Three/four butt planking

[Don Case]

I trying to plank the deck on my Discovery. I'm sitting here with Peter Goodwins "English Man of War" and Donald Dressels "Planking Techniques" in front of me and a pile of planks and glue. I can't figure out how this works. No matter how I look at the drawings I just can't make any sense out of them. Old brain I guess. I think I could duplicate them but I like to know what I'm doing rather than just blindly following a drawing. Dressel includes a few rules with his drawing that kind of make sense but they use 4' and 5' separations and I'm not sure that applies to deck planking. Does anyone have a brief or lengthy description of what they are trying to accomplish? Something that maybe explains the widthwise and lengthwise separation of butt joints. Maybe a link. I tried searching the net and drew a blank.
Thanks

 

[neptune]

G'day Don, briefly what they were doing was staggering the joints to give the deck the best strength they could given the maximum length of wood they had, the English used a four butt system, and I believe there was also a rule when planking the hull that no joint was to be less than three planks from another joint, someone else maybe able to give you more details, hope this helps you,
Best regards John,

 

[Don Case]

I guess I don't explain myself well. I understand the reason and that the 3 and 4 butt system kept the butt joints 3 and 4 planks apart on each beam. It's the spacing from one beam to the next that has me puzzled. I can't seem to see a pattern.
10 minutes later
Now that I said it like that I went back to the books and took a look with fresh eyes. I think I see it now. I'll draw it out a little bigger on graph paper so I can see more than one repeat.

 

[Don Case]

I searched some more and found this thread on MSW that seems to explain it. I'll have to read it a couple of times. Here's a link if anyone is interested

Looking for the Correct Sequence and Terminology for Deck Plank Butt Shift

Hi folks, I am trying to determine the correct sequence of the butt shift for deck planking. I have done a search but find several references and cannot find a contemporary (1855) reference that gives the sequence. I am using a four butt shift, so what would be the correct sequence please? I have...

modelshipworld.com

 

[Kurt Konrath]

Deck and hull planking did stagger joints depending on number of boards (3-4-5) before the pattern started again.

Note that joints were always on major beams to have width to have two sets of pegs to secure the plank.

I have a few documents I had located in past while researching this subject.

 

[Don Case]

Thanks Kurt I don't have Excel so I can't open the second one but the first looks interesting. I will have to think about it a bit because he assumes all the beams are the same distance apart.(Actually it looks like he's planking a false deck so there are no beams) On the Discovery they aren't. I'm not sure how much difference it makes but I'll see. Thanks

 

[Uwek]

Hallo Don,
I can not find a buidling log - therefore the request, that it would be the best you would show us your actual ship you are working, maybe with a deck view or top view - or the deck pla of your vessel you plan to plank.
In such a photo, we could make a draft plan of the planking joints and also possibility for treenailing, if you want to make......
It is not only the pattern and location of beams, but also the location of hatches ladder ways etc. to make it technically correct.

 

[Don Case]

I think I've figured it out. One thing I do know is that if you get the first strake wrong it will come back to haunt youI'm doing the lower(berthing?) deck so it will probably not be visible on the completed ship. I think I've it right for a 3 butt. When I do the upper, QD and FC I will plan my moves a little better. Actually I think the beam spacing is evener on the upper decks so that will help with the layout. Anyway here's where I am now.

Anyway it's the Discovery 1789. If you see any errors PLEASE point them out so that I can have it right for the upper decks

 

[Uwek]

It is looking good - well done

 

[Don Case]

Thanks, two more planks each side. Space is just a hair big for 2 3/16" plank and I'm not sure if 1/4" will look right. Lack of planning. The job for today.