vaddoc

Thanks Hakan I buy these screws by the thousand from our Chinese friends at Aliexpress. They come in various lengths and I find them very useful. They need a pilot hole of 0.7 or 0.8 mm. A good screwdriver is also needed, AAA or AA. The AAA shaft has the same diameter as the head of the screw if it needs to be deeply countersunk. Look for "self tapping Philips head screw" but get the stainless steel ones (non-magnetic), plain steel have their heads round off very easily. Having said that, the last "stainless steel" I got seem to me to be just plain steel, they are rubbish all 2000 of them... Regads Vaddoc

A lot of progress today, things at last seem to fall into place. It is bitterly cold and England seem to be boiling with coronavirus. I had requested a week's annual leave and since we cannot leave the house, it is an opportunity to work on the boat. I attached small pieces to the top surface of the keel to keep the frames in place. These are glued and screwed in place except three that will need to be removed later so that floors can be attached. It is not an elegant solution but will be invisible and in this boat I have accepted that I will cut some corners to speed up the construction. I then brought everything together and checked for fairness. I had to chisel away some wood from frame No1 but happily, it seems that the hull is now fair. Planking will tell: the planks will be 2 mm stiff beech which will not tolerate any waviness in the hull. Then, I glued the stem and stern timbers. I used initially epoxy, thickened with plaster. The reason is that when I made the pieces, my disc sander was very slightly out of vertical alignment so I needed something with gap filling capabilities. It actually went very well and the keel is very close to the plans. In the next photo, the two boats are side by side. They are so different, I am very curious how planking will go. After a couple of hours, the epoxy had hardened. However, it is not enough-it needs further strengthening. I inserted 1 mm screws and secured the knee to the keel and to the stem-4 screws each. I took pictures which unfortunately were lost. I then inserted 2 more screws to secure the stem to the keel. The bow is now super strong. The holes will be filled later on before painting. Then I screwed the stern assembly to the keel. I had to remove a block to insert the screws underneath. I had huge troubles though inserting screws to the other end as I could not use the drill press. Finally I manage to get one screw in place-It should be enough. I then started to glue cross members to the frames. These will later be also screwed in place and more pieces will be glued length wise to stiffen up the structure. Next, I will finish the keel, that is cut the rest of the rabet and remove the paper pattern and sand it smooth. Now, on another note, I cannot find the transom. I am absolutely certain I had cut it but I simply cannot find it. I ll need to make it again and then it will be time to bring everything together. Best wishes Vaddoc

Much better run of the planks the second time! A few observations from my studying of lapstrake: that might interest you: 1. Due to the shape boats have, an illusion of a flat sheer at the bow can be created. To avoid this, some times it is good to have an "exaggerated sheer" at the bow. 2. Generally the garboard should not rise too much at the stem. Some times though if it does, it pushes the rest of the strakes higher at the stem so the planks have a more pleasing curved run. 3. The strakes at the maximum curvature of the hull should be less wide, to accommodate the curve. Also, looking from the side the planks bellow the waterline are viewed at an angle so can be made wider as they will appear more narrow to the eye. (the hull is quite straight there as well) 4. The sheer strake will not have the overlap but will be covered by the rub rail so the width needs to be adjusted accordingly 5. After the initial marking, a 2x2 mm strip can be used to mark the position of the edge of the plank on the rest of the frames ensuring a fair curve. A 2x4 can also be used and will show how much the plank needs to be spilled, the less well it sits on the frames, the more spilling will be needed. Indeed, the hull ultimately needs to be eyeballed. I have noticed the same, that if the strakes appear somewhat straight when installed, they won't be far off. Looking good Hakan, carry on Regards Vaddoc

Ok, I think it is done Next photo shows the new surface and how off frame 2 and to a lesser degree frame 3 was. I had to keep frame 1 as removing it I was getting a very wrong surface and I am absolutely not keen to re-loft the boat. I hope it will be fine, bit of sanding, bit of shimming... This are the new frame templates ready to be glued to the nasty plywood. This does not mean the hull will be fair, the frames need to be replaced and fairness to be rechecked with a batten Regards Vaddoc

Many thanks to all for your comments and likes. Now, there has been some more progress, and then things went pear shaped. First I finished the rabbet at the keel. It came out fine I think and actually seems to be quite forgiving in regards to the angle the garboard will have. I was very careful to preserve the straightness of the rabet line. At the stern, a lot of wood had to be removed, this job was done relatively easily with sharp chisels. Next it was time to fit the frames on the keel and see the shape of the boat for the first time. Something did not look right but of course the frames would not stay in place. The most accurate way to positions the frames is upside down as the vertical projections from the sheer extend to the same horizontal level quite accurately. However, the frames are not rigid at all and some are a bit warped. Best thing to do is to accurately secure them to the top view pattern of the boat. I used little pieces of beech from strips that were too warped to be used in the model. I used initially Pritt stick to glue into position and then 1 mm screws. Then I tried to put everything together but things really didn't want to work together. Every piece seemed to belong to a different boat... After a lot of sanding-fitting-sanding-fitting, the whole thing came together. Now it was time to check the bevels and the fairness of the planking. Midships and towards the stern, the bevels look ok. Towards the bow, the bevels on some frames look a bit too acute but should not be too big a problem. However, frames 2 and 3 seem too narrow and really wrong. Now, if these frames are indeed correct and it is just the shape of the hull, the planks going over frame 1 would actually never meet the rabet at the stem. Something is very wrong. I went back to CAD. Now, there was a small ripple on the hull surface near the bow which I thought was not important so did not bother to correct Just to check, I quickly fixed it and then compared the difference in frame shape at position 2. Oh dear... I suspect frames 2 and 3 are about 2 mm to narrow. So now I need to go back to CAD and redo frames 2 and 3, possibly also frame 1 and 4, but leaving the rest unchanged. Hopefully this is going to work, otherwise I ll need to make all the frames again. If this is needed though, I ll make them out of beech. Actually I have half a mind to just go for it, we ll see. It is freezing cold in Cambridgeshire, there is Covid all around and most of my work commitments have been cancelled. I should be able to do some work and get some control over the situation. Regards Vaddoc

Very nice Hakan! Seems to carry a lot of sails too. Yes, I would think maintenance should keep you busy year round! Back to your model, you still have 9 planks to squeeze in your bow and stern. This second plank looks a bit wide but maybe it is the angle of the photo. Very interested to see how it will turn out, as I have two boats almost ready to be planked-one carvel, the other clinker. Vaddoc

This is a good start Hakan. The 2 planks look good, I think you are planning for 9 planks a side. Interesting to see how they ll run. By the way, our aging eyes have trouble distinguishing ' from " in a 14 inch laptop, "blue water" though we did get! Come on, show us the boat! Regards EG

I was hoping you 'd pick this up again Hakan! Have fun building your model, I ll be watching from the back rows. Vaddoc

What a wonderful model! Regrettably I ve only been able to visit GL. Excellent job with the planking and rabets. Actually, top job with everything. Clearly you 're having a lot of fun! Could you explain how you stained the wood? It came out very good. Merry Christmas and a happy new Year! Vaddoc

A bit of progress so time for another update. I have not been able to work much and have not taken as many or as good photos as I could. I bought a few more chisels, two Narex 6 and 3 mm and a 3mm Ashley Isles V chisel. I really enjoy using the Narex chisels, they seem to get sharper and hold their edge better than the Aldi chisels I ve used. The Ashley isles seems very good as well, actually it arrived honed and ready to use! I also made a new honing guide and a jig to maintain the honing angle. Very easy to make with scrap material but it is essential to use a drill press to make sure everything is parallel and horizontal. The guide functions very well but I did not take a picture-will do and post it. Back on the boat I finished the bevels in all frames. Using an 8 mm Aldi chisel this job was actually quick, easy and accurate. I spend some time to hone it razor sharp but I found that even on the soft plywood, I had to use the strop very often. I ordered one from Narex. I regretted using plywood for the frames very much. It is very soft and it seems to have internal stresses because it bends and changes its dimensions after cut to shape. The reason I used plywood was cost and also because it will be completely hidden. Never again. Now, at this stage I need to think carefully before doing anything to make sure I don't mess things up, the various tasks need to be completed in a specific order. So, first I need to cut the rabet at the keel, deadwood and stem. I made the first cut at frame 11, it came out very well. However, then I realised that the keel is not horizontal but sloped and that the frames are vertical but at an angle to the keel. So I made a kind of base to keep the keel at its correct angle. I used scrap hardboard I found in the garage, it came out fine and does the job. I then cut the rabet at frames 10 and 9. I used chisels taking it slowly and checking constantly. So far I am very happy with the outcome, the rabet is coming out much better than in the Yawl. Next: Complete the rabet Attach the deadwood and stem Deal with the frames to strengthen, straighten, arrange in the jig and somehow attach to the keel Merry Christmas and a great new year to all! Vaddoc

Very nice work Brian! I ll bet on black (for the bottom colour). Your log is very interesting, looking forward for the rest of this journey. Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year! Vaddoc

Gary, echoing the other comments, a wonderful model. Fantastic work and a very inspiring log all together. Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year! Vaddoc

Yes, I use a strop and green compound too. Brings the metal to a mirror shine and a few passes, when the chisel shows reluctance to cut wood with ease, restores the edge. To save time I strop freehand.

I am no woodworker but I am slowly appreciate how accurate tool a well sharpened chisel can be. There is a learning curve in using a chisel and much more so in honing a chisel. The first chisels I got were from Aldi, the ones that chap Sellers says are brilliant. They do the job I must say. However, I got a 4 mm Narex which I ve always thought was better. Two days ago I received a couple more of the Narex chisels, a 3 mm and a 6 mm. I spend a bit of time honing them and used them today. My impression is they are easier to hone, they get sharper and they hold the edge longer than the Aldis, overall a better tool but the difference is not massive. I may just be imaging things though. In any case, I just ordered an 8 mm one. I believe that all modern branded chisels have good enough steel. However, to maintain a razor sharp edge, a chisel needs constant honing and from time to time reshaping. This part is I think even more important than the quality of steel. Honing stones in various grits, a honing guide and a jig to allow the chisel to be positioned always at the same angle on the honing guide is needed. Get the Narex, you will not regret I think and very good value for money. I also have an expensive Ashley Isles V chisel but have not used it yet Hope this is helpful Vaddoc

Keith, it did not work at all. The size of the tool is fine and it is powerful enough. I think the problem is the small length of the stroke. To remove material, 100 grit or less is needed. The size of the sandpaper particles at this grit is large. The head of the pen sander vibrates around 3 mm (or so), not enough to effectively sand and remove material. I experimented a bit but it is simply the wrong tool for the job. At least I did not have to pay for it as I used some Amazon gift vouchers I was given. I now carefully chisel the bevels (and occasionally my fingers). Power tools are too aggressive and files end up rounding the bevels. Not easy! Regards EG

A quick update The keel has come a long way but of course there is more work needed. It is not glued together yet, I need to think how best to do it. Shaping the inner bevels of the frames is proving to be a difficult and very time consuming job. It would be nice to have some kind of power tool, small enough to fit in and be controllable but also powerful enough to sand away the 6 mm plywood. I bought the Proxon pencil sander, it hope it will make the task easier but really I do not have high hopes. I will report when it arrives.

At some point consider having a go making your own rope walk and rope. It can be made inexpensively from whatever left over materials or things bought cheaply. It is an art on its own and great fun.

Maple is a fantastic wood for planking. Not as hard as beech and pear but holds an edge, superb in bending, easy to work with. Minimal grain, white-ish. If you like the colour, you will not regret.

Also check Arkowood. They seem to select the timber they send out quite well. I love beech. It is hard and tough, holds an edge, glues well, sands well, bends fantastically well. Good for frames, planks, keel. Does not split like walnut. I am going to plank two boats at 1:10 scale with it. I like it looks and colour although the pattern is quite prominent. A couple of things though. The wood pattern depends how it is cut, can be elegant little dots (usually) or wide spots (not very nice). Also, wood seems to vary from tree to tree (I know, big surprise here...) I received some beech recently that seems much harder than wood I bought in the past. If you like the looks go for it.

Just catching up Brian, the stove came out great. What paint did you use and did you use any primer?

At your own pace Phil 😁 The wood (in your case paper) is patient, so are we.

Lovely colour!

Bob many thanks, indeed this progress is pretty fast for my standards Keith and Allan, Fanta Zero Sugar is one of those little pleasures that make life meaningful! Now, I stole a few moments to spend in the shipyard. I tidied up a bit and then did a tiny bit of work. The frames are underway, so I wanted to start work on the keel, stem and deadwood/stern. These will be partly visible and furthermore the rabet will need to be curved, so they cannot be made from plywood. Even if I end up painting the boat (quite possible), they still need to be made from wood. I chose to use pear, mostly because I forgot I also had beech which is much cheaper. Now, I have 2 sheets of pear to choose from, a lighter shade and one with the usual darker pear wood colour. I chose to use the lighter one because it was dead straight and flat, whereas the darker one was slightly warped and cupped. Shame really, lovely wood The sheet is supposed to be 8mm but it is actually 8.5, no harm done though, I ll just sand the notches on the frames a bit more. Now, this is the keel and the top view of all the frames For the stern and dead view, I have the option of either building it up from pieces exactly as the plans show, or doing it en block, from the same 8 mm sheet. The first option is too complex and I am already cutting corners with this boat with the plywood frames. Makes sense to make it one piece These are the patterns for the stem and knee, again from 8 mm sheet This are the side views patterns for the bow and stern, will help to make sure all are in roughly the correct position I managed to cut the keel straight but then I was summoned in the house. It will probably be a while before I can do any more work Take care Vaddoc

I think another update is in order. Box, many thanks but actually the frames on the photo were roughly cut , they were later finished to the exact pattern. Keith, it was actually very easy to glue the mirror pattern on the back. I am pretty sure there are already significant tolerances in the build, a bit more to the left or to the right will make no difference I think! I just managed to scrape a few moments here and there to work on the boat. I first finished all the frames to the exact pattern using the disc sander and mostly diamond files, which remove a lot of wood quickly. This took a while as the plywood at 6 mm is pretty thick. Then, I printed mirror patterns for all frames and with scissors cut the outline. Then I simply glued the frames to the back of the pattern. It actually worked pretty well. I could not resist aligning the frames, nice curves I must say... The straight parts that ruin the poetry will later be cut off, they are there just to help to set up the frames. However, this was the easier part. I now need to cut the bevels, both for the outer and the inner planking. This is pretty challenging. The diamond files are not useful here. The disc sander is far too aggressive and far too large. What actually made the task easier was to attach round sand paper to the Dremel. I like this trick, it sands not too aggressively but also is flexible and can fit in tight spaces. A mountain of work left, I ve only sanded the bevels for two frames. I also printed the patterns for the keel and stem. I think I will cut the deadwood en block instead of building it up. I am not 100% certain how the boat will be assembled, probably the right side up as the frames will be permanent so need to somehow be well attached to the keel. We ll see. Regards Vaddoc

Do not worry. The smoother the better. You will not regret the work you put in preparing the surface for paint. The primer magnifies faults 10 times, the paint a hundred. 0000 wool is something like 400-600 grit I would think. No issues, both acrylics and enamels will love your smooth primed surface.