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Post by Mark on Aug 11, 2007 7:05:50 GMT 1
I like to steam planks, rather than force them into place. The lime planks Hachette supply are really easy to steam. I've got an old kettle that sits on the gas hob. No need to put very much water in it - just enough so it's not going to boil dry. Then just hold the plank in the steam the comes out the spout for a minute or so, turning occasionally so it steams evenly. Then take it out of the steam and twist, holding it for a few seconds for the wood to set. Alternatively, twist it into the shape you want, and hold in the steam. Either way has the same effect. I usually twist it a bit too far. When you get it back to the model you can ease the twist out a bit without having to re-steam it. Here's a scrap of wood, just to show you how tight a twist you can get. It's twisted through almost 180 degrees in about 7cm. A word of warning - steam can give you a very nasty burn - be careful of your fingers.
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Post by yoddhâ on Aug 11, 2007 8:50:36 GMT 1
Hold your planks in the steam with a pair of tweezers to avoid scalding yourself
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Post by nemesis on Aug 11, 2007 12:36:55 GMT 1
That's a great tip. I've been soaking the planks in warm water but I got nowhere near as good results as that shown in the pic.
Thanks for the heads up.
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Post by Mark on Aug 11, 2007 12:43:34 GMT 1
Another advantage over soaking is that you don't need to pin them & let them dry out.
If you do burn yourself, run you finger/hand under the cold tap - that's the best first aid for burns.
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Post by eric on Aug 11, 2007 12:44:00 GMT 1
I soaked mine in boiling water too, I got them so flexable that they curved round the tight bend in the lower hull at the bow.
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Post by Mark on Aug 11, 2007 13:18:55 GMT 1
Wow - nice job Eric.
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Post by napoleon on Aug 11, 2007 17:38:34 GMT 1
Looks really good Eric, will probably do that at the bow when planking between top of planks and deck but obviously concave.
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Post by Achtung!! on Aug 11, 2007 21:36:47 GMT 1
Im steaming my planks for my bow - although I am soaking them in a bowl of hot water and bending them that way. Seems to be working.
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Post by swanrail on Aug 11, 2007 22:04:51 GMT 1
Both methods work well, but I find steam is easier in that you can form the required shape almost instantly (and it will stay), the wood dries quickly and is less likely to shrink. On the other hand, wet wood needs to be pinned for several hours to maintain its shape, must dry out completely, after which adjustments may need to be made to allow for shrinkage. I tend to use long nose pliers to bend planks over the steam, find them more secure and more controllable. (hold other end in "normal" pliers.)
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Post by eric on Aug 12, 2007 7:00:22 GMT 1
Yeah, too true swan, I put my planks in place then walked away and left them 'till the next day. I used lacky bands and clamps, the lacky bands were responsable for the planks taking on the shape of the curve in the rib. It really slowed down the work, but it was worth it for the results. Patience will win over impatience every time.
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Post by Achtung!! on Aug 12, 2007 10:51:08 GMT 1
Im already pinning them to the hull and leaving them overnight to take on the shape before final sticking of them
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Post by daveg on Aug 31, 2007 2:15:38 GMT 1
daveg from sunny australia: have built titanic, hms victory, building models with match sticks , working on hms supply. i find using a soldering iron, you can get a decent bend with practise
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