Abyssdncr Posted February 10, 2016 Author Posted February 10, 2016 Foot braces showed up today. Quote
Action Tiger Posted February 10, 2016 Posted February 10, 2016 Funny. I look for excuses to steam wood. Making some fenders for a bicycle right now, simply because I had some ash and the steam box was just staring right at me. Glue for me, not so much. You are really going to enjoy this boat. Quote
Abyssdncr Posted February 11, 2016 Author Posted February 11, 2016 Glue for me, not so much. I think I'm gonna have to reconsider my position. After ripping $20 worth of oak into more sawdust than ripped boards, it's not looking good at all... Quote
Abyssdncr Posted February 13, 2016 Author Posted February 13, 2016 Ok, fabric starts in the morning! I contoured some spare stringer stock to reinforce things for the foot braces and glued it in place against the stringers. Seems stout enough. A couple shots of some mistakes, oops, and inconsistencies too. The bow didn't fit right with the deck and keel stringers and I made some shims to fill the gaps and lashed them in place. You can see the gaps on the mid frames from where I had to adjust the angle of the gunwales. And in an effort to recess the lashings, I file notches in the gunwales, but not for the stringers. The front frame also got a little thin at the top after I sanded it down after adjusting the gunwales. It's all character, right? Coaming still has a ways to go, but it might get wrapped up tomorrow since I have all morning to myself. Coleman seat looks like it will work wonderfully. Going to try the double corded stitch, we'll see how things go... Quote
Rich D Posted February 14, 2016 Posted February 14, 2016 That skin is looking good. Is the pic before or after ironing? I ask because I am a little apprehensive about how tight to try to get the skin and how much it will shrink. With the 11 ounce cloth I just cranked it tight with the stitches and didn't need much shrinkage to finish it up. Quote
Abyssdncr Posted February 14, 2016 Author Posted February 14, 2016 That skin is looking good. Is the pic before or after ironing? I ask because I am a little apprehensive about how tight to try to get the skin and how much it will shrink. With the 11 ounce cloth I just cranked it tight with the stitches and didn't need much shrinkage to finish it up. No ironing yet. Just rolling everything tight and holding the cords together prior to stitching. 6-8 stitches, reposition, repeat keeping the needle angle toward the end with each stitch. Still don't have the coaming done. LOTS of gaps in the laminations, and the Titebond takes forever to dry... No ironing until after it's installed. Quote
Abyssdncr Posted February 15, 2016 Author Posted February 15, 2016 Stitching done but for the coaming. Finally got some rippling to the fabric on the back half. Still lots of work to go with the coaming, and I'm not proud of the amount of planing and power belt sanding that took place...but it's making progress. Decided to be lazy and bought 8' of 5/8" black poly rope to sew on for the lip. Quote
Action Tiger Posted February 15, 2016 Posted February 15, 2016 You got me so jazzed I took my freeb out for a paddle today. No, I ain't take no pictures. I was busy paddling. Quote
Kudzu Posted February 15, 2016 Posted February 15, 2016 I ask because I am a little apprehensive about how tight to try to get the skin and how much it will shrink. With the 11 ounce cloth I just cranked it tight with the stitches and didn't need much shrinkage to finish it up. I recommend sewing any skin on tightly. Fabric tend to 'creep' (technical term for stretch) especially after being shrunk. So you are better of to just sew it on tight if you want it to stay that way. I have had much better luck that way keeping them tight. Quote
Abyssdncr Posted February 15, 2016 Author Posted February 15, 2016 Ok, completely contrary to what I posted last, I started experimenting with shrinking the fabric yesterday. My feline quality inspector decided to walk the deck at some point and left little paw print impressions from bow to stern. No joy with an iron - does it need to be turned up to 11? I also played with the heat gun a bit with positive results (no more paw prints), but I'd sure feel safer with the iron... Quote
Abyssdncr Posted March 28, 2016 Author Posted March 28, 2016 Maiden voyage on an Easter that started with 2" of snow on the ground. Guess I can justify working on some graphics now. Spent about 45 min. messing about the neighborhood lake. Didn't seem to take on any more water than what I splashed into it paddling, so I guess that's a win, but I had a lot of trouble getting a few spots to take the paint and wasn't too sure what was going to happen. Thanks Jeff for the lofts! Time to get started on that Tadploe soon! Quote
Abyssdncr Posted March 29, 2016 Author Posted March 29, 2016 With some renewed motivation, I got some freshly discovered pinholes sealed up and the rope lip sewed onto the coaming last night. Few more decisions to make with respect to functional utilization. I need the ability to hang it from the rafters, but didn't drill holes in the frame prior to covering. Thinking about some commercial grab handles laterally mounted on the bow and stern ends of the gunwales. Also about to try to put some color on it, anyone find a masking method that actually works on fabric? Blue tape had a few failures around the coaming that I need to go back and touch up... Looks like most just use their bungee systems for paddle retention, but has anyone tried a commercial plastic paddle clip? Since one of the major drivers for this boat was a kiddo entertaining herself with a fishing pole, I thought one of those would be a lot simpler and easier to utilize. I ordered a lightweight folding anchor as well. What deployment options exist besides an anchor trolley to run the rope off the bow or stern without too much hassle for fishing? Compromised on purpose built really nice paddling PFD vs. Walmart Stearns offerings with the Onyx Movevent jackets. Should be n tomorrow. I should have had one on Sunday as I'm pretty sure hypothermia would have kicked in before I could have made it to shore in several places, and I won't let the girl give it a shot without one. Surely, it won't sink if she tips it over by herself in the middle of the lake, right? To be continued... Quote
Action Tiger Posted March 29, 2016 Posted March 29, 2016 First, congrats on the launch. No advice on hanging. I use wall racks, or I often stash boats in the wild. Or, honestly, I just put them wherever. Also no advice on masking. I'm a painter by training and trade, so I don't use tape. Well, I use it for making papier-mâché art, but not painting. Steady, hand, steady... As far as paddle retention, I would posit nothing could be easier than slipping a paddle blade under a cord with beads, unless it's a big euro style blade. I haven't paddled with anything like that for more than a dozen years. I don't ever anchor my kayak. I do fish from it, but I never use an anchor. My punt has poles and anchors either end, though. Finally, a PFD won't save you from hypothermia, it will just make you a floating corpse. I'm a very strong swimmer, like miles at a time, and I am TERRIFIED of cold water. Be careful, is all. I think if you filled the freeb with water, she may sink. At the least, she would be LOOOW in the water. Float bags would help prevent this. Have fun with that kid, that boat, and that snazzy little lake! Quote
Abyssdncr Posted March 29, 2016 Author Posted March 29, 2016 As far as paddle retention, I would posit nothing could be easier than slipping a paddle blade under a cord with beads, unless it's a big euro style blade. I haven't paddled with anything like that for more than a dozen years. After spending three different trips and at least as many hours looking for a good piece of wood to carve a GSP from, I finally gave up when Wal-mart put their 2 piece paddles on clearance for $17. So, yeah, stuffing that big curved blade under the bungie is working less than ideal. Probably more because I just eye-balled where I was putting the pad eyes instead of considering the blade width, but so it goes... OK, maybe I haven't "given up", but it's getting nice enough weather to get out and play, and that wasn't going to wait on me finding the unicorn of lumber at Lowe's, Home Depot, or Menards. I imagine my newly acquired in anticipation of block plane, spoke shave, and sureform can keep gathering dust in the Amazon box they showed up in until that unicorn arrives. (Although, I did read today that perhaps Unicorns may have, in fact, existed...so maybe not all hope is lost!) Hobby Lobby yielded at least a better paint brush than my Harbor Freight 2" chip brushes, so perhaps I can start lofting graphics tonight. Maybe a beer or two will keep my hand steady. If not, at least then I won't care so much! Quote
Abyssdncr Posted March 30, 2016 Author Posted March 30, 2016 Hey, look what I found after work in less than 15 minutes - a small herd of unicorns! Quote
Rich D Posted March 30, 2016 Posted March 30, 2016 Agreed - good lumber for a Greenland paddle (or any project) is hard to find. I have been buying 2 x 2 cedar at Home Depot for my paddles lately. They usually have clear, straight grained pieces with some good color variations. Of course some laminating will be necessary... Quote
Kudzu Posted March 30, 2016 Posted March 30, 2016 Masking Tape - 3M High Adhesion I find mine at Sherwin Williams. It works but I still have to burnish the edges. I have want to try FROG tape. Supposed to apply it, they run a damp rag along it and it seals the edges. If it works it is much easier to find. 1 Quote
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