Rubber Band Clamping System for Planking Wooden RC Sailboats

Here are some images for various ways that you can use rubber bands to clamp down the planking when making a model wood RC sailboat like my Vintage Marblehead (VM) "High Flyer" Sun Wind II.

Start with a fairly wide strongback. Mine is 8" wide 3/4" MDF.

Then drive tacks or even small finishing nails, into the outside edge of the MDF in line with each frame. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE LINED UP WITH THE FRAMES! If you do this in-between the frames, you will warp the planks.

Then get yourself a couple bags of various sizes of rubber bands.

To clamp down a plank, just be creative! There are many ways you can use rubber bands to exert pressure on the planks.

Here are a few examples:

The Sun Wind II is coming along. It'll be a while though before the planking job is finished. Phew...

Aloha!

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