I do the glue undiluted. When I put the 3 coats on the inside it (after the initial plank gluing)it actually gives you a nice 1/32" or so build up and really hardens up the wood unbelievably. It is the strongest and most waterproof glue (once dried) that I have ever used. It's just a wood glue on steroids. That's why it costs about double what all the other wood glues cost.

If you look at my early build pics you can see the resin buildup on the inside of the hull. I can't imagine these planks ever splitting apart.

I do the glue undiluted. When I put the 3 coats on the inside it (after the initial plank gluing)it actually gives you a nice 1/32" or so build up and really hardens up the wood unbelievably. It is the strongest and most waterproof glue (once dried) that I have ever used. It's just a wood glue on steroids. That's why it costs about double what all the other wood glues cost.

If you look at my early build pics you can see the resin buildup on the inside of the hull. I can't imagine these planks ever splitting apart.

I went through 3 of the large bottles just for the hull. Between all of the buildup on the inside and all the excess and wiping off on the outside. I would paint the glue on the frames and paint between the planks. I would then push the plank up tight to the previous plank. Then after I got a plank installed I used my finger dipped in glue and forced the glue between any gaps in the planks and then wiped the glue from the surface with a damp rag before the glue set. Then as I mentioned earlier it got 3 full painted coats on the back. It turned out massively strong.

I almost forgot to mention. I used my 1" belt sander to taper the edges of the planks to get a good fit. I Also started out using a plank crimper, but got too many breaks. Then I tried soaking but that sucked too. So I wound up dipping the planks and bending them while putting them under a hot iron. They bend very nicely and permanently. You don't need a jig or any special tools.

Also, then you get to the Grand Cabin, use a Jewelers file to cut lines into the plywood so it looks like the planks on the rest of the ship. Quite effective. I used a big oval dinner plate to score the lines because the lines would not be straight, they would have an arc to them. As you can see, I don't spend a lot on tools. I just get creative.

I would highly, highly recommend a 1" belt sander. You can do just about anything you need to do on the ship with that tool. Also, a hand held battery operated Dremel tool and some Jewelers drill bits are a must.