mainiac68

Hi all. I'm resuming a boat build I started years ago. I started planking then with clear pine I ripped into 1/8"T x 3/8"W x 5'L lengths. After just beginning and getting about 8 planks on either side of the keel it got shelved. Years later I'm retired in Florida so I dragged it out but I no longer have the shop gear I had then. I went to the local hobby shop and bought a length of 1/8"x3"x36" balsa for about $3.50 and picked up a balsa stripper also.The stripperworked well and I put on two planks each side and I am underwelmed by the balsa compared to the sturdiness of the pine planking. I went on balsausa.com and priced the amount of basswood I would need and it is very reasonable. Will basswood conform to the bends of the hull by soaking in ammonia like pine will? I would put the pine in a capped piece of pvc pipe and cover with ammonia (not the sudsy kind) and let it soak from a few hours to overnight. Then it was soooooo pliable I could clamp and let dry, then glue up. When clamped and glued I drill through the planks into the formers (stations) and glue the hole and drive a peg in. It makes one sturdy hull. Does anyone plank with basswood like this?

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

I used both in this build.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_11..._1/key_/tm.htm

1/16 basswood will not bend as easy as 3/16 balsa. Dan.

fritzke

My Feedback: (1)

I like basswood a lot. I used it for the toe rail on an old fireboat that I built and rebuilt.
Dave
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_51...tm.htm#9520377