Every day's a school day as they say. I read the post about the clamp/press and thought 'why didn't I think of that'. I will definitely do this next time
Hello PeterAfter reviewing my previous post, I realised that there may be some confusion in the naming of decks aboard Victory. As a First Rate ship, the most powerful type of ship of her day was fitted with three gun decks mounting 100 guns. Below this there were two lower decks which include the lowest in the ship, nearest the keel, being the Hold where stores, munitions and ballast was kept. Above this was the Orlop Deck which housed magazines, cables, Gun Room and other services (see below).
View attachment 416819 (after Longridge, 1977)
Above the Orlop Deck are the three Gun Decks with larger to smaller cannon armaments as you go up. The names of these decks differs with the various authors writing in their descriptions. For example, McKay (The 100-Gun Ship Victory), and McGowan (HMS Victory, Her Construction, Career and Restoration), describe the above decks as Lower, Middle and Upper Decks. Longridge (1977, The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships), however refers to the decks as the Gun Deck, Middle and Upper Decks (although even Longridge, in his Figure 18, refers to the lowest gun deck as the Lower or Gun Deck. Above these of course is the Quarter Deck and above and to the stern is the Poop Deck. This variation of deck names is a source of some confusion as some authors of Build Logs use the Gun Deck reference, but here, and as compliant with the Caldercraft kit, I will be referring to the gun decks as Lower, Middle and Upper decks.
Moving on to the first planking. I have placed the first two planks directly butted up to the Lower Deck pattern plywood, and with some water soaking (about 10 minutes), and then the hot iron with the timber 'shaping form', (the same as Paulv1958), I have found that the front 10-15cm of a plank bend extremely well and form a good fit to the forward bulkheads. Progressive pinning from fore to aft shapes the planks easily and at this stage there is no requirement for shaping the planks. after 6-8 however, shaping will be required.
In the picture below, the first plank has been shown with the bulkhead pins in place. Removal after the glue dries is a simple pull out with pliers.
View attachment 416816
Below is another picture of the second plank added beneath the first. I have opted to cut and butt fit planks along mid-section bulkheads. These joins have not been scarfed but are simple end-butt joins, because there is another planking phase to cover the joints and it is fast and simple to join the planks without having to soak the forward section as well as the aft stern bends which although tight, would be difficult to do while also managing the forward bending.
View attachment 416817
To align the edges of each plank strip, I have used paper clips and this at this stage seems adequate for the task.
The Limewood timber supplied for the first planking is of excellent quality, straight and consistent in grain in the Caldercraft kit and I am pleased to be using it. It bends well and appears to follow a good bend when soaked in water for about 10 minutes. With the commencement of the hull planking underway, it will be just a long process to get the whole hull planked. I like to take my time and with care for this planking. Ultimately, the overall hull shape is formed by the first planking and this needs to be done slowly and correctly. If it takes a couple of weeks before sanding, well so be it. This will occupy my next few posts I expect.
Best Regards,
PeterG
Estimated Time: 165 hours
Very nice first planking job Peter. This signals a very high quality build.Well, as they say in the classics - " I'm baaaaack......". Returned from travels in Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe then a ship cruise to Western Australia before returning home in the southeast. A great holiday, but now back to the Victory.
Since returning, I have completed the first planking (as below). I have used a number of spoilers towards the stern and a couple at the bow, but overall I am pleased with how it has turned out. Considerable sanding with course and then finer paper has produced a good uniform planked finish. The kit's limewood provides an excellent wood medium as it relatively pliable, strong and soft enough to shape with judicious sanding where a joint or seam may be fractionally proud. I have NOT used any filler with the planks and have achieved a good base for the second planking when it comes time. It is a testament to the quality of this Caldercraft kit that it has gone so well. Note in every plank over every bulkhead, after shaping and gluing, sometimes with some soaking/bending, I have used a small drill and small brass nail to secure the plank. Leaving the brass nail head proud allowed each bulkhead crossing to have the nail removed easily after the glue had dried and secured the plank.
View attachment 435207
You can see in the photo below, the tight plank folding after the last bulkhead to shape the stern. These planks had to be soaked and heated into position before nailing and holding with clamps (where I could). Note too, that after this first planking, the rear central spine of the keel (where the sternpost will be positioned, had to be smoothed and sanded back to only 3mm in thickness. The sternpost walnut is 5mm and with the second planking, having a 1mm thickness, will bring the plank ends to abut the sternpost at 5mm final thickness.
View attachment 435208
After the completion of the first planking and the sanding etc, the next task is to add the stern galleries which I will post next.
Best Regards,
PeterG
Estimated Elapsed Time = 235 hours