Shamed into fiberglassing

[JMetzner]

Last year Mark G. came over to my place to take a look at my weekender

project before he started his. Well, he's had his in the water. Now he's got

the whole family working on boats. So, before I was further emembarassed by

a 9-yr. old finishing a boat project before I got mine done I got my

butt out to the boatshed and got to work. Since it was -56F on Sunday, I

didn't really feel like going outside anyway, I got to fiberglassing the

topsides and cockpit of As You Wish. With Monday off I got a first pass finished off.

Man, was that cockpit a pain! If it wasn't for those bondo squeegies,

I couldn't have done it. Still had some problems in the corners. I'll have to

sand and patch a few places, but overall, I'm pretty happy with the results.

--John M.

Fairbanks, Alaska

[attachment over 4 years old deleted by admin]

[Johannah]

Nothing like little kids to make you competitive. 8) Your boat looks great and should be ready to impress the neighbours for next season. Any spars yet? With all the boat building going on up there, would it make sense to have a basic spar building weekend to rough out the blanks for several boats at once?

[JMetzner]

I have the material for the mast and bowsprit. They've been "curing" now

for almost a year (yeah that's it, I did that on purpose, so they were stable).

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

It might not be a bad idea to schedule a get together for spare making....

Hmmm, I hadn't thought about it. Mark?

--John M.

Fairbanks, AK

[JMetzner]

I got a chance to update the web page with the latest. Anyone interested go to:

http://www.arsc.edu/~jlm/AsYouWish/upright.html

--John M.

Fairbanks, AK

[Mark Gudschinsky]

Well john,

I've been advancing the boat projects by wrestling in the oil tank tonight. The permanent heat will be on in the boat shed tomorrow. We are shooting for final paint Thursday and a garage door Friday.

Saturday, we're dragging in the boat building tools!

So, you are invited to come on by any time. The same invitation goes to Mike and Joan also.

We expect to have an Amphora lofted and cut out Sunday.

Examples of Weekender spars are still being well preserved out in the cold. I don't think I'll get permission from Alexander and Laura to put The Flyer in the shed until at least the Amphora in done.

[Mark Gudschinsky]

Regarding spar making; last Saturday on PBS, the Woodwright's Shop had a great show on how to build a tool for spar making. (They actually were showing how to build a smaller version for tool handels.) When the host mentioned you could make one for boat building Laura was glued to the TV. So when we all do get to spar making I might first have to build the tool for all to try!

[Mark Hughes]

Ok, don't leave us all hanging! For those of us who didn't see Sunday's episode, what type of tool are we talking here? A spoke shave? a lathe? Inquiring minds want to know!

[Mark Gudschinsky]

I don't know what he called it!

I'll describe it. If the description is any good I'm sure one of our more experienced members will chime in, maybe even have a picture.

The tool is designed to do produce a tapered shaft from a roughed out shape. The specific example he made on the show was sized to make broom or shovel handels. He did show a larger example that looked to produce a 3'' to 4" shaft (spar).

The tool was basically a plane that rotated around the stock like and endless pencel sharpener. It is made in two halves with one half being the plane that held the blade perpendicular to the shaft. The halfs are held together with threaded handels that tightened the halves together to control the taper.

The user placed the tool on one end of the roughed out stock and holding the handels (manually!) rotated the tool around the stock, producing a mostly finished round shaft. It looked as though when you got to the other end you would be able to skip that days trip to the gym. So a tool thats fun and good for you.

[Mike Pennington]

I went to look for that program, hoping to find that tool. No luck, once I got beyound the schedual page.

That tool sounds like the perfect tool for oars, as well.

Mark, next time push record on the vcr, please.

Hmm, maybe Ill try a search for, "planes for rounding shafts," at MSN.

John, you will be ready by June, I can't wait to see these boats on the lake, together.

Mike

[JMetzner]

Hey Mike,

Good to hear from you! Hadn't seen you around much on the board. 'Course, I haven't been around much on the board till lately.

I don't know if I'll be finished by June or not. Pondering hard on where I'm going to build my sails. But it's felt great to get going again on the project.

I was thinking the other day that after Mark's kids get their boats done, it would be great to get everyone out to Harding Lake for a Fairbanks Flotilla photo opportunity.

--John M.

Fairbanks, AK

[Mike Pennington]

I am definately ready myself. Bring on the spring.

I have been having some trouble, so I took a few more weeks off to heal up. I have been roughing it, gritting my teeth at times, laying awake wondering if I was going to get better. Funny thing is the reason why I want to get bettter is so I can do that list of improvements on my Vacationer. :roll:

When you got these boats in your blood, or mabe I should say when my blood gets on the boat, A guy really knows he has got the boat bug.

That is great you are going to make your sails, I think of making my own set some times for the distant future, while I have Paul's for a pattern. :wink: Actually, the set I have is in good condition, but I would like to have a set for some of the rougher camping excursions I get myself into. :shock:

If I took the furniture out of the living room I might be able to have enough room to make a set. However, when Joan got home my life expectancy would be shorter than a bug on the floor of Grand Central, New York.

I still haven't found that antique rounding plane, just mention of one, they always leave out the import part. No pic of the tools that make life easy.

Mike

[Mark Gudschinsky]

Well my bit of research says the tool was called a rounder plane. Still haven't found a photo yet.

John as for the boat, it doesn't need to be finished, it just needs to be able to sail. Both As You Wish and The Aurora Wolf (and crews) have a standing invitation to our beach at Harding Lake. We might even feed you.

Between us, by mid summer we may have five Stevensons boats out there, we can start our own fleet.

By the way, what are you guys doing posting on the fourm in the middle of the day? Aren't you supposed to be working or something?

[Mike Pennington]

I took six weeks off for the perpose of playing hooky. The doctors say the forced rest is for my own good so I am not arguing. :roll:

My computer got up graded and it now works, so I'm going to hang out.

Unfortunately, my doctor meant the rest part or I would build another boat. Plus, I think Joan's checking for saw dust. Whats a guy to do?

[JMetzner]

Mark,

I'm a computer geek for a living, so I'm on the net all day. I've been lucky this week to have had some extra time available (read: I'm really just slacking off). So I've been able to get a few postings in, as well as some time in the evening to work on the boat. The new computer system (the one that ate my life last year) has finally stabilized. I haven't had a 16 hr. day in at least a week....WooHoo!!

--John M.

Fairbanks, AK

[capt jake]

The new computer system (the one that ate my life last year) has finally stabilized. I haven't had a 16 hr. day in at least a week....WooHoo!!

That's such a great feeling when it is done!

Unfortunately, all of my ongoing projects at work decided to blosom all in the same month! I am looking forward to when they are all completed and 'stabilized' as you put it (though it is a different stabilization for me! ).

[John Teetsel]

Rounder plane Nifty little device. Make it bigger of course, but here are some plans.

http://www.pbs.org/wws/howto/images/e2104Rounderplane.pdf

Order the video from PBS here.

http://www.shoppbs.org/product/index.jsp?productId=1405065