Oh, I see now. Well, I certainly am familiar with temporary frustrations and setbacks in this hobby. I shall watch the master do his coarse correction.
HIGH HOPES, WILD MEN AND THE DEVIL’S JAW - Willem Barentsz Kolderstok 1:50
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Thank you for the vote of confidence, Daniel!
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Ron, I really like that analogy of the charcoal and diamond. 
When I look at the Port Side which looks so good, then I can really kick myself for messing up on the other side. I am by no means a master, but I will try my best - and if that means re-do, then re-do it is!
When I look at the Port Side which looks so good, then I can really kick myself for messing up on the other side. I am by no means a master, but I will try my best - and if that means re-do, then re-do it is!
Hmm, a Mr. Murphy moment. But just a note to add to your build experience notebook. “ Do overs” are part of our build learning portfolio. So, enjoy your outing (freezing rain here all day), regroup, collect your thoughts and use your skills to solve this minor setback.
Jan
BTW my favorite is the meat lovers thick crust Pizza.
Jan
BTW my favorite is the meat lovers thick crust Pizza.
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Murphy indeed Jan. I think part of the problem was the old case of not being able to see the forest before the trees.
Heinrich, this is a minor problem and you will solve it in a blink of an eye as soon as the wood is dry. I use a product that has some solvents to soft the PVA and CA glues ( I do a lot of mistakes ). The good part is that evaporate very fast.
About POB builts, I am thinking that on my next POB built will return to the past. I used to fill the space between the bulkheads with balsa. That provided a very nice shape/view of the full contour of the hull as well as more support for the planks.
I did one model using a paper technique I read more that 30 years ago. After a first fast sanding of the bulkheads, I covered the hull with paper soaked on diluted PVA. After drying I added more layers and shaped each layer by hand. They are really thin paper layers. In 2 days I had a perfectly shaped hull and I did the second planking with Walnut strips over it. In that way I avoided the first planking. I was in a hurry to finish the model for a local modelers show. I saved many days of first planking job
. Ended Perfectly !!!! Daniel
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Dear Daniel - you are absolutely correct in suggesting the balsa filler blocks between the bulkheads. Ideally that is how all POB models should be planked. That is what I did with the sampan and it came out beautifully. For some or other reason - and to tell you the truth - I am not exactly sure for which reason, I thought it would not be necessary on this hull. I was very wrong. There are of course various Dutch modelers who have built the ship without the blocks and I suppose I decided to follow suit. If I had used the filler blocks, it would have been much easier to see that the starboard side had too bulbous a shape.Heinrich, this is a minor problem and you will solve it in a blink of an eye as soon as the wood is dry. I use a product that has some solvents to soft the PVA and CA glues ( I do a lot of mistakes ). The good part is that evaporate very fast.
About POB builts, I am thinking that on my next POB built will return to the past. I used to fill the space between the bulkheads with balsa. That provided a very nice shape/view of the full contour of the hull as well as more support for the planks.
I did one model using a paper technique I read more that 30 years ago. After a first fast sanding of the bulkheads, I covered the hull with paper soaked on diluted PVA. After drying I added more layers and shaped each layer by hand. They are really thin paper layers. In 2 days I had a perfectly shaped hull and I did the second planking with Walnut strips over it. In that way I avoided the first planking. I was in a hurry to finish the model for a local modelers show. I saved many days of first planking job
Daniel
It is very interesting to learn about the paper-layer technique you have used. That is a first for me - your junk looks splendid and in tip-top seaworthy shape after 30 years. Well done!
@Heinrich you set a great example. You caught your own mistake. Then you admitted it and owned it. Next you devised a plan to correct it. Currently you are following that plan. Truly inspiring for a newbie like me!
Moving forward when you look at this ship, you will note how nice her curves are particularly at this part of the hull. This one will be a little extra special to you because of this.
I'm sorry for your setback but grateful that you shared it. Thank you!
Glenn
Moving forward when you look at this ship, you will note how nice her curves are particularly at this part of the hull. This one will be a little extra special to you because of this.
I'm sorry for your setback but grateful that you shared it. Thank you!
Glenn
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Hi Glenn. That is such a wonderful posting - thank you very much for that. My whole purpose with this build log is to show a "real" build and by that I mean not only posting all the carefully selected, "best" pictures. I always tell my students, "You cannot develop unless you are prepared to "lose face" (to make mistakes). Mistakes can happen to everyone, the real challenge is how we deal with them." So - if I preach that, I have to practice it too!
I agree with Glenn, and I also know that you will bounce back with a better result. Right now you are frustrated with a set back. But once she is done, and you know how good she looks, you will feel much better. And this bump in the road will be behind you! 
For us as builders 'who want to do it right', the decisive factor in this situation is: step back and recover.This is not an easy to post to make - in fact, it is probably one of the most difficult posts I have had to make in a long time.
Just yesterday, I did a motivational posting in @JDS73 Dirk's build log on how we sometimes have to take a step backwards to fix something that is not right or that we are not happy with. I also outlined my goals with regards to my planking earlier to @Dean62 Dean.
Well, just today (poetic justice or something) I faced this exact same situation. This morning, I posted a picture of my hull on the starboard side with 4 push pins holding down the last plank that I had laid , saying an "adjustment" was in progress. That "adjustment" however, proved to be symptomatic of a much bigger problem.
My goal for the day was to lay down the last two planks (one on either side) that would see the transom fully planked.
View attachment 277343
This was successfully done on the Port Side. This picture showing the latest status of the hull shows the last plank that was laid down (red arrow) today. You will also notice that I had to install this plank in two parts (the yellow arrow indicates where the rear section of the plank ends). This was necessitated by the fact that the curvature was too much for one strake. This is not an ideal situation, but as long as it is neatly done, I can live with it.
But when I started the same procedure on the starboard side, the penny dropped. Try as I might and calling on everything I have learned, I just could not get that plank to fit properly. And the problem???
View attachment 277345
Bulkhead #6 which was not faired nearly enough. You will remember that I mentioned earlier that Bulkhead #6 is the widest point of the hull and is a potential danger - and so it proved to be. While planking around that curve, everything was still fine, but as the soon as the planks started sloping downwards and inwards, the problem reared its head.
What to do? STRIP or as we say in Dutch, SLOOP!!!
So in one day, the hull went from this in the morning:
View attachment 277347
To this now:
View attachment 277348
Obviously the starboard side is now soaking wet as I loosened the glue with very hot water, so there is no further work possible today.
So there you have it - the frustrations and bad days of model building. Tomorrow morning I am meeting one of my ex-colleagues in Starbucks for coffee and after that we will go to Pizza Hut for lunch - so it will be a real Western morning in China.
Especially if you know that you ALWAYS keep looking at it yourself.
But: Respect for your decision.
As often I try to translate that into music, which can offer a nice distraction and reflection.
And because you have no YouTube, just the quote:
Bon appetite with the pizza, then a cup of coffe and at home a good wiskhy. This will strengthen at the start of the 'restoration during new construction'. Welcome to that club, Heinrich. I'm already a member of it.
Regards, Peter
Hi Heinrich,
A simple methode to check the fairing is to take just one strip of wood and check the run along the frames at all positions along the frames. This ensures you that your final planking wil also nicely follow your frames and you don't get any dents or bumps in your hull. With this methode filler blocks are not needed.
A simple methode to check the fairing is to take just one strip of wood and check the run along the frames at all positions along the frames. This ensures you that your final planking wil also nicely follow your frames and you don't get any dents or bumps in your hull. With this methode filler blocks are not needed.
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Thank you very much for the kind words Dean! I think this hull has just taught me another aspect to fairing which I will share with you guys a little bit later. Now it's off to that pizza - however I always try to respond first to all these wonderful messages of support!I agree with Glenn, and I also know that you will bounce back with a better result. Right now you are frustrated with a set back. But once she is done, and you know how good she looks, you will feel much better. And this bump in the road will be behind you!
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Oh boy - that is brilliant. Yesterday taught me in no uncertain terms that I was the "bug". You are so right Peter - just when you think that you are on top of something, this hobby comes with a new curveball.
As to the whiskey - I do not drink at all, but I will have a second cup of Nescafe Gold!
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Hello Maarten. The thing is - I did just that and it was perfect. However there is something else that needs to be considered. Please excuse my rudimentary sketch.
When you view the hull from the side (as in the pics I have posted) the planks look they follow the black curve. However, when you turn the ship on its side, the planks need to be applied in a curvature as indicated by the red line. This is obviously because of the very marked curvature of the hull - not only vertically, but also horizontally. Now when we fair bulkheads, we do that in a relatively straight line from bow to stern as is indicated by the green block. But because of the curvature of this hull, the plank is hitting the bulkheads at different sections which fall OUTSIDE the fairing line. So this hull should not be faired in a straight line, but in a line that will follow the curvature (zeeg) of the hull. Lesson learnt!
I was taught, from a book, to fair the hull in a sweeping motion… where you go across a couple of frames at a time, and start at the keel and roll around the frames towards the deck. So I never fair from bow to stern, but from keel to the deck. I also use sandpaper around a dowel for the smaller inside radii on the frames, if there are any. Anyway, I’m not sure what technique you use, but the aforementioned technique seems to work well for me. This also prevents you from splintering plywood frames.
I then check the frames by placing a plank on them and bend it around and then start moving across the frames in the same direction, from keel to deck. Watching closely to see if there are any areas that need attention. Definitely a time consuming process!
Also I should mention I never use sandpaper any coarser than 150 grit. I would rather take longer, and be sure I don’t take too much off! Once again, I’m no expert, that’s just how I learned to do it.
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Hi Dean. Thank you for the reply and the advice. I have carefully noted all of it. I don't think the way we fair a hull played too much a part in this case . I think it has more to do with how we check our fairing.
I do exactly the same check by placing the plank around the frames and moving it up and down the hull from keel to deck and vice versa. But the problem is this. When we do this, we keep the plank in a straight line like the drawing below. So we are always at the same curvature point of a frame when we check.
But look at the next drawing.
The red line indicates the real plank in its correct position on the hull. The blue bar indicates our checking plank. So it doesn't matter where on the hull the checking plank is - if we move it in a RELATIVELY straight line, there will be a large portion of the real plank that will always be out the area covered by our checking line. And the worst part is that some of those areas that fall out of our checking area may be at different curvature points of the frame i.e. the frame might be narrower or wider at those points.
I trust this explains better what I was hurriedly trying to say earlier.
I do exactly the same check by placing the plank around the frames and moving it up and down the hull from keel to deck and vice versa. But the problem is this. When we do this, we keep the plank in a straight line like the drawing below. So we are always at the same curvature point of a frame when we check.
But look at the next drawing.
The red line indicates the real plank in its correct position on the hull. The blue bar indicates our checking plank. So it doesn't matter where on the hull the checking plank is - if we move it in a RELATIVELY straight line, there will be a large portion of the real plank that will always be out the area covered by our checking line. And the worst part is that some of those areas that fall out of our checking area may be at different curvature points of the frame i.e. the frame might be narrower or wider at those points.
I trust this explains better what I was hurriedly trying to say earlier.
Stunning Heinrich , you are a brilliant modeller and a pleasure to watch your progress! Let me finish by saying a Merry Christmas and all the best for the coming yearThis is not an easy to post to make - in fact, it is probably one of the most difficult posts I have had to make in a long time.
Just yesterday, I did a motivational posting in @JDS73 Dirk's build log on how we sometimes have to take a step backwards to fix something that is not right or that we are not happy with. I also outlined my goals with regards to my planking earlier to @Dean62 Dean.
Well, just today (poetic justice or something
My goal for the day was to lay down the last two planks (one on either side) that would see the transom fully planked.
View attachment 277343
This was successfully done on the Port Side. This picture showing the latest status of the hull shows the last plank that was laid down (red arrow) today. You will also notice that I had to install this plank in two parts (the yellow arrow indicates where the rear section of the plank ends). This was necessitated by the fact that the curvature was too much for one strake. This is not an ideal situation, but as long as it is neatly done, I can live with it.
But when I started the same procedure on the starboard side, the penny dropped. Try as I might and calling on everything I have learned, I just could not get that plank to fit properly. And the problem???
View attachment 277345
Bulkhead #6 which was not faired nearly enough. You will remember that I mentioned earlier that Bulkhead #6 is the widest point of the hull and is a potential danger - and so it proved to be. While planking around that curve, everything was still fine, but as the soon as the planks started sloping downwards and inwards, the problem reared its head.
What to do? STRIP or as we say in Dutch, SLOOP!!!
So in one day, the hull went from this in the morning:
View attachment 277347
To this now:
View attachment 277348
Obviously the starboard side is now soaking wet as I loosened the glue with very hot water, so there is no further work possible today.
So there you have it - the frustrations and bad days of model building. Tomorrow morning I am meeting one of my ex-colleagues in Starbucks for coffee and after that we will go to Pizza Hut for lunch - so it will be a real Western morning in China.
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Thank you so much for those very kind and humbling words Rob!
I wish you and your family also a very blessed Christmas and healthy New Year.