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School for Shipmodel Building School for model ship building

Building the bulwarks i am applying all 3 strakes at once to the hull starting at the bow.

NOTE: you will see in these pictures i put the bulwark planks below the wales then took the pictures. After the picture set up i went back and added the planks. when i went back to check the pictures i noticed the error in setting up the photo shots. At that point it was too late to redo the pictures because i already glued the planks to the hull.

bulwarks4.jpg

I like to glue the ends of the planks at the bow first to avoid and movement when clamping and maker sure everything is tight and even. Once the glue is dry then i will bend the planking. The planks are bent dry no soaking the planks or using heat the Cherry bent with no problem.

bulwarks.jpg
 
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You can see i applied the bulwark planking in long strips rather than chop up the planking and applying it in pieces between the gun ports. My reasoning to do this is to make sure i maintain that sheer. It is easier to sweep one continues plank along the hull than to chop it up. The gun ports are open at the top so cutting the planking to the edge of each gun port is no problem.

Thinking ahead is a big part of model ship building. Those top timbers are prone to breaking especially if you are handling the hull while you're building. By adding the outside bulwark planks, it protects the top timbers. You see the wales and the bulwark planking just runs off the stern. There is a molding that goes at the stern and we will get to that later.

bulwarks6.jpgbulwarks7.jpg
 
This finishes the outside bulwarks except for cutting in the gun ports. The next time we meet in class there is a lot to talk about. The next step in the construction of a hull is the deck.
 
Dave Stevens (Lumberyard) said:
I like to glue the ends of the planks at the bow first to avoid and movement when clamping and maker sure everything is tight and even. Once the glue is dry then i will bend the planking. The planks are bent dry no soaking the planks or using heat the Cherry bent with no problem.
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I like the idea of gluing the ends first, but when bending the planks as you go lower they are going to lift unless pre-shaped for the edge bend or are spiled planks.
I did a test piece with cherry and it lifts. This is assuming the planks breadth are reduced so they all land on the rabbet as they should, not like the pointy end planking many kits propose.
Allan
 
I like the idea of gluing the ends first, but when bending the planks as you go lower they are going to lift unless pre-shaped for the edge bend or are spiled planks.
I did a test piece with cherry and it lifts. This is assuming the planks breadth are reduced so they all land on the rabbet as they should, not like the pointy end planking many kits propose.

below the wales the planking is shaped and tested on the hull Spiled to fit. Once i have a fit and ready to glue to the hull then i will secure the ends against the stem or in a rabbit. Speaking of a rabbit years ago talking to a real boat builder he said they do not cut in a rabbit they are built in like this

rabbit.jpg

at the stem an example of no rabbit cut in

bul2.jpgbul3.jpg

the planking butt against the stem and backed up by a heavy frame timber

knight1.jpg
 
There are a variety of ways plank butts can land on a stem. A rabbet can be cut in the stem, which is frequently the case in smaller, lighter craft, or the plank ends can be fastened to the side of the stem and cut flush at the forward face of the stem and a cap piece installed over the "sandwich" of planks on either side of the stem. Alternately, a timber can be attached inboard of the stem with edges shaped to form a rabbet. The popularity of various options varies from vessel to vessel and period to period and depending upon whether the plank is carvel hung or lapstrake hung. Also, in determining the method to be used, consideration must be given to the most effective one for locating the stopwaters.
 
back in the day around the 1970s 1980s i use to hear from model builders "i used the standard ship building practices" now years later i realize there is no such thing as a "standard" each shipwright, shipyard, nation, time period, type of vessel all had different ways of building.
 
Dave Stevens (Lumberyard) said:
back in the day around the 1970s 1980s i use to hear from model builders "i used the standard ship building practices" now years later i realize there is no such thing as a "standard" each shipwright, shipyard, nation, time period, type of vessel all had different ways of building.
Click to expand...

There's a lot of truth to the old shipbuilder's saying that, "Every boat is a collection of compromises."
 
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