plank trimming and fitting

[fergie]

I have finally started the planking on my project (Haven 12 1/2 - atlantic cedar on white oak frames). Being a first time builder, I have done a fair bit of reading on the spiling process, and that seemed to go ok. Questions: Firstly, how tight should one expect the spiled plank to fit right out of the gate (considering experience level), and secondly, are there any tricks or techniques to getting a super tight fit after spiling, besides the obvious 'trim and try' method. There seems to be alot of info available on spiling itself, but little on the actual fitting (maybe because I don't understand spiling well enough after all). Lastly, how much edge setting of planks should one expect/require?

[Dave Fleming]

What 'spiling technique' are you using?
Edgeset is normally not a good idea though a bit may be OK, you did mark a planking schedule on the Molds didn't ya using the best batten you could find/make?

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

try spiling with a block instead of a compus. Quicker, easier, and for me, more accurite.

[Dave Fleming]

TVG, I was tryin' to sucker him in there with that question so I could advise the same thing.
But ya beat me to it, sigh.
smile.gif

[ishmael]

A fair batten is worth its weight in gold.

[Thaddeus J. Van Gilder]

so is a 4 inch strip of good ply.

I use free marine ply (1/8 inch) for spiling battons. There is a local wood guy that cuts door pannels out of it and always has a bunch of 4 inch by 8 foot offcuts that he gives to me.

It's all very good stuff.

[Dave Fleming]

Really no secret about a good batten.
Primary goal is to have one that lays fair to the curve, no humps, bumps or hard spots.
Mahogany, Clear Fir, Pine, Ash, Acrylic, Plexiglas, Formica, High Grade Ply all make good battens.
Big thing is to store them so that they lie flat.
Lofts would have racks and racks of them all sizes ie: lengths, width and thicknesses, various woods.
Just don't, repeat DON'T drive nails through the batten! Along side is fine or better some Whales or Ducks( not the hook end either) reverse them so the opposite butt end is against the batten.
Unless you are using splines with them, that is. ;)

[ishmael]

Nope, no secret, but not always that easy to find. The best I ever had were from close ringed air dried, old growth white pine we were using to re-deck a schooner. Two of the three of those were just sweet. For drawing fair lines I'm talking.

One place I worked was over top of a mill works, and I collected the edgings from the mahogany in anticipation of laminating frames for a dory. Finding one without set or kink or reaction wood twarn't easy. Never tried plywood. Hmm?

I think, for the homebuilder who doesn't have regular access to a lot of stock, finding some good battens(and as Dave says, keeping 'em that way) is a first order of business. Though since our friend here is planking, he must have found some.

And it's been awhile since I've thought very hard about this stuff...so maybe I'm a bit muzzy? I know I lost those battens about a dozen moves ago.

[Dave Fleming]

LOL, ayup Jack schlepping along 20 or 30 foot strips of wood from hither to yon is not easy. :D

[Bill Perkins]

This thread is topical for me . I just bought two 15 ft. lengths of "pine" brickmould from Home Depot .It's straight and I suspect White pine .I'll saw off the profile and scarf them together .I'm also going to rip up some clear fir I have and try that .

I reread John Gardners' comments on battens in The Dory Book . 1 in 12 scarfs seem to be widely accepted as full strength , so I'd assumed they also bent fair . But , for 3/8 th in. stock he recommends a scarf length of 12 in. That's 1 in 32 ! Can this be reasonable ? I certainly respect his opinion , I'm just amazed .

[ 10-30-2002, 09:00 PM: Message edited by: Bill Perkins ]

[Dave Fleming]

Bill to avoid 'hard spots' in your batten use the steepest scarf you can for glue up and tack it whilst it dries. Those blue plasterers nails was what we favoured in the Loft. Set a piece of steel underneath the scarf and apply the glue and then with some clamps holding it drive the nails through the scarf at a slight angle. They will hit the steel plate and turn or clinch up and the scarf will not slip whilst the glue sets. After glue sets remove the nails with a pair of 'dykes'or wire cutters.
Make sure the grain in both pieces is in alignment or you may have trouble with the batten not being as fair as you wished it to be.
Dress the scarf with a 'scary sharp' low angle block plane taking very THIN shavings ie; with the mouth set as fine as possible.

Oh, the steel plate and blue nails is good for joining sections of templates also.