The majority of beginners working
with different model boat kits have
various concerns about planking. There are different things about planking that
every scale modeler must be aware of. However, let us get started with plank
tapering.
If you spend some time with a
piece of string or a tape measure and a ruler you will quickly notice the
reason it is essential to taper the planks to a tapered width at either one or
both ends. There will be an apparent dissimilarity when you calculate the
distance from the bottom of the keel to the level of the deck. In merely
theoretical terms, if the dimension at one frame is 80mm (for example) and at
another frame, it is 120mm (for instance), then every plank requires being
narrowed down to 2/3 (80/120) of its total width at the 1st frame.
With this, every plank will arrive at the keel jointly.
In general terms, a bluff bowed
boat model will necessitate less tapering as compared to a sharp bowed ship. Even
though it is likely that some tapering will be necessitated as planks go
towards the stern, however, it is even fairly possible that the distance, deck
to the bottom of the keel, will be bigger at the position of the last couple of
frames than it is at.
Determine from the instructions
provided by the manufacturer of model
boat kits or the plans, the location of the initial plank. Even though it
was common to begin planking at the keel and progress upwards, however, in
scale modeling, the professionals typically begin the initial plank in one of
the following three positions:
1. With
a boat model that has a straight or flush upper deck, the initial plank must be
laid with its upper edge level with the deck surface. It’ll have the top edge
up to 5mm to 10mm underneath the level of the deck. Anywhere this is carried
out, it is for the purpose of making the construction simple at a later phase
but in any case, it’ll be corresponding to the line of the deck.
2. With
a ship model in which the weather or upper deck is in either 2 or 3 different
parts, at conflicting levels, the initial plank usually runs along the line of
the main or middle deck, which then follows its natural course. There quite a
handful of ship models that simply fall in this type of category.
3. A
lot of boat models that feature below deck open gun ports necessitate that the
initial plank follows the line of the gun ports and it’ll run right away below
or above a row of gun ports.
Once the specific place of the
initial plank is recognized, PVA glue must be used for the purpose of sticking
it and keep away from tapering it. Ensure that both planks must follow the same
line and are a mirror image of one another.
While working with any of the model boat kits, make sure that you
keep the points mentioned above for accurate plank tapering.