Tag Archives: Strakes

Strakes from Top Down Part 2

From Stern
From Bow
Port side
Filler Strakes
Getting close to the end
Port side done
Strakes refusing to go down

I have tried all kinds of stuff trying to get the Strakes to go down. I ended up pouring a bunch of Sawdust into the Gap and then pouring CA Glue into the Gap. It is nice and hard now.

Starboard side so far…
The starboard side is almost done
1 Strip left…

Strakes 3 & 4 from Sheer Strake

Shape Bending Strakes 3 & 4

I had these next 2 Strakes soaking since yesterday so it has been close to 24 hours!

Starboard side Strake #3
Port Side Strake #3

I’m kind of sick of what happened… I had to use a Cheater on the Port Side which doesn’t even up with the Starboard…

Meh… Most of the Ships had some sort of unevenness.

Long Cheater

I had to make a long Cheater for Strake #3 in order to even it out.

I ordered some .6x5mm Maple Wood for the 2nd Planking.

#4 Strake

I just made 1 long piece and bent it around the Hull for these initial Strakes.

#4 Bow
#4 Strake Port Side
Starboard Side #4 Strake
Starboard Side done… It’s a lot cleaner than the Port. .. 🙄🤔
Port Side. .. Not as clean. .. 🙄🤔😫

8th Strake from Keel

This is the last Strake from the Keel that goes all the way forward.

I’m kind of ashamed to say that I had to resort to using the Plank Bender. I suppose it has its uses… Although I just don’t like the idea of breaking the Plank. But… I couldn’t do it any other way.

Used a Plank Bender for this one

Well… This is the situation that I was trying to avoid… Making these odd looking Filler Planks. Oh well. It is only the 1st Layer.

Now I’m stuck making these odd Filler Planks

Nature of the beast I suppose with Planking. A lot of times you just don’t know where you’ll end up.

#8 Starboard side gluing in tip without pressure

It looks like the Starboard side is going to be closed up a bit better than the Port. Although I will still be stuck making these funky odd-shaped Filler Planks. At least the lines look good for the most part.

I ended up going up and over on the Starboard side… I figured the Filler Planks would fit more easily on this side like this.

7th Strake up from Keel

I decided to just go with 2 Strakes going all the way forward instead of 3. In order to get 3 in there, I would have had to make them too thin. So I’m just using 2 and I’m going to just use filler Planks for the rest.

Using the Rubber band method

I feel a bit of a failure because my intention was to have all the Planks reach the Bow and for them to all go to the Stern. I suppose experience is the only cure for this miscalculation… I’ll just know better next time.

But… I must say that all in all, I’m quite happy with what came out, filler and all.

Ending in wedge
Port side view

6th Strake up from Keel

This one was a bit awkward… I ended up holding it with my finger whole watching NCIS for about 30 minutes. I tried Superglue but I ended up making a mess of it so had to wait until the Titebond II set.

#6 Port side held it down with my fingers!

I’m having a bit of a problematic area on the bottom. It’s always someplace that is risky that way.

I had to bring the #6 Plank across where the Gap is and make for 2 Wedges I need to make for these Gaps. Oh well… What are you going to do eh?

Now I’m going to have to make that awkward Stealer hmmm

I keep thinking to myself what I could have done differently to avoid this… But looking at it, I don’t see where I could have done anything else? Hmmm… I’m sure a more experienced model maker could tell me, but right now? I have no idea. 🤔

On the Starboard side, I decided to extend the Plank out and sling a Rubber Band across it instead of holding it with my fingers! LOL!!! 🤭😲🤣

Slinging a Rubber band across it… Why didn’t I think of this before?!?!

I mean… Looking at it?… It’s not horrible.

Holes waiting for Stealers

4th Strake up from Keel

I calculated that I need to taper this Plank down to 3mm to be able for 8 Planks into the space of Bulkhead 1.

Forward edge being glued in

I was just taking measurements and I calculated that I need to make 5 more Planks with all of them going down to a 3mm taper at the Bow.

They’re going in good, but they’re starting to take a lot of twisting to go in… But not unreasonably so.

Being glued in

#12 Strake, Last on Upper Band

Here I’m bending 2 #12 Strakes on the Plank Bender so that I can get more of a gradual bend.

Also, I didn’t bother to taper the after party. I’m leaving that until the end to be able to adjust the ticknesses of the final upper band Planks.

Bending 1 Each Port and Starboard #12 Planks

On the Strakes… As they come to the back, under the Transom. Well, I found out the hard way to not cut the excess off until the glue sets. The reason being, the excess gives your Clamp something to grab on to.

Leave excess on until glue sets

Well, the bow section of #12 Starboard side went in… But only just. The limit on the pressure was definitely there.

I had to use some Superglue interspersed with the Titebond for this one. They kind of got mixed together and it became a bit gooey.

#12 Starboard side got a bit gooey 🙄

I’m pretty happy with how all the Strakes ended up at just about where the Batten was. I almost hit it right on the nose! 🤭🤣

Pencil marks were where we’re supposed to end up… Close enough!

#11 Strake

As I bend this #11 Strake around, I realize that I’m almost getting to the limit of bendability with these Planks around the Bow bend.

#11 Starboard side

The Stern portion looks like it’s coming along great and that the numbers worked out perfectly at 12 Planks to the Transom.

While I’m at it, I might as well make a mention of bending the Planks across the Jig.

This one is the last #11 Strake. I’ve been slowly making the Strakes as I go to allow me to adjust the thicknesses as I progress. This last #11 Strake is for the Port side and will match the one on the Starboard side that I made on this Jig.

Anyway, I soak the wood in the Wood Soaker for about 1 hour. I use 1/2 Cup / 118ml of Ammonia per 1 Cup / 235ml of Water.

Then when I bend it on the Jig, bend it nice and slow so as not to allow the splinters to come up.

I learned the lesson for slow bending after making a few Planks that raises Splinters as I mentioned before in a previous post.

Nice clean bend
#11 Port side gluing in

#9 Strake

The Strakes are curving around nicely around the Bow.

I was afraid that I was going to run out of space but I think it’s all going to fit together nicely. I may need a Stealer but I’m not sure yet.

#9 Port Side gluing in

Just doing the Starboard side of #9 and I was thinking to myself that the Batten was right at around 11 – 12 Plank’s worth of Planks on the biggest Bulkhead which was the #9 Bulkhead. It actually landed on 11.6 Plank Widths… So figured I would round up for comfort’s sake.

To be honest, this whole time I was planking, I thought that I was going to run out of space.

The cardinal rule in Planking is to apparently not cut your Plank to any smaller than 1/2 if your original Plank. What is frowned on is for a Plank to come up to the Bow in a Point. The reason being, there was no way to secure a pointed piece of Timber.

I probably should do a Post on some rules on Planking.

#9 Plank Starboard side being glued in