Moccasin 12

[slaterturf]

Thanks for the help BillB.  I now understand more.  I have made a small batten out of the shirt cardboard I have.  I will cut it to 13" and use it to draw my radius.  I may also be able to build battens of different lengths out of the same material to draw other lines.  I had an actual batten out of an old windsurfer sail, but it was to stiff. I now think I am ready to draw the lines for the doubler. 

[slaterturf]

I have drawn my radius.  I discovered I have a nice steel ruler with a hole at the 0 inch mark.  It worked nicely for a push pin to keep it in position while scribing the radius.  I will be building my boat the extra length available to it as pointed out to me by Graham.  That means the TCL is 48" from the four foot plywood edge.  If I am figuring this right, the TCL is now 33.25 inches from either end of the doubler, rather than 29.5 inches.  Would this impact the radius measurement in any way?  Thanks to those who know.

[slaterturf]

I think I have answered my own question.  The radius is not impacted.  The intersect of the radius and the edge of the doubler is not 13" away from the centerline of the doubler.  I believe that is what I was trying to clarify.  I have simply scribed the dimensions of the doubler and realized that the intersect is on the 13" radius, but not 13" away from the centerline. 

[slaterturf]

Today I cut all my pieces of the Mocassin.  The jigsaw worked fine.  In some places it tore the wood a little bit, but nothing I cannot plane or sand off.  The next step is to plane the bow/side pieces.  I have all four clamped together so that I can finish the edges together.  I have rasp in the form of a plane.  I will try to post a photo here of what it looks like. I tried using the rasp but it did not seem to provide much action.

[slaterturf]

Wow, that is the first time posting one of my photos worked.

[cdunc]

I started with an Anant block blane and a water stone for sharpening.  Worked very well for a first plane.  My wife recently bought me a Veritas block plane and wow it is great.  Worked right out of the box planing end grain. 

Craig

[John Burritt]

Look for an old Stanley block plane w/ an adjustable throat.  Check antique stores, moving sales, etc.  Condition doesn't have to be perfect because you'll tune it up anyway.  The secret, as always, is a flat sole & a sharp blade.  These are a good starting point.  Then you can move up-scale if you feel its necessary.  (Remember, the blade on a block plane has the bevel up, as opposed to down on most other planes.)

[slaterturf]

I am making headway.  These photos illustrate the current status. The gap at the side/bow is pretty big.  It resulted from the a-a line being cut.  Do I fill this in with thickened epoxy?  and then tape it over?  Or do I try to first cut a piece of wood that is close to the gap shape, plug it in and then epoxy the remainder?  I got confused over the a-a line.  The consequence being that two of the Side/bow pieces have a gap and two do not.  The ones that do have a gap also have a V shape cut out of the side that will become the chine with the bottom, although you cannot see it in these photos.  

[John Burritt]

What happens to that gap when you pull the panels 3D?  Don't put anything in that will inhibit the bend.  I wouldn't mess w/ it until I pulled the boat into shape.

[slaterturf]

John, thanks for the comment.  I have not pulled the boat into 3D. 

[ChrisObee]

I would tape up to but not over the gap and wait untill its 3d to fix it up.  At that point you can cut some scrap to size and patch it.  After the patch is in place tape over the patch. 

[John Burritt]

The pic is correct.  The bottom-to-end seams fit fine.  These have to be taped before you can go 3D.  Its the joint between the end panels where the gap is.  It can be fixed later.

[slaterturf]

Thanks Chris and John.  I am ready to tape and epoxy.  I have to clear out the garage this weekend in order to have more space to fold up the bow and stern.  This is so much fun, and it is amazing that via this forum we can have a conversation and I am able to gain guidance.  Thanks again.

[slaterturf]

I have been preparing to tape and glue the bottom to side/bow joints.  Practicing with mixing the epoxy, applying it to fiberglass tape on two pieces of scrap plywood, locating mixing containers, timing the cure rate, and more fun learning.  As I look beyond joining the bottom and the sides, I am wondering about the "fold".  I have seen and read in some of the threads here that is will be a good idea to secure the front of the cut to be folded with a block of wood so that it won't crack as I fold it up into position.

Two questions to those who might know, 1. do I place a block of wood on each side to the plywood and screw them together through the plywood, and 2. if I were to place a piece of sponge under the plywood on one side and then wet it with water, would that help in bending the wood when the time comes to do so?  It seems it might add moisture locally to the wood fibers giving them the chance to flex easily with the fold? 

Oh, and another question.  I will buy some brushes to paint on the epoxy.  Is there a way to reuse these or do I have to dispose them after each use?  Can I keep the one I am using in water temporarily and then come back and use it again.  For example, over a lunch hour?  overnight?

Thanks.

[John Burritt]

Last question first.  Use "chip" brushes, a natural bristle disposable brush available lots of places.  Cheapest is someplace like Harbor Freight, if you have one nearby.  Actually, these brushes are reusable, if soaked/cleaned in some solvent like vinegar, alchohol, etc. - NOT WATER!  Water won't do a thing to the epoxy except make it gummier.

Use a small block of plywood on each side of the end of the joint.  Overdrill the outside block so the screw threads don't hang up in it.  Don't know what the sponge would do.  Premoistening the wood might relieve some of the initial stress, but it will dry out long before the blocks come off.  They stay until the joints are glassed to take the stress.

Hopefully you're using a slow curing epoxy.  Don't need to be in a rush doing this stuff.

[Gordy Hill]

During a lunch break, try wrapping your brush or roller in Saran Wrap and putting it in the freezer. When it warms it'll be ready to continue. I've left some overnight and most came out just fine......some didn't...no loss.

[slaterturf]

I am trying to visualize how the side folds up from the bottom once the epoxy has set.  Here is a photo of one of my samples of gluing two scrap pieces of plywood together with glass tape.  I did the sample on both sides as I am planning to do so for the boat.  I did the experiment two times learning how to mix the epoxy, spread it, lay the tape in place both on the bottom and top, and learning how long it takes in my little basement shop to cure.  It cured overnight enough to pick it up.  It would slightly bend, but it was tough.  By the end of the day today, it is so hard and set that the two scrap pieces will not bend.

[slaterturf]

As I think about what will occur folding the side up into their positions, I think the plywood must flex and curve to a bend.  The five inch cut on the bottom center line at each end will contribute the ability of the sides to bend into "boat" shape. 

I have wondered if the five inch cut could be done before the taping and gluing, but I think I have answered my own question.  The five inch cut has to be done after the tape and glue have cured.  If it were done beforehand it would simply be taped and glued over. 

Any thoughts are appreciated. Thanks.

[Designer]

Yes, you are right, tape the parts first and make the 5" cut before folding. 

[slaterturf]