Alan/Carl/Jase

Many thanks for looking in and the kind comments.

It's certainly not a simple build and I am trying to think a few steps ahead each time but convinced I will get caught out at some stage

The planking is interesting in that they would have you start just under those gun port overlays. Having looked at this I can see possible fit issues with the planks as I reach the underside of the bow beak projection.

More on all of that in my next post

Ian

Many thanks for the kind comments.

Started on the plamking now so will be updating my diary in the next few days. As ever a few more minor issues but have been able to resolve.

Foz

Many thanks.

I have all best intentions to finish this one as I have some nice ideas for a display.

The kit , I guess like many, is not without its issues but seem to be managing to get over these.

Will have more to post soon.

Nice build, Tony!

Walter

Saturday 28th March 2015

Well with planking of my Revenge now well underway I thought I would add a post detailing some of the tools I use before actually giving an update on the planking - so here goes:

TOOLS FOR THE JOB:

While there are a multitude of tools available to the ship modeller ranging in price from a few £'s to many hundreds of £'s. You can actually start this hobby for a modest outlay and as your interest and requirements change you can add additional tools as you progress.

1. One of the most useful and "Free" items that will be of use is a cleaned out empty milk bottle. Because I am not having to soak the whole plank length at this stage this 1Litre empty bottle is just ideal.

2. For planking you will need some form of Pin Pusher and possible a pair of planking pliers that will allow you to score a plank so that it can be formed around tight curves a lot easier.

Both of these items were included with the FREE GIFT set that Deagostini supplied to subscribers of the "Build Lord Nelsons Victory" build. The tools in this kit are usable and would get you started (in my view) with a build.

3. Planking pliers come in a number of shapes and sizes and from a selection of different manufacturers. The picture shows 3 of the various types I own with the set from the Deagostini Tool Kit in the centre. The pair on the left have interchangeable jaws that allow you to shape soft wire and thin brass strip.

One of the things I have noticed with these type of pliers is that they can be difficult to use if you have smaller hands and that would be the case with some of our younger builders and possible some of the Ladies that build.

What you can purchase is a traditional plier’s type set (these supplied by Expo tools). These are shown on the right of the picture.

4. The Expo pliers are smaller and easier to grip in my view and as you can see from this picture one jaw of the plier acts as an anvil with the other part of the plier being shaped as a dull blade.

5. This picture shows the effect you get (and results are the same across all planking pliers). The closer you make the indents the more of a curve you can produce in the plank.

6. This little device by Mantua Models is sold as a plank bender. Try and use a dry plank in this and you are guaranteed the plank will snap. I only ever tend to use this is I need to introduce a more pronounced curve in a plank and the use of this item always follows on from using the Planking pliers.

6. Pins will be your next requirement. The majority of the ship kits you will buy tend to provide these and as you progress through your hobby you are sure to build up a large stock of these. Brass pins are my preferred option but you can buy steel and even brass colour steel and even black coated.

Some people will leave the pins in place making them visible to the viewer to show how the planks are fixed. Some may punch these just below the planks surface, or if you are confident on the planks being well fixed they can be removed.

7. To fix the pins a pin pusher will be required. In this picture is a selection of the pin pushers I have. Second from the top is the unit provided in the Deagostini set. The bottom two are made by Amati.

You will see that on two of the units I have added a depth stop collar that ensures all pins are pushed in to the same depth.

Again I have not always managed to get on with these as well as I could. So my preferred option is as per the next picture.

8. For putting in pins I use this plier’s type set made by Xuron. I believe they were originally produced for model rail road enthusiasts for pinning track but work just fine on ship models as well.

9. In this picture you can see the jaws are ground out to accept the head of the [in and there is a groove on each jaw to firmly hold the pin shank as it’s pushed through the plank and into a frame.

And that apart from some wood strips, brush, suitable glue, damp cloth and lots of patience really covers the majority of the items used for planking a model.

Saturday 28th March 2015

As you progress with the planking using the long lengths of wood you actually plank over each of the gun ports and these holes then have to be re-opened.

NOW IN MY VIEW THIS IS WERE THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE AT ODDS WITH THE BUILD

In my previous posts detailing the gun port overlays you will see that the instructions called for the backing plates that will hold the below decks cannon barrels to be fitted at that stage.

What I found was that having these in place it made the task of re-opening the planked over gun ports very difficult to clean out.

Now you have (in my opinion two options). On the one hand you could plank up to and around the openings with smaller plank lengths. Or I as decided to do, remove the blanking plates from behind these openings.

Because the glued surface was minimal they "popped" off easily with the edge of a knife blade. This then allowed me much easier access with knife and file to clean out and square up these ports.

At a later stage I will apply some larger blanking plates (as previously mentioned was not happy with the minimal glued surface of the supplied parts) from a sheet of Lite Ply I have.

Well I am up to approx. 7 planks per side right (always remember to plank port and starboard as you go to prevent any issues with the hull twisting as the planks dry - its 1 plank port and 1 plank starboard as you go )now so will be continuing with the planking over the coming days as time allows.

Steve

your quite right it's the poor workman that blames his tools

Total lack of skill will probably be the thing that catches me as I have been following the instructions to the letter only to find some issues later.

I really do do find the hull plamking a difficult thing to do but taking it nice and slow and hoping it turns out ok.

Thanks for looking in.

Tony,
Thank you for taking the time to post a very informative build diary this can be very useful to members new to ship building, regarding the information about how to create the best fit to the hull, I use this method my self, it took my an age to complete my victory ,but well worth it and I will do it again, looking forward to the next update.
Regards
Trev.

Sunday 26th April 2015

Well its amazing just how time seems to fly these days and I cannot believe my last post was so long ago.

Since then progress has been slow with me planking the hull (something I do not find in the slightest bit an easy task).

As I mentioned in an earlier post I soak, pin and allow to dry each plank. I then remove, chamfer and glue into place. With my limited skills this does seem to allow me to get quite a nice tight plank to plank fit.

I am about a planks width away from finishing the first planking so thought I would share with you a few pictures of how things have progressed.

Anyhow I am quite happy with the result so far especially as I have not even started on the final sanding as yet

Sunday 26th April 2015

Now that the first planking is just about complete the previous use of the Amati Keel clamp can no longer be used so we need to use a different hull cradle to continue the build.

With the kit a 4 part stand is supplied on a piece of (in my opinion) a dreadful piece of stained plywood. IN my example the 5mm think sheet was very warped.

While we can use the stand supplied and maybe even make it half decent as a final display stand what I do not like is the fact they have used this sheet to supply the keel, stern post, rudder and stem piece.

It a 5 layer piece of ply which is very visible. If using this you might want to consider covering these pieces with some of the 0.5mm second planking wood.

As an alternative I intend to change out the kit supplied Sapelle 2nd planking for Walnut and have purchased some walnut sheet that I will use to re-make these parts.

Anyhow here is a couple of pictures to show the fret and the made up stand.