Hello Uwe, I like the plain toothpick as well, bear in mind, if you will decide to oil the deck, it will actually emphasize the caulking effect (it will darken the around the hole). 
LE COUREUR - french Lugger 1776 - POF kit from CAF in 1:48 by Uwe
This I checked also already but did not make a photo right now.Hello Uwe, I like the plain toothpick as well, bear in mind, if you will decide to oil the deck, it will actually emphasize the caulking effect (it will darken the around the hole).
The treenails are getting slightly darker with oiling, but not because of the oiling effect.
The grain of the toothpicks are in 90° compared to the grain of the planks - so we see the face side or front end of the timber (of the toothpicks).
Timber is loosing f.e. the humidity mainly via this area, so it is also soaking all fluids much more towards the face sides.
Therefore the the treenails are getting slightly darker than the planking, although it is the same wood.
On real ships the treenails were made like this sketch is showing
Some of the still existing ships have such treenails
Than the neails are realy darker than the deck, although it is the same timber
Often they made on top of the treenail an additional plug with a bigger diameter, but the grain of the plug visible on the surface followed the grain of the deck planking
visible on this photo very good -> with this you can hardly recognize the treenail
Interesting is the fact, that when a deck was wet and getting dry - than the treenails are also more visible, because of humidety staying longer inside the contact areas between treenail, plug and plank
Realy - I think at the end it is a pure question of taste of the modeler - they should have only the correct size and not being outscale
When they are too dark compared to the planking, the modeler can every time say, that just before it stopped raining
The end grain of wood always soaks up any finish, and requires more coats, and thus is naturally darker. But there are variables that would factor into that, such as the type of wood, and the direction the treenail was turned verses the direction of the wood grain. I am probably being rhetorical, but thought I would point out that they would most likely be somewhat darker if out of the same wood.This I checked also already but did not make a photo right now.
The treenails are getting slightly darker with oiling, but not because of the oiling effect.
The grain of the toothpicks are in 90° compared to the grain of the planks - so we see the face side or front end of the timber (of the toothpicks).
Timber is loosing f.e. the humidity mainly via this area, so it is also soaking all fluids much more towards the face sides.
Therefore the the treenails are getting slightly darker than the planking, although it is the same wood.
On real ships the treenails were made like this sketch is showing
View attachment 237934
Some of the still existing ships have such treenails
View attachment 237931
Than the neails are realy darker than the deck, although it is the same timber
Often they made on top of the treenail an additional plug with a bigger diameter, but the grain of the plug visible on the surface followed the grain of the deck planking
View attachment 237936
visible on this photo very good -> with this you can hardly recognize the treenail
View attachment 237930
Interesting is the fact, that when a deck was wet and getting dry - than the treenails are also more visible, because of humidety staying longer inside the contact areas between treenail, plug and plank
View attachment 237932
Realy - I think at the end it is a pure question of taste of the modeler - they should have only the correct size and not being outscale
When they are too dark compared to the planking, the modeler can every time say, that just before it stopped raining
However wood plugs, used on schooners are cut to match the deck, and therefore do not have end grain exposed.
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I fully agree with your words.
Interesting and good to know is also the fact, that the end grain (now I know the correct term) is often darker than the surface grain
Very interesting page explaining the grain structure, different wood cells and growing of wood in detail
The Nature of Wood -- Wood Grain
Wood grain, including how wood grows, grain structure, types of grain, and wood grain in lumber. Part of the Workshop Companion, a collection of information on wood, woodwork, woodworking skills, woodworking materials, and woodworking plans that together form the core knowledge needed by...
1. Wood Botany
The botany of wood, including the differences between hardwoods and softwood, microscopis attributes, and chemical attributes. Part of the Workshop Companion, a collection of information on wood, woodwork, woodworking skills, woodworking materials, and woodworking plans that together form the...
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Looking good! I share your taste
Thanxs Uwe, for showing your skills and techniques. The Ecoline-caulking looks very usefull. I kept it in mind for my BN.
Regards, Peter
Regards, Peter
Your model is advancing quite fast I must say and with an astonishining accuracy. Always something interesting to read besides the model building itself. 
To bad You are "covering up" all the hard work on the deck below. Maybe I missed or forgot, but do You plan opening a section in the frames on one side to be able to view the inside of the hold?
To bad You are "covering up" all the hard work on the deck below. Maybe I missed or forgot, but do You plan opening a section in the frames on one side to be able to view the inside of the hold?
The hull planking was already done, which is shown in the posts beginning this year (i know there are a lot of posts in my log in the meantime)Your model is advancing quite fast I must say and with an astonishining accuracy. Always something interesting to read besides the model building itself.
To bad You are "covering up" all the hard work on the deck below. Maybe I missed or forgot, but do You plan opening a section in the frames on one side to be able to view the inside of the hold?
The best overview you can get at this post after finishing the nailing of the hull planks
LE COUREUR - french Lugger 1776 - POF kit from CAF in 1:48 by Uwe
I have a question Uwe: When I questioned if the nails should really be in one straight row from gunwale to keel you said, if I'm not mistaken, that it would be redundant to have 2 rows of nails for the futtock overlaps. Obviously you have at a later stage changed your mind. Why? I am not...
shipsofscale.com
Hallo friends, I find the finishes in term of treenails highly interesting, especially with toothpicks. I also opted for the toothpicks on my sloop. Only, not only the deck planking, but also the wall paneling should be provided with treenails. I drilled 0,5mm holes in the finished walls and deck planks after marking them in advance with a pencil and pressed the pre-prepared toothpicks into the holes, cut them off and sanded them.
The planks with treenails were treated with teak light wood stain and wall paneling wih oak. The result is amazing. The nails appear darker with teak and lighter with oak.
The planks with treenails were treated with teak light wood stain and wall paneling wih oak. The result is amazing. The nails appear darker with teak and lighter with oak.
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@pianoforte
your treenailing work on the shown model is looking very good - which model is it? Would be interesting to see more, maybe you could show some more views here?
your treenailing work on the shown model is looking very good - which model is it? Would be interesting to see more, maybe you could show some more views here?
Submit Images of Completed Models Here
This forum is for those that would like to upload their completed ships for the Showcase.
shipsofscale.com
Hallo Uwe, this is my gaff sloop Marghareta, which I showed at the beginnig of my entry into this forum. It also appears in a post here about making sails from silkspan. 
After the "positiv" testphase and the final decision I started the deck treenailing work on the aft
It is the work of 3 evening sessions, especially because I am drilling all the holes by hand and not with my Proxxon
- you know already my nickname "KILL DRILL"
everything is prepared for pushing the toothpicks into the 0,5mm drilled holes
due to missing space (for all my fingers plus picks) I am making usually 50%, so every second treenail. When the glue is dry, I cut the toothpick with a side cutter and have enough space for the other 50%.....
I find it very helpful to prepare the deckplanking (caulking plus treenails) segments on the table and install them when they are more or less finished later on on top of the beams
50% of the treenails prepared
one close up photo of the nailing (not oiled)
afterwards it was possible to glue and fix the deck segments on top of the beams - here also the structures on top, to mark the correct size of the openings in the deck in order to sand them to the correct size (the timber is still not treated with oil)
and now the finsihed deck - fixed, openings in correct size (I hope), oiled and the endings (near the pumps) cut to the correct length
The top view - I will install in future one or two additional planks between the segments - but in moment it is not clear for me which one - so let us see
It is the work of 3 evening sessions, especially because I am drilling all the holes by hand and not with my Proxxon
- you know already my nickname "KILL DRILL"
everything is prepared for pushing the toothpicks into the 0,5mm drilled holes
due to missing space (for all my fingers plus picks) I am making usually 50%, so every second treenail. When the glue is dry, I cut the toothpick with a side cutter and have enough space for the other 50%.....
I find it very helpful to prepare the deckplanking (caulking plus treenails) segments on the table and install them when they are more or less finished later on on top of the beams
50% of the treenails prepared
one close up photo of the nailing (not oiled)
afterwards it was possible to glue and fix the deck segments on top of the beams - here also the structures on top, to mark the correct size of the openings in the deck in order to sand them to the correct size (the timber is still not treated with oil)
and now the finsihed deck - fixed, openings in correct size (I hope), oiled and the endings (near the pumps) cut to the correct length
The top view - I will install in future one or two additional planks between the segments - but in moment it is not clear for me which one - so let us see
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great progress looks amazing, well done
Sieht saugut aus. Absolutely overwhelmimg, really encouraging.
Looks very fine. It´s more efficient than use the drawplate. The benefit of the drawplate is that you can use the same wood like the planks, like original. But who cares this detal ?
I never used the machine on my La Belle. My 2000 holes i did all with hand. I´m drillkilla too .
I never used the machine on my La Belle. My 2000 holes i did all with hand. I´m drillkilla too .
Uwe,
wonderful !!
please respond. What tool did you use to cut off the toothpicks (Plier Cutters, knife, chisel?) When I used the toothpicks (after they are dry), I used a flush plier cutter, and unfortunately, it squeezes the toothpick and distorts it. It is good for your procedure as you have nice ROUND treenails.
wonderful !!
please respond. What tool did you use to cut off the toothpicks (Plier Cutters, knife, chisel?) When I used the toothpicks (after they are dry), I used a flush plier cutter, and unfortunately, it squeezes the toothpick and distorts it. It is good for your procedure as you have nice ROUND treenails.
Hallo Donnie,
I made yesterday evening some photos to explain - Yes I am using plier cutter for this.
There are two types of plier cutter, one is flash cutting and the right one not
here the flash and the cutting result at one toothpick - btw my daughter had it once in use and cut some nails, therefore the damages
and the result made by the other one (this one I use!)
Due to the fact, that the toothpicks are very hard wood and not splintering, the pliers are pressing first the stick together and only when the preassure is getting to high cut the center with a short "clack" (sound when it finaly cut the pick)
Here you can see the result at the pick - the dark horizontal center is the "cut" area
and this is the result after treenailing - you can see also here the dark center
I am using wood glue, so therefore every time I have a small hill of glue on top - so you can see that I am cutting the toothpick on top of the glue hill, therefore the "pressed area is also outside of the plank
an element of planks after cutting the toothpicks
after ct I am using sandpaper to get it treenail more or less flash with the plank, here I am also removing the glue during sanding
and afterwards I scratch once more in both direction gentle with the scrapper
BTW: When I push the toothpicks into the holes (0,5mm), the peak with a little bit glue, and a small hammer, the nail is going trough the complete plank of 1,5mm - you can see, that the peaks will be visible on the undersight of the planks
BTW2; The used wood of the planks is extremely good and also very hard -I am using the hammer and the toothpick is producing strong pressure against the holes during forcing the pick into the hole - but there is no deformation visible, or shivering or cracking of the planks, even nothing at the small ends of the planks - So I think that a very good quality of toothsticks wood and also the wood of the planks is important
Attachments
Some small additional information or views, which could help you in your build
First of all I would like to show the views down through the structure buildings like the skylight on the deck - so you see some small parts of the interior are visible
First of all I would like to show the views down through the structure buildings like the skylight on the deck - so you see some small parts of the interior are visible
Before the final adjustments of the deck planking can start the waterway has to be finished and installed,
so here you can see the last part of the waterway directly at the bow - please remember, that I changed here the kit waterway construction, I made it from scratch
The very small difference in height has still to be corrected
Many Thanks for your interest .... to be continued ......
so here you can see the last part of the waterway directly at the bow - please remember, that I changed here the kit waterway construction, I made it from scratch
The very small difference in height has still to be corrected
Many Thanks for your interest .... to be continued ......