Hi again the thinnest popular ply is 2mm I use this for decks the raw edge i finish with half round 5x3 mm ramin beading or 3x2mm walnut half round from The Model Dockyard uk Sorry to keep on about the Biro and I know it probably wouldn't suit scale fans or the purist but it really does give a good effect especially on popular ply Cheers Ian

Hi I use popular ply for construction and decking it is much lighter than birch but is much stronger than light ply . The decking is a light straw colour and of very close uniform grain one coat of danish oil 'can be applied with a soft brush if you are worried about rags washed out with turps use dividers to measure plank widths use biro for curved planks use a wheeled block device as per the yacht books to follow deck edge apply several coats of oil burnish with fine Scotchbrite Cheers Ian

as for mc d coffee sticks i buy mine from Ebay 1000 at a time

look for Wooden Coffee Tea Stirrers 😁 👍👍

The bend was done using a "jig" and two strips of a thin plywood as a protection of the planks (nor to distort them by clamps as it happened for the first time). First, I cooked them a little, of course. When dried, they kept the shape nicely.
For caulking, the epoxy (or aliphatic wood glue) could be "injected" into the gaps left between the planks. I have tried all three methods (black paper, epoxy and aliphatic glue) and went for paper, at the end.

As far as the bending of the planks is concerned: the thinner and wider the planks are, the more difficult the bending is if you don't want them twisted.
As a "caulking", I usually use the black card (thickness of some 0,3 mm or so) and the result is not a tragedy, I would say (the planks on the picture are 4 x 2 mm, lime wood.
You have to make a choice of planking method because everyone has his own "best" one 😉.
Good Luck!
Zdenek

McDonald's have changed the shape of their stirrers all wavy sides

I have seen a deck with the planks held down with drawing pins to make the gap between them. This was into a wooden sub structure then the gaps between the planks filed with black bumper body filler Scout

EBAY FOR EVERYTHING IF THEY DONT HAVE IT IT DONT EXIST

Think I'd go for Maple Steve. Lime might be too light and bright.
But you can always stain it reddish brown. Jotika or Billing Boats stain for example. I used Billing stains on my Sea Scout and was very happy with the result. A little of it goes a surprisingly long way 😉 Doug
Hmm! Just looked again at the stain bottles I used.
Lo and behold - they have Jotika labels!!

Found some info that said 16foot was the most common length. 22' is available but the price goes up considerably.
16' will be fine by me as that is half the length of the actual boat so 16" planks on the model.
Having trouble finding planks and sheet in the same wood and thickness. I need some sheet for the king planks etc.
Have found Maple and Lime so now need to know which comes closest to Teak?
Steve

All right all right! I will I will! 'onest injun. No need to SHOUT 😉
At least I might if I knew where to get the stuff over here.
Don't suppose it can be posted from the UK. 🤔

PLEASE TRY BIRO PEN AFTER SEALING WITH DANISH OIL THEN FURTHER COATS OF OIL TO FINSH

Hi Steve,
take a look here at some real 'woodies', may give some idea of the variety of plank lengths.
https://www.pinterest.de/pin/AbSBn80zTTthyPYzCjiWxssgNMPM0f2egYbCUDk3b1QEW9mY3B4PB5g/
Deck plank 'joggling'😉 See pic
https://www.pinterest.de/pin/332281278754154088/
Happy bending, cheers, Doug 😎
BTW: 5x0.5mm is precisely the size of the mahogany strip I have for the deck planks on my fish cutter. Fortunately STRAIGHT!!
I might go for thick black card instead of Plasticard though.
Or even a fine filler stained with black paint or ink!?
Spacers of scrap strip between the planks while gluing and then fill and sand. Might work 😉
Some guys just go along the plank edges with a black felt pen.

I don't want to build the deck up too much so have been looking at 0.5mm thick planks. Scale wise they need to be 5mm wide. And as Doug said 10:1 plank/gap so I'm planning to use 0.5mm black plasticard as the caulking.
On a full size cabin cruiser what would be the normal length of a plank? I've been on Google to see if I can find any info but the best I found was an advert for planks that were 1220 long which seems rather short to my mind.
Steve

Thought that might happen with the 'grain' Steve! 🤔
Good that you realised it before any gluing was done 😊
More power to your steamer 👍 don't forget the whistle 😁
Happy bending, cheers Doug 😎

Like the pressure cooker idea Colin👍 just off to the cellar to try and find my old'n. So if you don't hear from me for a week or so please send a search party! 😲 Cheers, Doug 😎

I found the pencil did not give enough definition to the plank join.
A fine fibre tip pen produced a good line but the ink still tried to chase the grain of the wood. I managed to smudge a couple of lines before they had dried.
But finally, the grain of the plywood looked 'wrong' on the planks which would not be too bad down the side of the cabin but the foredeck planks will have a quite significant curve and a large surface area to see how 'wrong' the grain is.
I have a wallpaper steamer somewhere in the garage so modifying that will be the next job.
Steve

A good supply of free planks is available at most McDonald's eateries and coffee shops, my family and friends always grab me a handful when visiting such places. I now have a good supply. I usually pop them in my wife's old pressure cooker for about 20 minutes which normally allows me to bend round the forming jig and pin down till dry. As for colours, coffee, tea, food colour or commercial wood dies, it's your model so you have to decide. And I usually try a few spare planks to test the colours.
I hope this helps, cheers Colin.

Hi Steve,
What went wrong? 😲
1. Drawing on deck planking, i.e. on a veneer or thin ply-
Why/how did it go wrong?
Surely since the planks are all 'parallel curves' all you need to do is make a curve template in plasticard from the plan. Then at a few strategic points along the plank length mark the widths of the planks.
Set the template along these points and 'Bob's yer Uncle - Fanny's yer Aunt' 😉
Mind you; doing it that way the 'curious grain of the planks' would betray the fiddle🤔
2. 'what type of strip wood -
Any very close grained type.
Possible source-
http://www.slecuk.com/index.html
3. How to glue it!? Any thin, spreadable waterproof wood glue!
4. Gap? Max 0.5mm perhaps. Ca 10 to 1 ratio.
5. 'How do you secure the bent planks whilst the glue dries?
Modelling pins at strategic points along the plank.
Assumes planks are pre-shaped by steaming!! See 6. 😉
6. 'Do I need to steam the planks? - YES!
As mentioned above; make a template defining the curve required.
From this make a jig of ca 5mm x 10mm in which you can set the steamed planks to cool and set to the shape required.
To allow for the so called 'spring back' make the jig with a slightly sharper curve than the actual deck curve. When fitting the planks to the deck it's easier to 'push them out' than to try to increase the curvature.

Finally; mark on the deck base the plank widths at strategic points along the plank length as alignment points. Glue planks alternately left/right (OK port/starboard😉) using modelling pins to hold in place until the glue is fully cured. For the 'gaps' There are various solutions in Build Blogs on this site. One that I like is the use of thin black card.
When the whole deck is planked and properly cured sand lightly (ca 240 grit).
7. 'weathered teak' there are various suppliers of teak stain and also deck weathering stains; e.g. Jotika stain, Lifecolor Washes for Hulls and Wooden Decks, set part no. LP04, which includes Wooden deck darkener and Shadower, amongst other useful weathering pigments.
http://www.astromodel.it
Google Lifecolor and you'll surely find some UK distributors.
Enough answers for enough questions!? 😁
Hope this provides some inspiration, Cheers, Doug 😎

Right ho. Change of plans.
Tried some experiments with drawing on my deck planking and screwed it up after only 8 planks worth. I also tried just using pencil but the curved planks are just impossible to draw.

So...what type of strip wood is best to replicate a weathered teak look?
Where to buy it?
How do I glue it to birch ply?
What gap should I use for 5mm wide planks?
How do you secure the bent planks whilst the glue dries?
Do I need to steam the planks?

Should be enough questions for now,
Steve

Don't know if it is still available, but I downloaded the construction manual for the Graupner Valvdiva, which has a joggled king plank and curved planking which is started on the outer edge of the deck. I haven't tried it yet, but it appears to be a good "how to." Greatest concern for me is bending the planks to the curve of the deck, as they are wider than their thickness.

Wouldn't want to inflict my knees on anyone Neville 😲

Nice model. You must be an artist with your feather duster on that one......................

You rambling? Now there is an image to conjure with.....You in shorts and hiking boots with a rucksack on your back full of sausages............

NPJ

Not just the planking Steve 👍
Rambling induced through good mood due to enjoying a Gewürztraminer while watching a newly acquired BluRay restored / enhanced version of the Battle of the River Plate. All good stuff chaps! 😉
"Smoke bearing RED 100" ........
G'night all 😁
PS "Number One, fly sht. removal detail to the foredeck, ON THE DOUBLE IF YOU PLEASE!" - "Aye aye Sah" 😁
Can heartily recommend the BluRay version of Battle of the River Plate / Graf Spee, Only criticism, USS Salem is a poor double for the Graf Spee, even considering the excuses worked into the film script. 😉
Attached pic shows my version. Graupner Premium but in need of significant rework in several areas 🤔
Doug 😎

You're rambling again Doug, but thanks for the compliment re the planking.

Steve

.... or you'll have forgotten all about it Neville.😲
Oh no! Sorry, that's me 🤔
Er ... What was the question again? 😁

Very nice finish all round Number One Sah, (Salute)
(C .. I didn't forget😁)
Guess you'll have to make a scale fly swat and dustpan & brush now! 😲Interesting and useful tip about Jotika working out the quantity, nice service.
Cheers, Doug

Well this is going along very nicely............

By the time I need to do it all will be resolved!

So grateful to you all.

NPJ

Nice work but in my case the planks are all curved and herringbone jointed so far more complicated than I am prepared to put into this model. it is going to be hard enough just trying to draw it.
Steve

May be too late, but have you thought about real planking?
This was my first attempt following advice on various youtube videos and studying pictures of the full sized boat.
Planks supplied by Jotika. They have various sizes and woods and worked out to quantity when I gave them the deck measurements.
I used cyano to glue to a plastic deck and sealed with a proprietory outdoor satin varnish.
I found it very satisfying and was pleased with the end result.

Ps. Please excuse the black dots of fly sht. on the deck in the first picture.

Steve

I always either washout the rags for re use or burn them outdoors in an old paint tin. Reason is that even dried out the rags can combust in the bin. Not good. Ask me how I know. First I rinse them in turps/white spirit then wash with a good detergent/soap powder.Dry on a clothes line outdoors. Be safe out there.👍

Great stuff Sid.

I will be trying that this week-end.

All the best down there!
NPJ

Hello from Australia,
First start off with a scrap piece of plywood the same as you intend to use for the deck. Work out the width of the planks and score lightly with a scriber (not to deep). Using a ruler or suitable guide ,mark the lines with a no 3 fine tipped marker pen. wait till dry(usually 24hours to stop bleeding) then either spray or paint on satin laquer. (3coats). Always works for me. Good luck. Sid

Hi Biro is good just rolls along less effort than pens or pencils it also indents the wood slightly and gives a very good effect Tung oil is also good The first deck I did I used varnish and the Biro faded but not so with the oil I like to think I invented the method but thinking can be dangerous Cheers Ian T

Going to try this a a piece of scrap.

May be what I need for the Yacht rather than all that cutting and sticking................
NPJ

Hi Biro pen to simulate caulking is good too can be had with 3 ball sizes on E Bay Cheers Ian T

Hi Neville,
I was curious! I'd never seen or heard of 'Danish Oil'.
I know and like Danish Blue, Danish Bacon and Danish Pastries😋 (not necessarily all at once!😲) but had no idea what the Oil was.
So I Wikied it to find out. Saw the warning and thought it might be a good idea to post it - Just in Case!!
I know the same thing can happen with turps / white spirit and other solvent rags. I always let 'em dry out before disposal.
Happy and safe painting folks 😉
Cheers, Doug 😎

Hey Doug, that was a good one.

I have used the stuff for a couple of years and kept the rags in a plastic washing powder container with the tin of oil..................

Going to change that now!

NPJ

"Danish oil is a hard drying oil, meaning it can polymerize into a solid form. it can provide a hard-wearing, often water-resistant satin finish, or serve as a primer on bare wood before applying paint or varnish. it is a "long oil" finish, a mixture of oil and varnish, typically around one-third varnish and the rest oil.
Rags used for Danish oil have some potential risk of spontaneous combustion and starting fires from exothermic oxidation, so it is best to dry rags flat before disposing of them, or else soak them in water." 😲
😎

Hi I seal first one coat of Danish Oil then i use Biro pen and finish with several coats of oil The Biro does not fade over time but it does if varnish is used Cheers Ian T

Sorry, forgot to mention seal first. Quite so. if you can turn your deck over and it still fits, I take my silly hat off to you!

Cheers,
Martin

Thanks for the reply.
Had already sussed the curved planks but think I will stick to a simple join to the king plank. Just bought some fibre tip pens 0.3mm which should do the job.
So, seal and sand the ply first?...the ink would track into the grain otherwise. Doing it before fitting means you can bin it if not happy or turn it over and start again.

Steve,
something like a 2B pencil is a good density, but keep it sharp. if you like a nice contrast then a fine fibre point marker pen would do it. Bear in mind that most sailing boats had planks that followed the edge of the boat whereas motor boats had straight planks that follow the king plank down the middle. On a sail boat the curved planks joggle into the king plank in a variety of patterns, all tedious to draw! I lived on a Victorian racing yacht for a few years and its deck planks were, oddly, straight, so it ain't a golden rule. They leaked so bad I had a Gamalan orchestra of pots and pans catching the drips until the deck "took up" and stopped leaking, then the sunshine would shrink em all again for the next rain shower.
I would draw the planks on before you glue that ply deck down. So much easier.

Cheers,
Martin