Hi, I am Jim, I am new to this site.

DARIVS ARCHITECTVS said:
Welcome, Jim. It is the natures of wooden ship modelling that many people start a model but run out of ambition to finish it. It takes such a long time and dedicated effort with such a high learning curve that few beginners finish their first model. You measure the build in years and months. Life usually takes you away to other tasks. Researching how to build these ships takes 3 time longer than the actual work. This forum and others are a great resource for ideas and methods of construction, tools to choose, and good company as you work. If you are working on a model, please post a build log with pictures so we can admire your work, answer questions, and learn a few things ourselves as you build. Looking forward to seeing your build!
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I am not without ambition. I just see no reason to keep on working on something that does not look good. So I stop before I screw up and use all the planking material. With everyone of the models that I have stopped on I have gotten a little farther. A big problem with me is I want the first hull perfect even though I will be covering it up. Plus the ships have been small schooner type ships. I worked on the Pinta from Panart and it turned out good, at least until I sanded a mast to much. I had to heavy a hand on it so I had to order more dowels for it. Like I said I am not good with computers and I dont know how to post a picture but I will have the misses teach me. I do thank all yall welcoming me in here and for putting up the posts on hull planking. Take care
 
Welcome Jim. I too am fairly new and like you built plastic ships, and still do, and several years ago took the plunge into wood. Perhaps this might help.

I bought the how to do things books and made up my mind that if I could plank a hull I could do everything else. If not, then this was not for me. So, after soaking and steaming etc and tapering off the hull and going back and filing and back to the hull, I visited a master who had built many wooden boats while watching tv with his family and showed me his easier way.

Using the tutorials here and the advice of the experts here will see you through, and if you have the patience and logic to build complex plastic kits like you have, I guarantee you will succeed. Enjoy the journey Jim.
 
Jim Conacher said:
I am not without ambition. I just see no reason to keep on working on something that does not look good. So I stop before I screw up and use all the planking material. With everyone of the models that I have stopped on I have gotten a little farther. A big problem with me is I want the first hull perfect even though I will be covering it up. Plus the ships have been small schooner type ships. I worked on the Pinta from Panart and it turned out good, at least until I sanded a mast to much. I had to heavy a hand on it so I had to order more dowels for it. Like I said I am not good with computers and I dont know how to post a picture but I will have the misses teach me. I do thank all yall welcoming me in here and for putting up the posts on hull planking. Take care
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Getting the first planking layer perfect is not that hard compared to fitting the finish layer of thin planks with the lines of the planking in the proper curves and terminations. You can fix any mistake on the first layer with sticks, glue, and filler, and even make modifications if the kit is not accurate in hull shape. On my first ship, I used the first planking layer to practice the fitting of drop planks and stealers, as if it were the final planking layer. That prepared me for the final layer.

Posting pictures is important if we are going to help your with your build, and it is rather easy. You need a digital camera or cell phone, and you need to know how to transfer the picture files (usually in .JPEG format) onto your computer.

Then, while writing a post, click this at the bottom of the post 1658776374595.png
The use the directory window to search your computer for the location of your picture files you want to add to your post. You can select multiple file by holding the SHIFT key as you select them with your mouse. When all are selected, click the OPEN button and the pictures will appear as tiny pictures under the text box of your post like this.
1658776613308.png

Now click the location in your text box where you want the picture to be inserted, then click on the word "Insert" that appears in the tiny picture shown above, and select "Full Image". A full sized copy of your picture will appear in your text right where you want it. You can click on the picture and resize it if you want to.

Done!
 
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Thanks. I have built many plastic ships. The Constitution was the hardest so far. I have a love hate for the ship. Love the ship but hated the rigging. But when completed she is a good looker. I am now starting on the Heller Le Soleil Royal 1/100. I was looking at the Victory but the directions are not that good being mainly written foreign. I was working on the Mayflower from model expo but it had been laser cut crooked. They have now sent me new wooden pieces so I can restart it. I have nothing to do so I have plenty of time to bounce back and forth. I have plenty models and I will get good enough to build a wooden one from scratch. I am building up my tools, so far I just need to get a lathe and then the little things that help. I to have gotten some books and they have helped. You know when you are reading different ways to do stuff and you see in there way to do it will work. I have learned that there are different ways to plank a hull. The small schooner ships are a pain to me but I have ordered a bunch of planking boards and I will get them done. I have read that some wood is not for planking even though they put it in the kit. You take it easy and have a good day.
 
DARIVS ARCHITECTVS said:
Getting the first planking layer perfect is not that hard compared to fitting the finish layer of thin planks with the lines of the planking in the proper curves and terminations. You can fix any mistake on the first layer with sticks, glue, and filler, and even make modifications if the kit is not accurate in hull shape. On my first ship, I used the first planking layer to practice the fitting of drop planks and stealers, as if it were the final planking layer. That prepared me for the final layer.

Posting pictures is important if we are going to help your with your build, and it is rather easy. You need a digital camera or cell phone, and you need to know how to transfer the picture files (usually in .JPEG format) onto your computer.

Then, while writing a post, click this at the bottom of the post View attachment 320225
The use the directory window to search your computer for the location of your picture files you want to add to your post. You can select multiple file by holding the SHIFT key as you select them with your mouse. When all are selected, click the OPEN button and the pictures will appear as tiny pictures under the text box of your post like this.
View attachment 320227

Now click the location in your text box where you want the picture to be inserted, then click on the word "Insert" that appears in the tiny picture shown above, and select "Full Image". A full sized copy of your picture will appear in your text right where you want it. You can click on the picture and resize it if you want to.

Done!
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Thank you for the lesson. I will try it.
 
Welcome from very warm (but very dry) landlocked Idaho. Still fairly new myself to the wooden part of the hobby. I would recommend one of the Vanguard fishing boats. A little more $ but quality materials and over the top instructions which are very helpful to anyone starting in this aspect of the hobby.
 
Coppens said:
Welcome from very warm (but very dry) landlocked Idaho. Still fairly new myself to the wooden part of the hobby. I would recommend one of the Vanguard fishing boats. A little more $ but quality materials and over the top instructions which are very helpful to anyone starting in this aspect of the hobby.
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Thank you
 
Hi Jim. I too have built USS Constitution and last year purchased both the Heller Soleil Royale and HMS Victory. While Victory includes English fairly well the translations in the SR which come at the end of the booklet are not the best. Have a look at the Heller site. I am considering buying the two brochures which include English and coloured diagrams for each vessel for each stage of the build. Cheers Francis
 
Kutuzov said:
Hi Jim. I too have built USS Constitution and last year purchased both the Heller Soleil Royale and HMS Victory. While Victory includes English fairly well the translations in the SR which come at the end of the booklet are not the best. Have a look at the Heller site. I am considering buying the two brochures which include English and coloured diagrams for each vessel for each stage of the build. Cheers Francis
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Francis, While I was building the Royal I saw that they have a site that has all the directions. I have some others that I will be looking up too.Thanks you Jim
 
Jim Conacher said:
Hi, I am Jim Conacher. I am 59 yrs old. I am a US Navy vet. I have built models my whole life and now I am moving into wooden ships. You must admit when you see a nice wooden ship model you always go and look at them.I am now trying to build wooden ships. I have problems with the hull. The problem is the planking. I truly have 8 ships started but none have a finished hull.So I have a bunch started to practice on. I have a boat load of models plastic and wooden. In yalls eyes what would be a good beginner ship to build. I have model ships going from Sergal and Panart Victory down to the Black Falcon. I would love to learn how to plank the hulls correctly. I would like to meet someone that can show me some stuff on building these wooden ships.
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Hallo @Jim Conacher
we wish you all the BEST and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Birthday-Cake
 
Best of luck with the planking. If at first it doesn't meet your expectations, don't be squeamish about taking the planks off and starting over - even if you need to secure some more planking material. Patience (of which I have darned little) usually pays off. [I haven't been building for about 3 months so I haven't had a chance to practice the patience I mention; getting ready to move back to the US so have been spending time figuring out which ship & plane models to pack up. Making for interesting times.]
 
JohnR said:
Best of luck with the planking. If at first it doesn't meet your expectations, don't be squeamish about taking the planks off and starting over - even if you need to secure some more planking material. Patience (of which I have darned little) usually pays off. [I haven't been building for about 3 months so I haven't had a chance to practice the patience I mention; getting ready to move back to the US so have been spending time figuring out which ship & plane models to pack up. Making for interesting times.]
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I am getting it so far thanks
 
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