gjdale

Great save Danny!

Welcome back. I look forward to seeing your progress.

Congratulations on another outstanding model Dan. It’s been a real pleasure to follow your log. I look forward to the next.

Mark, Sometimes the simple solutions are the best. If you use your current caul as a template, just trace the curve onto a board wide enough to cut the curve down the middle on the bandsaw. And voila - instant two-sided clamping caul ready to go in the bench vice. No need for other clamps that would get in the way. Saw this idea in use in some full size furniture making. Curved cauls were made and used to form a bent lamination. Once the lamination had been formed, anytime further work (eg joinery) was to be done on the laminated piece, it went back in the caul in the vice for holding.

Actually Mark, if you have a bandsaw and some scrap 3/4” pine boards, it really wouldn’t take much to make individualised cauls. A quick trace of the outline of your curved plank, whip it through the bandsaw and you’re done - about 30 seconds work in total I reckon. Might be worth giving it a trial anyway. It could more than make up for the time taken later on. Think of the time and effort it would save you to have a clamped up plank ready to plane/sand for the sake of 30 seconds and a bit of scrap wood.

You could make a clamping caul - cut a block of wood down the middle to the shape of your curve, then sandwich the plank between the two pieces. You now have two square, parallel edges to place in an ordinary vice. Admittedly, a lot of work if one has to make a caul for each curved plank, but in theory it works....

So pleased to hear that you’ll be spending some more time on your wonderful Alfred build Gary! Looking forward to watching your progress and learning from you as you go.

So nice to see you back working on this little gem Wayne!

Such a treat to see another of your updates Doris. A truly remarkable work and an absolute joy to watch. Thank you for taking the time to share your art with us.

Thanks so much for posting these details Keith. 😊

I quickly discovered that using PVA glue for this planking was going to be problematic in terms of clamping. Reluctantly, I started using CA glue and completed the first layer of planks. The next day, I started suffering flu-like symptoms. As I’d been wearing my respirator while using the CA, I wasn’t sure if this was a virus, or was in fact still a reaction to the glue. I checked the date I’d last changed the filters and let’s just say that I went straight out and bought some new ones! It has taken a couple of weeks to get over the resultant symptoms, and then of course the usual excuses that keep one away from the shipyard! I was not terribly happy with the outcome of the planking. Despite Chuck’s best efforts to make this build fool proof, I managed to prove that it’s still possible to get it wrong! Although I did pre-bend and twist all of the strakes, I still managed to get a considerable “staircase” effect at the bow. I also ended up with dirty marks all over the hull as my fingers, graphite from the pencil “caulking”, and CA glue, combined to make quite a mess. On the plus side, I found that taking the trouble to line off the hull iaw Chuck’s instructions was a big help in monitoring the evenness of the planking on each side. There was one strake that “got away” a bit, but I was able to correct that with the next strake. Today I finally got back to addressing that mess. I spent quite a lot of time sanding out the "staircase" as well as the other irregularities and the dirty marks. Overall, it has come up to an acceptable level, though not even in the same league as some of the other builds here. There was one place in particular where I had done such a bad job that when sanding I ended up with a hole in the planking. I made up a filler of sanding dust and PVA glue to patch the hole and fortunately both it and one other “untidy” patch will eventually be hidden by the frieze. The hull is now ready for the additional layer of planks for the upper two strakes. That is going to have to wait for a couple of weeks as I’ll be away this week for work, and then taking a short trip up to Brisbane for my niece’s wedding. Will be nice to catch up with family for a few days. Here’s a couple of shots of the planking as it stands today.

Well, that just cost me a pretty penny! I’ve been wanting some decent files for a while and I can resist anything except temptation!!!!😮🤑😀

Lovely job Bob. Shame about the missing deadeye - that must have been quite frustrating for you!

Congratulations Derek - prepare to fall in love! I recall when I bought mine, shipping to Australia added 50% to the price. Now, I couldn’t even tell you how much it actually cost me - only how much I love it. As the old adage goes, quality is remembered long after price is forgotten.

Congratulations on the new addition to the family Mike! Now you will have even less time for modelling. 😮 Maybe you should enlist Daria’s help now that she has so much experience with her own build......🤗

It has been six months since this log was last updated. It seems that the usual culprits of work, life and other projects and priorities have conspired against making progress. I did at last return to the build last weekend, although did not update progress as there was nothing really to show. The frames have been permanently attached to the keel, and then faired ready for planking. I then lined off the hull following Chuck's excellent instructions. Planking commenced with the Garboard strake, per the instructions. A small travel iron was used to provide the twist and bend required for these strakes. I cut one of the aft sections too short and so had to cut a new plank – no problem thanks to the extra material provided and the laser cut outline providing the template for the new plank. Then, when attempting to place the second (forward) plank, I discovered I’d made the new aft one too narrow. Fortunately, I'd used PVA rather than CA (which I have an allergic reaction to), so out with the isopropyl alcohol and off it came. Third time is the charm as they say, and so it was. Both Garboard planks on both sides now fitted. Hopefully it won't be another six months before the next update!

Congratulations Ben - lovely work, as we’ve come to expect from you!

Excellent work Daria. You sure are showing Dad how it should be done!

Looking forward to following another “Danny Special” 😀

Great videos Chuck! They may have been a pain to produce but they are absolute gold. Thank you for taking the time to do this for the community - I know that many, many people will benefit from this demonstration. If a picture tells a thousand words, then how much does a video tell? Well done, Sir!

I found this in the local hardware store for AUD $9.98. It’s a reasonably soft rubber and you just cut the section to fit both the dust post on the saw and the vaccum hose. I use a Festool CTL 26 and it works like a charm.

Welcome home Sherry. The violin is an outstanding piece of workmanship - I’m sure your daughter is delighted and you can be justifiably proud. Now, get back to work! 😉

I guess this officially makes you a “rivet counter” Danny! 😀

Great to see you back at the bench Daria. Looks like you’ve got everything under control there - except Dad! 😉

Lovely work Bob - just what we have come to expect from you!