BLACKISH MANZONIA-2X7X1000 MM-10 PCS

Dark manzonia strips 2 x 7 x 1000 mm

The pack holds ten wooden strips with a section of 2 x 7 mm and a length of one meter. A width of seven millimeters is the most generous of the common strip profiles, so a hull gets planked faster and with fewer longitudinal seams. Manzonia is an African hardwood with a dark tone and a dense, unassertive grain that does not compete with the details on a model but holds a calm dark surface.

Use on a model

• the visible layer of hull planking where you want wider planks and fewer seams
• wide deck planks and deck edging
• dark bands, facing for superstructures and interior facing of open spaces
• making up material for a kit on the bench whose strips have run out

Working with the wood

A wider strip twists less readily into the complex shape of a bow, so with it more thorough shaping pays off: moisten it, warm it in a plank bender and let it cool directly on a template or on the finished frames. Where the width does not fit into the narrowing, bevel the strip lengthwise with a sharp scalpel — with planking that is standard practice, and the seam then stays tight. It is bonded with PVA wood glue, and edges and short joints will take super glue. Once dry, sand the surface with fine paper along the grain and fill any gaps with a mixture of sanding dust from the same wood and glue. Seal the surface with matte varnish, wax or oil, depending on how rich a tone you want.

Who the strips are for

For modelers who build wooden ship models and want dark visible planking with as few joins as possible, and for builders working to plans of their own who find a wider profile in one wood and one tone useful.

The strips are supplied in their natural state, unworked and without any surface finish. Glue, abrasives and varnish are not included in the package.