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plank benders

andyt60 said:
could you use hair straighteners as plank benders ?
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I use ammonia in warm water to wet planks first, then I make a jig from straight pins on top of a drawing, use wax paper over drawing and pin wet ammonia planks to drawing and use pins on outline of drawing, wait until dry ......
 
A simple plank bending method involves pinching the wood surface of one side of the plank. Pinching or denting the surface forces the plank to shorten, thus curve, along the one side. There are fancy plank bending tools that will pinch the wood fibers you can buy. Or you can use a sharp tool, such as a chisel (sharp but dull enough such that you pinch the wood but not cut the surface). Pinch along the plank at the point of the needed curve every 1/8 inch or so…the closer the pinches the sharper the curve. No soaking involved…
 
I just got this cute little guy off AliExpress for $20. don't know if it's original or copied from someone else's design.

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I haven't had a chance to test it out yet, though. I don't know if Ali links will get banned so I won't link it in here.
 
Anything that produces dry heat can be used--lots of good ideas here, but an electric plank bender is probably the all round most useful tool.
 
Wow thank you all so much, so many ideas to try and explore, thank you all.
At present still recovering from a back injury, really painful, only time i have ever cried in my life through pain (ex biker), and still having problems with severe Myasthenia gravis, hospitalized for over 10 weeks, going to take at least two years to get back to karate and work
 
I have done the hulls of two plank on frame ships (Endeavour and Halifax) by boiling water in a small old-fashioned kettle. Not the type that switches off at boiling point. Adjust the gas or electric heat to just keep a stream of steam from the spout. Hold the dry plank in the steam, remove, and bend. Also twist to follow the shape of the hull. It gets a bit hot on the fingers, but works beautifully!P1030532.JPG
 
My opinion is find something that you like, and use that. I don't think there is a perfect solution to this question. The tricky part is making sure you have the right shape for the plank, and once you do, you have to let it dry in some sort of jig, or even the model itself, I use the model, but that is just my preference.
 
Janmal said:
I have done the hulls of two plank on frame ships (Endeavour and Halifax) by boiling water in a small old-fashioned kettle. Not the type that switches off at boiling point. Adjust the gas or electric heat to just keep a stream of steam from the spout. Hold the dry plank in the steam, remove, and bend. Also twist to follow the shape of the hull. It gets a bit hot on the fingers, but works beautifully!View attachment 358369
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You might build a steam box to save your fingers.....

Box16.jpg
 
Once again, may I recommend the Model shipways plug in plank bender. An old fashioned soldering iron with a turned aluminum head that replaces the soldering tip. No need to use the hardwood French curve supplied. Just wet the wood.(no need to soak it) and bend away over a hard flat burn proof surface. If you don't like the result rinse and repeat. Literally. you can keep tweaking the plank this way almost indefinitely, virtually sculpting the plank to the bend (and twist) you desire. I haven't tried it on anything harder than Cherry wood, but that worked very well. Basswood, piece of cake. You can even turn your own customized aluminum drum.
Device also known as a Kammerlander bender. Google Kammerlander and you should find some very useful modelling tips. Mr. Kammerlander has a whole practicum on plank and frame small hulls built over a carved mold, a practice in use at the USNA museum workshop.
(Cheap too!).
 
MY INFLATED 10 CENTS, I HAVE PURCHASED AND AM USING IT A WHOLE LOT VERY TIN TO VERY THICK AND IN BETWEEN IT IS WHAT THE LUTERERS USE FOR GUTARS, VIOLINS ETC AMAZON $99.00 WELL WORTHIT JUST ME . GOD BLESS STAY SAFE ALL DON
 
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