Planking it slowly. I have some errors in the placement of ribs etc. I think this may end up a fine looking model boat but may not be strong enough for combat... Might be OK as a working model. I have been working on it with less enthusiasm... Probably sounds bad to model experts but I am averaging out the errors with planks... I figure they will bend to naturally average out any sloppiness. I think the boat looks nice so far. Once I use a hull sealant method I think it will look OK. Good enough for our hobby, maybe not to a fine scale modeler.
Question on CA glue. Will it be OK wet? I found the acetone glue too slow. I tried a few glue types but found out. Super glue is CA glue and about $1 a tube at the local dollar store. A cheap building glue that works fast and well. But I have no clue what it will do wet. I am also wondering how to waterproof the boat hull. Been considering crazy ideas of grey duct tape, maybe some sort of plumbers compound.. or the fiberglass ideas. I am stretching the envelope a great deal... but having fun.
CA should be okay to bond, I've yet to have it come apart from water (that's on plastics/metal however) ... as for water proofing, I personally like west systems epoxy... but resin and mat would work fine
Now that I have a cheap CA glue, I can re-enforce the hull. I may just plank the inside where the Balsa sheets go for permitting the entry of BB's. Still so much work to do! I am considering adding two more inside keel boards to give the hull more longitudinal strength. I calculated the boat weight at 20lbs or so... I am not confident that she'll hold together once that heavy.
Looks like your ribs are a bit varied in their uprightness... how are you going to get a deck to match up/connect? If you want to use the hull for combat but don't think it has the strength in the manner which you've built it, and aren't opposed to a little more work... it might be worthwhile to plank/sheet the whole thing, smooth it out, fiberglass over it, and then knock out the inside and reinforce with another layer inside. Basically a one-off fiberglass hull. CA/ sooper glue works ok to tack ribs and keel pieces together but tends to fare poorly over time. Epoxy or polyester resin work make for a better, stronger, less brittle bond, but they take longer to set up. You can seal the wood with spar varnish or epoxy or poly resin. I would at least fiberglass the bottom of your ship probably. Warspite should be 28-30ish lbs at full load.
I second what Nick said regarding CA...over time it gets brittle and cracks. Better off with Titebond III wood glue.
Hmmm.. Yes. I think the plan now is to finish the frame of the hull I will probably shorten a few ribs that are super high then do the fiberglass skin over the Hull exterior. I can always cut the windows later I guess I am using pretty basic tools and it is my first build. I used a coping saw to cut the ribs and shape. Actually the hull shape is fairly complex for a first boat. this is a long term project at this point. Who knows one day with some better tools and a proper work bench I may give this another go. Some of the ribs are deliberately low too for the lower gun deck... or as you call it a Casement? But some are defninitely crooked... like I said all done by hand... coping saw etc... Regardless I am having fun.
heh... I'm in there too a fair bit. i'm basically in actual building limbo for now ... but if ya see RabidHamster in WoW gimme a yell and I'll screen for ya .... or if your on the other team.. I apologize in advance LOL
