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Author Topic: Best materials for planking.  (Read 6266 times)

tigertiger

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Best materials for planking.
« on: March 25, 2007, 08:55:32 am »

I am thinking about my next project, this will be scratch built.

I saw somewhere that using pine was recommended fro planking as it was heavier and suitable for a scale sail.

Any comments on using pine or heavier woods?
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RickF

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2007, 10:35:04 am »

Tiger,

Are we talking hulls or decks? For hulls I always use balsa. I know it hasn't the strength, but it is easier to work than hardwood, and by the time it has been resin-impregnated, filled, sprayed, sanded and generally mucked about with, it's fine.

For decks, I use obechi or bass, with insulation tape "caulking".

Rick
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tigertiger

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2007, 10:45:58 am »

Hi RickF

I am thinking more for the hull.

What I want to achieve is a hull with a lot of weight, that will not require an additional fin keel and keel bulb.


On caulking.
I have used darning wool for caulking, but how do you use insulating tape?
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2007, 10:56:47 am »

Unless it is a Thames Barge or a very full bodied boat with a small sailplan you will unlikely to be able to avoid the need for some external ballast. When you scale down from full size the hull volume (and displacement) decreases by the cube root but the sailplan only by the square root so scale sail models are really impossibly overcanvassed and the only way to get round this is to carry external ballast although this can be made detachable.
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RickF

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2007, 02:00:19 pm »

Tiger,

Have to agree with Colin on weight - it all needs to be down low, not evenly spread. Even a Thames barge will need a keel, if only to stop it sailing like a crab!

As regards the deck planking:

1. Lay a strip of black insulating tape, three feet long, sticky side up, on the bench.

2. Take as many strips of deck planking as will fit the width of the tape and stick them down on edge.

3. With a scalpel, cut down between the strips. Voila: deck planks with caulking attached. Just glue into position, scrape/sand and varnish.

Rick
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tigertiger

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2007, 02:14:41 pm »

Unless it is a Thames Barge or a very full bodied boat with a small sailplan you will unlikely to be able to avoid the need for some external ballast. When you scale down from full size the hull volume (and displacement) decreases by the cube root but the sailplan only by the square root so scale sail models are really impossibly overcanvassed and the only way to get round this is to carry external ballast although this can be made detachable.

Thanks Colin.

I was thinking of a French cutter of about 1.5 m length.

I have seen the Robbe Valdivai model has internal lead ballast, and I know that there is one class of scale sail boats that does not allow external fin keels.
And I have seen another cutter (on this site perhaps) with 20 pounds of ballast. I was assuming, probably wrongly, that it was internal

I need to keep the draght to a minimum as I only have about 11" depth to sail in at the bankside.
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tigertiger

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #6 on: March 25, 2007, 02:18:11 pm »

Thanks RickF

Got it now
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Colin Bishop

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #7 on: March 25, 2007, 02:48:54 pm »

TT, the smaller the original prototype the less scaling down there is. If the cutter is deep keeled anyway you might get away with internal ballast in light airs and with some reefing. As Rick says, the important thing is to keep the ballast really low and dense, lead is best if you can't get uranium!  ;)

There is a scale sail site somewhere and you might find your questions better answered there. I expect somebody will be able to give you the link.
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tigertiger

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #8 on: March 25, 2007, 03:08:00 pm »

As Rick says, the important thing is to keep the ballast really low and dense, lead is best if you can't get uranium!  ;)


Anybody got any uranium? :D ;) ;)
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RickF

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #9 on: March 25, 2007, 03:09:54 pm »

Tried Iran?
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kenthompson

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2007, 10:36:44 pm »

Hi  Tigertiger ,,,, when we make wooden hulls on yachts we use Cedar, Its strong and light, also looks good if you are to varnish the finished hull...Ken...
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cbr900

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #11 on: April 04, 2007, 02:32:35 pm »

TT,

I used Rosewood it is very hard and very heavy, but does look incredable with a coat of clear over it.........



Roy
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boatmadman

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #12 on: April 04, 2007, 04:45:14 pm »

Hi,

I have used lime a lot, works well, finishes nicely, but not suitable really for a varnish finish.

Ian
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vwlucas

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2007, 06:49:26 pm »



Hello,

I used always lime for planking, except for my last ship (yellow pine, bread and butter; the good old days  ;)).
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neptune

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #14 on: September 23, 2007, 02:09:31 pm »

G'day Tiger Tiger, how are you going, when I built the cutter Speedy I tried internal ballast with no sucess, I had to incorporate it into the keel, I built the hull out of cedar, have been told that if you allow an extra couple of inches on the underwater body you might be able to have it internally, maybe some of the other crew have some thoughts on this, how did you go with the LH plans, regards John.
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tigertiger

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #15 on: September 23, 2007, 02:42:01 pm »

...how did you go with the LH plans.

Hi Neptune.
I have been busy at work and stuff and yet to get started on LH and the French Bautier.
I am procrastinating a bit as these will be my first scratch builds and I am a bit lacking in confidence.

I have a vague plan that I will do two or three hulls over the winter and epoxy them and finish them in the spring when it is warm and the humidity is lower. I can also do a lot of pre preping. of superstructure etc.

I have also PMd you about LH.

Best regards
TT
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cbr900

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #16 on: September 23, 2007, 04:23:18 pm »

Tiger,

Are those two models round bottomed or do they have a keel running back progressively becoming larger, if the latter make the hull and make a plaster mold of the keel section cast it in lead and attach when sanded and painted will not be noticed, but your weight will be in the right place....


Roy
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tigertiger

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Re: Best materials for planking.
« Reply #17 on: September 24, 2007, 09:04:08 am »

Tiger,

Are those two models round bottomed or do they have a keel running back progressively becoming larger, if the latter make the hull and make a plaster mold of the keel section cast it in lead and attach when sanded and painted will not be noticed, but your weight will be in the right place....


Roy

Hi Roy
Both round bottomed.

But a good tip I may use on later models.

Thanks
TT
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