Preview: Carvel Planking a Wooden Boat, Part 3 – Fastening a Cedar Plank

36 Responses So Far to “Carvel Planking a Wooden Boat, Part 3 – Fastening a Cedar Plank”

• 

  Robert (Bob) Godfrey says:

  Great examples of spiling, planking etc. Many thanks.

• 

  Jon Baldock says:

  I found this planking video valuable , I believe I might be able to give it a-go. This gentleman did a great job demonstrating this process.. I would like to be able to work with someone like this Thanks , Jon Baldock.

• 

  Steve Grube says:

  I learned more about spiling, cutting and fitting planks in these three videos than all the other books and magazine articles I´ve read over 20 years combined. Nothing like real time learning with up-close visuals to explain it all clearly.

  Excellent quality video in all respects. Loved the no nonsense, straightforward, real world attitude on Peter Bruxton´s part. Sometimes you need a delicate touch, other times it´s all about brute force and pounding.

  Well done OCH and Peter Bruxton. My continued membership in OCH is assured.

• 

  Thomas Morley says:

  Just wondering why planks are joined and butted up to the boat frames? and there seems to be light shining between plank seams, should they not be tight together…

• 

  Benrard Moore says:

  …thanks Peter, pure magic !

• 

  William Hawkey says:

  Ready to take up building my 13′ Peapod after a 25 year vacation. I’ll reframe (some have cracked) and carvel plank. Your 3 part video was ll be a great help. Thanks.

• 

  alistair munro says:

  Great videos by the way!

• 

  alistair munro says:

  Hi Peter, I’m restoring a 24′ 1936 yacht in the UK designed by Robert Clark. The build method was edge glued planks (i.e. no seams to fill) as described in Uffa Fox’s book ‘Thoughts on Yachts and Yachting’ of the same period. No one seems to have heard of this technique before. I’m planning to leave a gap between the planks and spline them so that the paintwork doesn’t crack later on. My concern is what might happen when the planks take up. They are 12mm thick Yellow Cedar (the original planks were mahogany). I would be interested to hear your thoughts.

  Many thanks,
  Alistair

• 

  Charles Shaw says:

  I want to build a Albury Runabout. I was planning to strip plank, glue and edge fasten. I was going to rout the edges and glass the bottom. Could you comment on the plan? Thanks CHS

  • 

    Ben Mendlowitz says:

    Sounds like a good one to me Charles. My boat is one of the last ones built in wood by Willard Albury and his crew. She, like the other late wood boats, is strip planked and has held up well even without fiberglass on the bottom.

• 

  Robert Craigue says:

  I’m just getting interested in building a boat. These videos are a huge help!
  Thank you!

• 

  Kaci Cronkhite says:

  That was the clearest explanation and demonstration I’ve ever seen for splining, patterning, cutting and fitting a plank, Peter. As others have said, the tips for working alone very much appreciated too. I’ll still be leaving this work to the professionals next month in Port Townsend, but now understand why the rough budget was “a day per plank”. Thanks for sharing your experience. Great job on the camera too, OCH!

• 

  Brian Mosher says:

  Hello Peter
  Thank you for an excellent demonstration sir! I am 70 and will commence building a whitehall 13′ rowing sailing dingy. I needed spiling background and process. I couldn’t get my head around it from so many books, but I believe you have cleared the air for me. My boat will be lap strake not carvel but spiling the planks is necessary.
  All the best and thank you so much for your excellent and PATIENT demonstration,
  Kindest regards. Brian Mosher, Lunenburg Nova Scotia

  • 

    Peter Buxton says:

    Thank you Brian, that’s just what I want to hear!!

• 

  Lyle Russell says:

  Well done OCH. Thanx Mr. Buxton.

• 

  Charles Thompson says:

  These were great. Very helpful. I’d like to see how Peter does his shutter planks.

• 

  David Vanstone says:

  I am learning as much about work pacing and care as I am about technique. I love these videos.

• 

  James Watchey says:

  I’ve learned a lot in 3 short clips. Good job, Jim

• 

  James Whitmoyer says:

  Truly a beautiful set of instructional videos. As one said above, this man feels the wood. Questions I have relate to where one finds wide rough-sawn planks like those used in this project and at what cost. Also, seeing this done in 3 short videos no doubt hides the real time involved. How much time is the restoration estimated to require? Hopefully we’ll see future installments of the work progressing. Thank you.

  • 

    Peter Buxton says:

    Cedar can be bought from any number of local sawyers, the trick is to find one that will save you out the best stuff that he can find, for which you will pay a premium of course.

• 

  Dennis Dunn says:

  Peter:

  This was a very informative tutorial. Thanks. I wonder if you might answer a couple of questions?

  I noticed that you described how to cut a caulking bevel but didn’t talk about cutting a rolling bevel. Did this plank not require beveling? Also, at the end of part three, I noticed that you can see light through the finished seams. I’ve read that the seams should be light tight, but in my (limited) experience that’s more of a “holy grail” than a realistic objective. How much of a gap would you say is tolerable? Thanks.

  -Denny

  • 

    Peter Buxton says:

    sorry for not getting back to you sooner Denny, I haven’t checked in for some time!

    I’m not sure what your asking about a rolling bevel?
    As for light thru the seam, it’s perfectly acceptable as long as it’s not too much, i.e. less than a 16th inch or so. You just need to be able to caulk it without the cotton popping thru the other side. The boats I’ve built have all been perfectly tight even when 1st launched and after a couple days soaking up I think would be tight enough to take all the cotton back out.

• 

  gregorio cheskis says:

  Again, what a show!!

• 

  Justin Brown says:

  What a beautiful thing. Great to see that process done by a master craftsman.

• 

  William Loux says:

  Wow! Thanks that was really very informative and entertaining. I have read about how to do this in a book but didn’t really understand but visualizing it was really helpful and seeing all the little tricks makes it seem much easier.

• 

  Jackson Bergamo says:

  Very good indeed this work with planking. Perfect, Congratulations!

  Thank you,
  Jackson Bergamo from Brazil

• 

  edward demarco says:

  In my country it is typical to use a gas blow torch…you can bend anything like that…we just wet the plank a bit though…

• 

  Neil Moomey says:

  Impressive videos. Thank you. I’ve never seen that spiling method. Really liked the trick with the heat gun too. I wonder if that would work with plywood? I’d like to watch you build a lobster boat someday.

  • 

    Peter Buxton says:

    Hi Neil, There is a slideshow on you tube ( f/v seasong ) of the 38 footer I designed and built last year, Check it out if you like!

    Thanks Pete Buxton

• 

  George Johnson says:

  It’s always good to see a boat like the Nellie H being saved… She has a lot of history under her keel and it should be preserved at all cost. And its always good to see a genuine Craftsman like Peter plying his craft!!
  Geo. Johnson

• 

  William English says:

  Peter “feels” wood. His comfort working the planking is inspiring. His manner of instruction is a gift we are privileged to share in this video. Wonderful presentation!

• 

  Gene Nelson says:

  Really liked the plank installation !

• 

  David Dickmeyer says:

  Very, very enjoyable series. I would like to see more of Peter’s excellent work on film!
  Thank you so much!

• 

  Harry Hammond says:

  Absolutely inspiring to see how how one man, working alone, using a variety of tricks, is able to patiently persevere and get by without a helper. After I get tired of wishing and hoping someone would drop by to lend the third hand to position, clamp and fasten, it’s time to get creative.

  Peter really show us how.

  Kudos.

  • 

    Harry Hammond says:

    Absolutely inspiring to see how how one man, working alone, using a variety of tricks, is able to patiently persevere and get by without a helper. After I get tired of wishing and hoping someone would drop by to lend the third hand to position, clamp and fasten, it’s time to get creative.

    Peter really shows us how.

    Kudos.

• 

  David Carper says:

  Very helpful video. Watching the quiet professional do his work affirms the learning and methods visually. I have been through alot of books on spiling etc. but watching it completes the learning. There are always those layman’s questions, however. Thank you,David