Essential wooden boat tools

[Ian CairnsParticipant @iancairns79193]

I am planning on a plank on frame kit boat to celebrate moving house (as if I won’t have enough to do!). I’ve built mainly planes before so I have no boat-specific tools and I’ll be settting up my workshop (er corner of the utility room) from scratch.

What are the essential tools? I see from pics most people use some sort of keel clamp or building slip – is this a good idea and what sort is best as there are several around? Are there any useful tools needed for planking? There are some quite neat modelling worktop vices around too – any stand out? Any suggetsions for that tool thing you wouldn’t be without will be gratefully receieved….

ps I’ve been looking for some info/masterclass on plank on frame. Anyone know a good source?

[Ian CairnsParticipant @iancairns79193]

[John LindoParticipant @johnlindo24078]

Hi Ian

 

Send me e mail address and i will send you some

photos of my own invention of a plank bender and

rigging tool.

recently built the San Francisco II from Arteslatina.rated in difficulty

2 stars.using plank and rigging tool.

built the Mississippi 3 stars.

now on the Santa Anna  4 stars.This is a real challenge.

thanks

J Lindo

[email protected]

[hammerParticipant @hammer]

Ian, if you have built planes jest get a plan you like, all you need is a flat buiding board  and build in balsa. Then coat inside &out with resin. You can use solid blocks on the tight turns. no problems!! I made my first boat this way see my album. Paddle steamer 5ft long 9 years old & still going strong.  Best of luck its not that difficult . R.G.Y.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

I build all my model…POF….Have a look at my method

 

Plenty of clamps and strong elastic bands are essential

 

http://www.modelboats.co.uk/albums/member_album.asp?a=422

 

Regards…….Bob

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Hi Ian,

I have built most of my hulls with the plank on frame method and I found it really came together after reading Harold Underhill’s books ‘Plank on Frame Models’ Vols 1 and 2- expensive but worth every penny. Also, to use his methods you will need to find a pair of proportional dividers. This makes setting out plank widths along the hull much easier.

 

 I would say, given the cost of stripwood, some means of cutting planks is helpful. I use a two wheel bandsaw and small block plane to clean up saw marks after each cut. Others will have their own methods. A building board is absolutely essential to keep things true.

 

This is all assuming you are talking about scratch built models and not kits.

 

Finally, I find the biggest difficulty is that when I have built a hull I find it so satisfying that it can be a good while before I actually finish the model off, wanting instead to start another hull

 

It’s great fun and you can really say ‘all my own work’ at the end!

 

Best of luck,

Ian

[Author]

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