Im so frustrated right now!! I cant get balsa wood on the last two windows!! I have failed miserably twice now! When I try to clue it on, the way the curves of the boat are it makes the balsa wood pop out somewhere else or it just breaks. I did it once but I cant remember how I did it!!!!
Try soaking the piece and bending it a bit to shape before glueing it on. Kinda like steaming wood to build guitars.
The last two windows on the stern. I think the wood is too stiff because when I got it I thought the something. It's still 1/32
You can use your Xacto knife to cut slits into the end corners where it curves so that they can individually curve to match the curvature. Keep the panel damp and hold it to the panel to get the shape then make a couple of slits near the corners running along the edge side and bottom enough so that it begins to curve easier.
If you need a lot of bend at the stern, turn the balsa 90 degrees so that the grain runs vertically. It will be easy to bend it that way. You shouldn't need to do that for more than a couple of pannels then for the rest of the ship the grain can go lengthwise. I'm building the Fantail launch using heavier balsa to do exactly the same thing with a very rounded stern. It has worked very nicely. The Suffren has new skin. I painted the silk span to one side if the balsa with the same acrylic paint I use for color. Glued that side to the hull then painted another layer to silkspan to the outside. By doing this after the balsa is in place, I paint the edges of the silkspan to the hull which seals the side of the balsa as well. Ends up with a lot less paint on the balsa so a softer skin to start with.
It makes a world of difference when you get the right wood. I got the softer 1/32 and did the entire length of one side in about 45min. LOL
I have made some other very nice cosmetic additions the Bismarck this winter. Unfortuantly I think she'll look better than she runs BUT I may get a nice surprise.
