1805 Virginia Swift 1:50 scale

Ted Robinson

Ted Robinson

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Oct 1, 2023
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This project is entirely dedicated to gaining the skills and techniques to be used on future projects. I feel that I made a mistake adopting a 40 year old kit where the wood quality was pretty marginal when new. But, I'm invested.
I could use some advice about finishing the Ramin wood deck. I want to learn to produce a polished furniture like finish similar to whatI have seen from fellow members of this site.
Should I try to add deck nailing at this scale. I'm not interested in just scribing marks with a pencil.
What would be a nice way to add nailing
to the deck planking.
I appreciate any help you could pass along
Mainly, I don't want to be a pest but have so much to learn and a lot of questions
Btw, I spend hours watching YouTube ship modellers but it seems most of the are hacks or way over my head
Thank you,
Tex.

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One way of making treennails for the deck planking you can find here (and the following posts):

LE COUREUR - french Lugger 1776 - POF kit from CAF in 1:48 by Uwe

Changing the waterways, like I did, will produce some necessary adjustments of the planking, which will try to explain in the following all planks are laying on the deck (without waterways (here you can see once more the mixing of the planks because of the wood grain and annual rings) This...
shipsofscale.com
 
BTW: when you have a so called drawplate you can optimze the result

IMG_4150.jpg

IMG_4151.jpg
 
I saw Olha Batcherov use super glue but this 40 year old wood is soft and wouldn't stand up to scraping
 
It is really important to test every time th ereal situation and quality of the deck planking wood.
 
sometimes, if the wood of the planking is too soft, it is better not to make treenails.
Also on real ships the treenails are often hard to recognize, because they are made out of the same timber like the planks
 
You can use scrap wood and make a fake test deck with leftovers from this kit and try the deck nails and finishing techniques of your choice.

Another option for this scale is use fine wire or brass nails, and just drill pilot holes and use pliers to press brass wire into each hole and clip and sand flush.
 
I like the wire idea. I put a preliminary stain coat on the deck using Watco to protect the finish. The glue I used to apply the finish deck seeped through and the stain is blotchy. Do at this point the only reason to install deck nailing is for the practice.
 
Uwek said:
Maybe it would be good, that you make a test on a some dummy-planking before you start with the treenailing on the real deck
Click to expand...
I made a sample and the scale is so small it looks busy. Thanks for your suggestion
 
Ted Robinson said:
Yup I've been looking at the draw plates and The only ones I've found that have small enough holes are for jewelry making. Would these work
Click to expand...
In principle yes - or take a look at the Byrnes drawplate

Byrnes Model Machines - Drawplate

Byrnes Model Machines produces precision-engineered miniature Table Saws and Thickness Sanders for Ship Modelers, Dollhouse Makers and Model Railroad Builders; every machine has an accuracy measured in thousandths of an inch.
www.byrnesmodelmachines.com
 
Uwek said:
In principle yes - or take a look at the Byrnes drawplate

Byrnes Model Machines - Drawplate

Byrnes Model Machines produces precision-engineered miniature Table Saws and Thickness Sanders for Ship Modelers, Dollhouse Makers and Model Railroad Builders; every machine has an accuracy measured in thousandths of an inch.
www.byrnesmodelmachines.com
Click to expand...
Thank you, have it on my wishlist
 
I've read that jewelry draw plates don't work all that well. Apparently because they are meant for reducing wire size they have a tapered entry to the holes and try to compress the wood. I've never tried one myself. It's possible that if you were to stick the wood in the other side of the jewelers draw plate, it may work, I don't know. Just thought I'd mention this so you can approach this with caution. Someone with more knowledge than me may chime in. I made my own by just drilling a bunch of holes in an old saw blade. I got mediocre results and used a lot of small drill bits :)
 
Don Case said:
I've read that jewelry draw plates don't work all that well. Apparently because they are meant for reducing wire size they have a tapered entry to the holes and try to compress the wood. I've never tried one myself. It's possible that if you were to stick the wood in the other side of the jewelers draw plate, it may work, I don't know. Just thought I'd mention this so you can approach this with caution. Someone with more knowledge than me may chime in. I made my own by just drilling a bunch of holes in an old saw blade. I got mediocre results and used a lot of small drill bits :)
Click to expand...
You are right - the juweliers are using these drawplates from the other side. If you turn them by upsidedown
Important for treenails is only, that one side of the hole is sharp. If you want to reduce the diameter of a longer wooden piece juweliers are not working well (to draw through the hole, you are right, but for a punch / push with the hammer........
Very good working for both techniques is the Byrnes, which I use also
 
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