Skipjack by michael mott - 1/8th scale - SMALL - 19 foot open launch

[mtaylor]

Now that would be a garage sale worthy of a 15 hour drive....

[Bedford]

I hear you Michael, You have had access to a much greater range of "collectables" than me over the years but when I got divorced and the house sold I had a philosophy about packing my shed/garage, if it had laid untouched for the 9 years we lived there it went in the bin (unless I could see genuine use or value in it) otherwise I took it with me, then I adopted the same approach when unpacking and stowing everything away. I got rid of a lot of junk.

 

Good luck  

[michael mott]

Now that would be a garage sale worthy of a 15 hour drive....

 

Wow I can Drive to Vancouver in 12 hours without breaking the speed limit.

 

 

I adopted the same approach when unpacking and stowing everything away. I got rid of a lot of junk.

I have adopted the maxim that if any item brings real joy when I hold it in my hand it will be kept, otherwise I will let it go.

 

I will assemble a list of the stuff I am going to reduce over the next little while so that if anyone wanted any of these duplicates or raw material we could sort something out. I have done a few garage sales in the past and now I avoid having or going to them like the plague.

 

I also do have a couple of model items that I know will never get finished like the Victory Cannonade that I started many years ago in 1:8 scale, the barrel was machined from solid brass. I will sell to any reasonable offer on that one plus shipping because it is heavy.

 

Michael

Edited May 16, 2015 by michael mott

[pete48]

Hi Michael, you would not happen to have any Teak laying around

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[capnharv2]

Michael,

 

It sounds like you're moving closer to us (here is Seattle). We hope you get the chance to drop by sometime.

 

I was thinking about moving to Canada for a while. I saw a really nice place in Sooke that had plenty of room, single story, shop, and waterfront on Sooke Basin-for 400K Cdn. We decided that the changing of doctors and quarantine for the cats (and just the process of moving to a place that we don't know anybody) was too much. We still enjoy our trips to Vancouver Island.

 

Please let us know what you are liquidating. I suspect you have lots of things that others here would like.

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

[cog]

Michael,

 

What I hear is that you did a lot better than me the last move ...

 

 

It is a serious learning curve, but I am a determined student, I am going to live the next 30 years clutter free which is really exciting.

Teach me what you've learned on the way, I could use a few hints and pointers!!!

 

Good luck, lots of strength of will, enginuity, creativity, and perseverance. I presume the admiral has a directing role ... which will be helpfull

[SailorGreg]

My next shop will be very tidy and tools will all have their own special places, no clutter will be allowed, each project will have proper storage of parts and materials as they progress!

 

I am a reformed Hoarder, My time will be better spent building models and not sorting and organizing and looking for something that I collected 20 or 30 years ago, for instance I really only need about twenty feet of very fine spring wire not 3 miles, All the containers of little pieces of cut wood continue to grow with no signs of them getting used (it is easier to cut new for what I need) I just need to learn to not cut so many extra bits that then get stacked.

 

OK, looks like it's time for another thread to help us inveterate hoarders. How do you break the habit?  How do you throw away ( ) that lovely little piece of walnut that is definitely going to be just right for... well, something, or that strip of maple that didn't quite work on this model but will be ideal for the next one?  All advice gratefully received!    (And I did use one spare piece just the other day, really I did.  Only 873 to go )

 

Greg

Edited May 16, 2015 by SailorGreg

[michael mott]

Ok I have started a new thread in shore leave regarding  hoarding

 

 

 

Hi Michael, you would not happen to have any Teak laying around

 

Pete I am sending you a PM.

 

 

Now back to the boat.

 

Skipjack parts are now tidy

 

 

 

Michael

[captainbob]

Hope you finish skipjack before the move.  After my last move it was four months before I got set up to build. 

 

May the seas be gentile and the wind at your back.

 

Bob

[michael mott]

Hi Bob, thanks for the sentiment, I think I will be in the same boat that you were in though, I really do have a lot to do to get prepared, I would like to move before the end of summer.

 

Michael

[captainbob]

My wife's uncle lives on a small inlet at the south end of Puget Sound, I'm sure you will find someplace just as nice.

 

Bob

[popeye the sailor]

those pictures really puts that engine into perspective...........really small!  I wish you well with preparations for the move.....definitely an understandable reason for your hiatus.  I hope everything goes smoothly 

[Landlocked123]

Ok I have started a new thread in shore leave regarding hoarding

 

 

 

 

Pete I am sending you a PM.

 

 

Now back to the boat.

 

Skipjack parts are now tidy

 

IMG_6136x800.jpg

 

IMG_6135x800.jpg

 

Michael

I'm impressed!!!!! Edited May 22, 2015 by Landlocked123

[Chasseur]

Big decision here but a no brainer. I am sure you'll miss the minus 35 Celcius temperatures with 2 feet of snow LOL!,❄️

Congratulations you are now a member of Hoarders Anonymous!

I did a big purge last year when I quit the war gaming gig. I gave a lot of stuff away and sold some of it.

It's always better to give than receive.

 

Blessings on your move ... Jeff

[cog]

Michael,

 

Seeing those pictures, it just registers how small the engine truly is ... hope preparations are going according to plan, best wishes for this hectic time for Judy too, hope it's not to tiring for her

[ggrieco]

Hello Michael,

 

I've been watching a couple of your builds but I don't know how I missed this one. I love a beautiful piece of machinery! Can't wait to see more!

[michael mott]

Glenn thanks, I will be getting back to this, I have been using the Herreshoff to get a better handle on planking. The hull of Skipjack has 11 strakes and has a canoe stern as well. Once the weather warms up a bit and i can comfortably work out in the shop it will be easier to proceed with the engine as well.

 

Michael

[michael mott]

Lawrence thanks for your thoughts.

Today The boat was retrieved from high shelf.

The first task was to clean up the dust the a test fit of one of the stringers to see how well this process will work.

 

 

it was apparent that the spacing of the holes for the stringer along the sheer were wrong.

 

 

I also decided to add some wood to the forms, this will enable me to fix the stringers with some tiny brass screws, I also cut some new stringers.

 

 

 

 

 

The new stringers are redwood 1/8th x 1/16 inch. The next task is to finish the shaping of the stem and sternpost.

 

Michael

[Jim Lad]

Nice to see her back on the work bench, Michael!

 

John

[Omega1234]

Hi Michael

 

I was wondering what had happened with this build...great to you back into it!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[Mirabell61]

A nice set up for the build Michael,

 

Trust you will be keeping the bulkheads in place later on. Are the stringers going to be sunk in flush in the bulkheads ?

Looks like it will be a nice (and large) tucker boat. Is your self made engine built to drive the boat later on...

 

Nls

[michael mott]

Thanks for the visits

Nils the bulkheads will not be part of the finished model. My intention is to set the stringers in order to prepare and place the ribs the stringers will be removed as the planks are fitted. in post #56 I outlined the process. My hope is to use the Buffalo Engine to drive the launch.

 

my thoughts are to add at least 8 or 10 ribands to each side evenly spaced. My understanding is that the ribs on the full size are 3/4 by 1/2 inch. In rereading Roger's notes there is a plate on top of the keel that is 4 inches by 3/4 inches and tapers toward the bow and stern. this plate forms the upper side of the bearding line for the planking and gives a greater area to attach the garboard strake.

 

I am going to make the keel, keel plate, stem and sternpost out of the Castello Boxwood. I need to make the ribands strong enough to not deform when I set in the frames. something that has crossed my mind is to use some thread to hold the frames (ribs) to the ribbands while they set. The fir test frames were pretty flexible, however I am also going to test the Castello for the frames as well, they will be 3/32 x 1/16th full size on the model.

 

The original was planked in Yellow Cyprus I am still thinking about the planks and will likely go with Costello for them as well here is a drawing showing the sections at the same stations as the form bulkheads.

 

 

michael

Edited May 25, 2016 by michael mott

[Mirabell61]

Thanks for your explanation Micheal,

 

I think now I understand what you are going for....

You`re building a sort of a dummy removable "plug-network", an interesting technique.....

Can hardly wait to see your Buffalo engine running

 

Nils

[captainbob]

I like the idea of a keel plate.  That should make it easier to install the garboard.  With the wide spacing between the bulkheads, you may want to add more ribbands to support the force of the ribs.

 

Bob

[michael mott]

Hi Bob

My plan is to do just that and include as many ribbands as possible and still allow access to placing the ribs the ribs will be held in place initially with either copper wire or some heavy thread.

 

The details if the construction of the hull are a little sketchy this picture shows the floor timbers they look at first glance to be  placed over the ceiling boards,

 

 

but the rivets or bolts along the bottom edge tell me that they are fixed to the ribs, these were in all likelyhood set in place before the planking which would make their installation far easier than if they were placed afterwards. I have no information about how the floors or ribs were fixed or set against the keel plate at the moment so this will need to be sorted before the ribbands are set.

 

Work continues on the sternpost a tricky devil for me but child's play for the likes of those who carve the fantastic figure heads like the one on Johann's barge.

 

 

 

 

 

It is good to back to cutting wood.

 

Michael

 

 

[captainbob]

That's interesting attachment for the floor timbers. You would have to place the ribs inside the ribbands.  Or remove some of the ribbands near the keel.  I have seen ribs attached inside the ribbands, but it more difficult that way.  I'll wait to see how you handle this.

 

Bob

[popeye the sailor]

looks awesome Michael.........I've not done one this way......interesting to see.   I like that picture of the engine in the hull......very cool concept  

[michael mott]

 

I like the idea of a keel plate.  That should make it easier to install the garboard.  With the wide spacing between the bulkheads, you may want to add more ribbands to support the force of the ribs.

I have given this a lot of thought and have spent some time revisiting the number of bulkheads. I'm probably just second guessing myself at this point.

 

I am thinking that I might change the number of bulkheads by adding a few more.

 

I have also updated my drawing of the body profiles using Corel Draw version 17 which has some features that I used to use changed, and new features added, that I have to learn. Its that old dog new tricks thing.  Overall I like the way it has changed from my version 11

 

 

body profiles for forum post.pdf

 

My gut is telling me I will be doing a bit more form work before the ribands get added.

 

I am happy with the way the stern post turned out. sorry about the shaky i phone pics

 

 

 

 

Michael

 

 

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

very smooth look to it      very nice!

[woodenmast]

Greetings- I am doing research on a boat I have and am trying to establish the builder.The hull is very similar to Floss/Skipjack. Tried to contact Harold Shields who wrote an article for Woodenboat, but he had recently suffered a stroke and was unable to remember much. I noticed your post from a while back and was wondering if you had any response.

This boat was purchased from the owner in 1964 and who stated it was build in Peterborough On. in 1912. Was powered by a 2 cyl. Ferro. It is now powered by a 1 cyl steam engine.

 

Any info would be appreciated, I will try and forward a photo soon.

 

Many Thanks,

 

Don Hall