214 replies to this topic

[Hirilonde]

Looking good.  But I don't envy you the sanding at all!

I use high carbon roll pins turned into screw extractors a lot.  It still is a pain, but  helps often.

[PeterP]

Well it has come to this. I am sanding like a man possessed. I can do about 2 hours before the ol' bod says: Let's think about this-How about some machine sanding? I know I have to fight the urge despite the fact that I have every sander imaginable waiting to go to work. ( 2 palm sanders, 2- 6" random Porter Cable, Fein, 4x21 belt sander, full sheet Black&Decker described elsewhere). In the final stage it has to be the long boards until it is done, otherwise I'll just end up digging myself a hole or two or more. So a hit in the morning and after a brew (Camellia sinensis) and lunch -it's back for another lick. Lots of walking around and feeling the surface for imperfections in between. For a moment way back I had delusions about coming out of this with arms like Arnold Schw. but right now it looks more like a picture of a prehistoric ape man with arms dragging. At least the weather is co-operating: it is nice and icy cold - so I don't overheat. Sure could use some of that Kona Longboard -it would be real easy to keep cold right now  - stick a case of it in the snowdrift outside the shed. The picture shows false stem laminated and shaped and hull pretty much done except for a final hit b4 glass.  PeterP

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[John Turpin]

Beautiful.  Now, get off the computer and get back to your sanding.

[PeterP]

Off to a slow start today-It dropped down to 18F last night. Next guy opens his mouth about planet warming I have a good hard chunk of ice for him to suck on from Greenville, NC of all places. PeterP

[John Turpin]

Well, Peter, if it's any consolation.  I have to put trash bags over my shoes (duct taped closed around my legs) for my walk to my workshop.  The snow is just deep enough to fill my shoes if I don't.  When's winter over?

[PeterP]

I thought I heard wind howl last night but now I think it could have been ol' Ray laughing his head off about the warm South. PeterP

[John Burritt]

Peter - it could be worse.  Greenville, Maine is forecasting a low of -10 deg. F. w/ a wind chill of    -30 tonight. 

[Joe Anderson]

I just read through the whole thread. Like reading the first chapter of a book you know is going to be very interesting, a real page turner.

Could you post photos of glassing the hull.

I remember Charlie Jones had a thread that described glassing a hull, but I can not seem to find it.

Joe

[PeterP]

Just a few words about my shelter for those contemplating going the same route. The last couple of snow storms picked out some weaknesses in the design. The plastic can only go so far - of course - and I knew that from the start. So any accumulation of snow can be dangerous and as you can imagine with two snowfalls and rain in between made for some anxious moments. The pitch (1:14) is way too shallow to shed anything but rain. Snow is not that heavy by itself in (say 3-4") small quantities but soaked with rain you could end up with a couple tons of weight up there. My little "House of sticks" was definitely not meant for that. To compound the problem -the shed - attached to my shop- is directly underneath two pine trees ( the only place available to me as I should point out). I did worry about branches coming down and if fact I did saw off a couple of dead limbs while building the shelter. Turns out it is the pine cones doing the most damage. Big fat iced up pine cone can put a tight cluster of up to 10 pinholes in the roof. Because of the shallow pitch water just immediately drips down rather than running down the plastic over to the side as it did with my Bow Roof Shed. The fix is easy: dry the plastic, cut a patch (of the same stuff) goop it with OSI window caulk, slap the patch over the puncture(s), press in place. On the plus side when the shed is buttoned up the solar gain is amazing. On a sunny day at noon the temperature inside would be 25 deg higher. Hard to work in 30 deg weather but 55 is fine especially for sanding. Off to get the 'glass tomorrow at Graham's. PeterP

[Scott Dunsworth]

Peter I have been watching your progress with great interest. Graham is designing my wife and I a 33-34 foot Catketch. It will also be strip built. I don't know where in the world I'm going to build it at, but it will probably be in some sort of shed as you have done.
It won't be a sharpe,as much as I love the looks of them. I told Graham I really like the looks of the Island packets with their high freeboard and their mix of salty and modern look. He told me he had some rough drawings but is pretty much covered up. When he gets far enough along I will start milling the strips. It looks like you used a heap of them.
Didn't really mean to ramble on about my boat thats in the works. Just keep up the good work! Can not wait till you turn her over.

Scott

[PeterP]

Scott -best of luck. This is what makes our insanity bearable - the realization that others too suffer from the same symptoms. Give your shelter a serious consideration - I am getting hammered with mine. After the ice punctures last week we had 50MPH winds blow some branches down yesterday. Mostly small stuff and the puncture wounds are easy to fix. But it is unnerving. And -lucky -there was no rain. Getting the boat seriously wet at this stage is not a pleasant thought. How are you milling your lumber? Here is a tip that can save you some lumber: I ripped my 2x6 stock on a table saw using 71/4" super thin kerf saw blade instead of 10'' regular. I gained an extra plank out of every board ripped that way. PeterP   

[PeterP]

Started on 'glass. I did the transom more than a week ago with 10oz regular cloth since that is easier to coax around the rounded edges of the planking. The transom was one of the first pieces I put into the boat since all the planking lands on it. To protect the pretty Okoumi during the build I rolled three fat coats of epoxy on it. Naturally, to glass I had to sand a good chunk of it off. Then feathered the edges of the 10oz when it cured and then stood around waiting on weather. All the WOW I have done working offshore and still as impatient as ever. Then, suddenly, with snow still on the ground, I felt the glass itch. I was just gona cut some of it and drape it on the boat -just to see how it looked. Nothing else mind you. Still too cold I thought -and the sheer mass of the roll urged caution: 203 lbs of 12 oz 45 deg biaxial cloth. Just  manhandling it out of the truck and into the garage left me in awe and out of breath. Serious stuff this. The back side looked real rough. Fat as a bear hide. Major epoxy drinker this -I thought. But - with two skins of it - it ought to keep the water out alright. First picture shows me rolling out the 29 ft: Z-folding 2x 10ft plus 9 ft. The garage floor is the cleanest surface for that purpose but it is not long enough hence the Z-fold. Roll it up, cut the other piece and manhandle this Mother of All Rolls out of the way before The Dream Car gets back home. Second picture shows the cloth draped over the boat - slick side out. Nice - a bit stiff and definitely not as pliable as 10oz but nice. Then the shed warmed up and I am looking at the glass thinking: come on ya wuss all it needs is a couple gallons of 'pox. How hard is that. You've done that before. And before you know it I have a half of the glass peeled back and am busy wetting out the wood. Then do the other half and start on the glass. Of course it turned out to be a whole lot more work. I did a vertical 6' strip to completion until it started to get tacky. Move over and start another strip. Run back and bust bubbles. Start another strip, bust more bubbles and so on and so forth . Took four and half hours. By the time I hit the stem the stern was pretty much kicked off so I squeegeed a coat of microspheres on to fill the weave. Another one the following morning and when I finish typing this I'll do the final today. The last picture shows me filling the weave. PeterP

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[Tom Lathrop]

Great progress Peter.  Liz took me down to the waterfront for a walk today and I thought about you and the great weather for glassing.

Tha biaxial is serious stuff isn't it?

[Joe Anderson]

I like the image of you wrestling with a bear skin. It looks like you laid him out nice and proper.

When you glassed the transom did you wrap the edges around onto the sides and bottom of the hull a few inches?

Does the 12 oz wrap over onto the transom?

I am a little unsure of how to make that transition from hull to transom with the glass.

It looks like your glass is being held on by magic.

It is good to have a few tricks up your sleeve.


Joe

[PeterP]

Joe, the 10oz wraps over onto the planking and was feathered. The biax is too stiff for such a tight radius. As for the magic holding the glass in place it is quite simple. If you open the second picture with a magnifier you will be able to see a little black square toward the top of the glass - it's a 1" square piece of 1/4" plywood with a brad in the middle. I had 3 of them supporting the glass in the steepest parts. As the glass gets soaked and starts to stick they come out and the tiny hole fills up with epoxy. Be careful with unfinished glass edges, put your brad well away or you'll unravel the weave. You are using 12 oz biax on your EC22? PeterP  

[PeterP]

Good to hear Tom is out and about. Good luck with your recovery Tom! PeterP

[Joe Anderson]

I will be using 6 oz on my EC 22. So no bear wrestling for me.

I have never glassed anything larger than a kayak so I guess I want to have as many of my ducks in a row as possible.

[PeterP]

The Little Princess is now all glassed outside and because of the opaque glass beads filling the weave you can hardly tell she is basically a wooden boat. Also, sanding is back on the menu and it is starting to stick in my craw to tell the truth. For a change of pace I crawled inside and removed some temporary frames. It was good to sit there inside my boat -to- be and pretend she was already alive with sea swell. PeterP

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[Joe Anderson]

Came across this in a book of poems.

To sweep a floor or span a bay
bit by bit unto the ending
in perseverance always wending

No matter how complex the quest
build each part for just itself
forget the size of the remainder
it will shrink through patient labor

E.F. Pasbach

She is a big one but you are working your way.

[jawilco]

At the helm, wind cools my brow.
In retrospect I view it now.
Time  spent planning , doing tasks.
When’s the finish, they’d all asked.

Got thru it, I don’t know how.
I finished building her and now.
Gone the times my patience tried.
Now I rest on my  backside.