cut the planks to the length they needed to be and risk them being short, leaving a big gap. I used my Dremel to cut the groove and it fits pretty snuggly.
Next step is to sand the hull and the groove for the false keel before I attach it. Then prep it for painting.
Not quite ready to paint the hull, although I bought the paint today. Looking a few steps ahead, I decided to attach the planks (not sure what they're called) and paint them when I paint the hull. They're supposed to be white, so I'll paint them white after I paint the hull black. I wanted to glue them wood to wood. I also had to use CA. I've trying to do everything without CA, but some things you just can't do with PVA and clamps.
At the stern, I was supposed to bend these planks around the stern in one piece. But this is as much as I could bend them without breaking them, after several attempts. I tried hot water and an iron, but just couldn't get them bent any more.
And no, you can never have too many clamps and rubber bands.
While waiting for the glue to dry, I started darkening some of the deck parts. I used brass blackening on the brass parts and gun blue on the other pieces that I think are lead.
I tested it first on the propeller because I'm going to buy an after market 2-blade instead. Worked pretty good.
But for some reason the brass black didn't take on the ladder pieces even after washing them in denatured alcohol. I guess I'll have to paint them. I was hoping to use the gun metal blackening and brass blackening on as much as I could.
At the stern, I was supposed to bend these planks around the stern in one piece. But this is as much as I could bend them without breaking them, after several attempts. I tried hot water and an iron, but just couldn't get them bent any more.
And no, you can never have too many clamps and rubber bands.
While waiting for the glue to dry, I started darkening some of the deck parts. I used brass blackening on the brass parts and gun blue on the other pieces that I think are lead.
I tested it first on the propeller because I'm going to buy an after market 2-blade instead. Worked pretty good.
But for some reason the brass black didn't take on the ladder pieces even after washing them in denatured alcohol. I guess I'll have to paint them. I was hoping to use the gun metal blackening and brass blackening on as much as I could.
Looking good from here .
Some of the brass parts that I cut from the sheet needed to be lightly sanded to remove the coating that was preventing the brass-black from taking. That included the stanchions which I eventually discarded in favour of more substantial ones I bought elsewhere.
Perhaps use a corner of the brass sheet to try it out and see how much (or little) sanding it needs.
Hope this helps.