First Build Glue Help Please

[Spumoni]

Wood Glue works well on the majority of the build.

While planking (bending wood pieces) I am struggling. I don't have the right glue, I tried super glue, but it is holding well....

I would appreciate any suggestions.

Thank You

John Baccarella

 

[Corsair]

Hi John, the topic of planking comes up often in these forums. The first thing you need to do is cut it to the shape you need, then to shape the plank or pre-bend it so it has the shape it needs before you try to attach it to the model. The pre-bending is what gets most people. There are many different ways to do it and I’m sure some others will pipe in here. They will all work. . What I do is to clamp a pencil style soldering iron into a small vice, soak the plank in plain water for a couple of minutes. Then, with the iron hot and the wood wet, bend the desired shape into the wood over the iron. You want to make sure to always have the wood wet. Just hold the wood onto the iron and apply pressure to shape the wood while you move it back and forth across the hot iron.

 

[Kurt Konrath]

CA or Super Glue will work but sometimes I have used "Accelerator" to make it set fast.

It has some drawbacks as it will seal wood surface is smeared on top and prevent wood from taking finishes when applied later.

Some use PVA "white glue" or other wood glues like Titebond brand glue.

Key is to pre-shape as said by Corsair, and clamp or pin down with nails to temp hold in place to the glue of choice dries and takes hold.

Do a search on planking or plank glue and see what comes up in the forum, as this has been discussed many times.

You can also look in the general help section on the multiple threads on planking and glues.

 

[Namabiiru]

I use plain white PVA glue for hull planking, and it works just fine. You can use a clothes iron or soldering iron (with a temperature controller) to heat the plank in situ just enough to accelerate curing of the glue

 

[AllanKP69]

The first thing you need to do is cut it to the shape you need, then to shape the plank or pre-bend it so it has the shape it needs before you try to attach it to the model.

John,
What Jeff wrote is extremely important. If you do this, and it does take some study and practice, yellow PVA/carpenter's glue works perfectly. When a plank is pre-shaped, including tapering the breadth, edge bending and broad bending before it is placed on the hull,, PVA and finger pressure for less than a minute works.
Allan

 

[Quint]

John, I have been using Titebond (original and II) for 30 years. Found CA Glue difficult to use for planking. Key as others have mentioned is the "fit "of the planking. It may take some extra effort to get it correct, especially the first few rows. But, as you add more planks, the fit should align better.
I have also found a good supply of various size clamps and straight pins are essential "tools" when planking. Also, "Patience is a virtue", the glue needs time to cure.
What are you working on?

 

[Bobby K.]

Hi John, like everyone says a well form plake fits like a glove and takes little presser to stick on with wood glue. A little heat a little water you can make them fit nicely. I keep trying to do it this way lol.
Bobby K.

 

[Jeffrey Modell]

1) Wood glue for bulkheads, Elmer's white glue for planks.
2) Soak plank in hot water, bend with fingers until malleable, pin onto actual spot on bulkheads (rough trim if needed first) and let dry in place, 1 plank per side and 2 at most. Pull it off when dry, finish trimming, then use Elmer's white glue to place it. Again, do one plank per side and that's it until both dry. Here are the clamps I like: https://www.amazon.com/All-Metal-Sh...efix=model+ship+planking+clamps,aps,93&sr=8-1

 

[JBB]

1) Wood glue for bulkheads, Elmer's white glue for planks.
2) Soak plank in hot water, bend with fingers until malleable, pin onto actual spot on bulkheads (rough trim if needed first) and let dry in place, 1 plank per side and 2 at most. Pull it off when dry, finish trimming, then use Elmer's white glue to place it. Again, do one plank per side and that's it until both dry. Here are the clamps I like: https://www.amazon.com/All-Metal-Ship-Model-Planking-Clamps/dp/B0B2BLBKD8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MYSHXBJM7D36&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7C6ygGm_fPnFDQlJ8NbM6g5p1-hBEBsu_B8MY2Ae_z4VphEJFXMG48Gvznis3hLWWbCfthg7RPSWYzYBzBUwX53yrEzbSu1cCResUGiNTMd0SLeOVA43VHYh_UPX-GMDzus64F-Nfn3znei0DseNb2SLXuXZrxopow2FTVjpoKhsVF9fCrDz56va3lIiAeTWBahF5ryx1aHZmxx9aZQp7u4AF2adA7mslwo_1QIvlqFSpN-4V2p1BbSjk7B1UKWPjL90UEHnOVrdPaV0KagNg0Xkqwnck0Te542ehMUfjDKtoPxJ5R5e2-rFD7B6ZmBfQWQE5eX1cvvmEj8EOTdgrhSnhzLqeXO97tkHa8H56pizgE5AL5mu_qk9NuXEgbVytkzv10SeO2y1ioJpyK9sYwC7hSoxeDtG2dMAWcfoMudp1tAFs8Lbk8JVpryb9Rf1.7Zg7S1TVM522R-n5_gKDLEl-lUG1ZaAyvJYEcVebGWE&dib_tag=se&keywords=model+ship+planking+clamps&qid=1743253675&sprefix=model+ship+planking+clamps,aps,93&sr=8-1

This is the best way I have found only you don't need to soak the plank just wet it. Clamps are ok but expensive.

 

[GuyH]

1) Wood glue for bulkheads, Elmer's white glue for planks.
2) Soak plank in hot water, bend with fingers until malleable, pin onto actual spot on bulkheads (rough trim if needed first) and let dry in place, 1 plank per side and 2 at most. Pull it off when dry, finish trimming, then use Elmer's white glue to place it. Again, do one plank per side and that's it until both dry. Here are the clamps I like: https://www.amazon.com/All-Metal-Ship-Model-Planking-Clamps/dp/B0B2BLBKD8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MYSHXBJM7D36&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7C6ygGm_fPnFDQlJ8NbM6g5p1-hBEBsu_B8MY2Ae_z4VphEJFXMG48Gvznis3hLWWbCfthg7RPSWYzYBzBUwX53yrEzbSu1cCResUGiNTMd0SLeOVA43VHYh_UPX-GMDzus64F-Nfn3znei0DseNb2SLXuXZrxopow2FTVjpoKhsVF9fCrDz56va3lIiAeTWBahF5ryx1aHZmxx9aZQp7u4AF2adA7mslwo_1QIvlqFSpN-4V2p1BbSjk7B1UKWPjL90UEHnOVrdPaV0KagNg0Xkqwnck0Te542ehMUfjDKtoPxJ5R5e2-rFD7B6ZmBfQWQE5eX1cvvmEj8EOTdgrhSnhzLqeXO97tkHa8H56pizgE5AL5mu_qk9NuXEgbVytkzv10SeO2y1ioJpyK9sYwC7hSoxeDtG2dMAWcfoMudp1tAFs8Lbk8JVpryb9Rf1.7Zg7S1TVM522R-n5_gKDLEl-lUG1ZaAyvJYEcVebGWE&dib_tag=se&keywords=model+ship+planking+clamps&qid=1743253675&sprefix=model+ship+planking+clamps,aps,93&sr=8-1

I use the same method as you, Jeffrey. I tried gluing as soon as the plank was shaped, but when it dried out it left gaps due to shrinking. I saw that Olha Batchverov uses a hair dryer or something to quickly dry the steamed or soaked plank and also uses it to make the white glue set quickly so she can start on the next plank. I have not tried that method myself.

 

[Canuck 2]

Wood Glue works well on the majority of the build.

While planking (bending wood pieces) I am struggling. I don't have the right glue, I tried super glue, but it is holding well....

I would appreciate any suggestions.

Thank You

John Baccarella

Hi John : I am currently building my ship( Candelaria) I have completed decking and 2 layers of hull planking. I am using a CA glue. The planks were soaked and pre cut. I also used a heating tool to quickly set the CA glue on the part,In some cases I used nails and clamps for positioning planks. Seemed to work well.
Ew Canada

 

[Thomas]

I use PVA glue whenever possible--even diluted with water to secure rigging.

A challenge is that it takes longer to set than CA, but you can use nails or clamps to hold planks in place while the glue dries.

I got these clamps from Model Expo and they come in very handy:

 

[Corporal Smith]

There's a way to make woodglues such as Titebond grab instantly. It's too complicated to explain here but here's a LINK to where I describe my discovery of the method. I hope it helps.

 

[Bob Cleek]

Once you learn to shape and hang planks properly, you'll never buy a kit with a double-planked hull again. If you do it correctly, there's no point at all in doing it twice! And when you learn to scratch-build, unless you are building a dockyard style exposed frame hull, there's no point in planking at all. Just build a solid hull using the "bread and butter" lift method.

 

[tball4217]

Also dont be afraid to cut planks short as you want. Nothing less fun then trying to fit a single plank along the entire hull with two hands... but cut that plank into wee tiny sections, it gets easier.

 

[Rob444]

This is the best way I have found only you don't need to soak the plank just wet it. Clamps are ok but expensive.

You can modify binder clips and clothes pins to make inexpensive and effective clamps. You can get many dirt cheap clamps at Harbor Freight. Don't forget rubber bands!

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Rob

 

[Bob Cleek]

Also dont be afraid to cut planks short as you want. Nothing less fun then trying to fit a single plank along the entire hull with two hands... but cut that plank into wee tiny sections, it gets easier.

I'm always surprised by how many out of scale planks I see. Modelers who are obsessed with planking a hull and finishing it bright "to show the planking" often pay little regard to the dimensions of their scale planking. Planking without any regard for scale width or length is commonly seen. While plank width may be uniform, planks longer than 25 or 30 feet long aren't commonly seen in the real world. Beyond the limitations of tree size, there are the limitations in milling, handling, transporting, and hanging long, heavy planks. Just because the kit provides 24" long strips for planking a 1:96 model doesn't mean the prototype had 192-foot-long planks!

 

[Corporal Smith]

out of scale planks

And if they aren’t going to be painted, the grain changes across the shorter plank joins on the hull are as interesting as those on the decks (where scale length planking is more commonly seen).

 

[Bob Cleek]

And if they aren’t going to be painted, the grain changes across the shorter plank joins on the hull are as interesting as those on the decks (where scale length planking is more commonly seen).

Just so long as the plank butts follow the historically accurate butting schedule!

 

[Corporal Smith]

the historically accurate butting schedule

Or a reasonable facsimile of. Good enough is good enough for me.