Tuesday, November 23, 2010
First day at SPBB
Good to find a boatbuilding company in which I can have my hands on tools and boats. All people there are quite professional and experienced, and very friendly as well.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Small Craft Building: Week 6
Monday
This is the final week of our small craft building project. This morning, we started with cleaning up the inside of the dory. Which means to get rid of glue. Then we realized that how much glue we have put on our boat. Kind of mess.
The bulk head is another task for today. Bandsaw and jigsaw were used to cut the shape of the bulk head. In order to make it the right size, plane and sanding were necessary. Before working on the bulk, Chris showed us how to find the exact location for the bulk (as the real dory is little bit different from its plan). First make sure that the boat is level (use level to check at the forward, midship and afterward stations of the boat), then put the midship frame back and make it right angle with bottom. Next step is to put bulk head frame back (make sure it is right angle with bottom.
Afternoon, we were preparing lamina for the quarter knees and Jade was working on the fore deck.
This is the final week of our small craft building project. This morning, we started with cleaning up the inside of the dory. Which means to get rid of glue. Then we realized that how much glue we have put on our boat. Kind of mess.
The bulk head is another task for today. Bandsaw and jigsaw were used to cut the shape of the bulk head. In order to make it the right size, plane and sanding were necessary. Before working on the bulk, Chris showed us how to find the exact location for the bulk (as the real dory is little bit different from its plan). First make sure that the boat is level (use level to check at the forward, midship and afterward stations of the boat), then put the midship frame back and make it right angle with bottom. Next step is to put bulk head frame back (make sure it is right angle with bottom.
Afternoon, we were preparing lamina for the quarter knees and Jade was working on the fore deck.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Small Craft Building: Week 5
Monday
Last week, we set up a goal for today: attach the strake (upper topside) to the boat. It is good that we made it today, although this took us 3 hours extra work (We left the workshop at 7 pm).
The first thing this morning was to plane those two scarfed strake (port and starboard), and sand them. Next is to measure their exact size. We tried several times for the measurement.
Another important step is to make the Box Landing at the forward of the garboard and the strake. This requires good skills. Vaughn explained it to us. But I did not really understand until I started work on it. Well, practice helps a lot to understand. But I made a mistake by beveling the box landing too much. This resulted in a big gap between the strake and the garboard when we tried to put them together. The solution? Fill the gap with lot of glue.
In order to fix the strake, we spread two layers of glue, and then nail it to the garboard. This is not enough. We also use several sticks to keep pushing it against the garboard. This makes the boat looks like a spider rather than a dory. Then we fill the gap between garboard and strake with glue. The process took us lot of time and lot of glue.
It is good that we finished this today. Otherwise, it probably will us the whole week and drag us behind the schedule (as we are not ahead of it, so time really matters). I think we have finished the most difficult parts of building the dory.
Sebastien and Tian also finished the skeg this morning and we also glued them together. Tomorrow we will be able to attach the skeg to the boat. Good jobs, Team Morris.
Last week, we set up a goal for today: attach the strake (upper topside) to the boat. It is good that we made it today, although this took us 3 hours extra work (We left the workshop at 7 pm).
The first thing this morning was to plane those two scarfed strake (port and starboard), and sand them. Next is to measure their exact size. We tried several times for the measurement.
Another important step is to make the Box Landing at the forward of the garboard and the strake. This requires good skills. Vaughn explained it to us. But I did not really understand until I started work on it. Well, practice helps a lot to understand. But I made a mistake by beveling the box landing too much. This resulted in a big gap between the strake and the garboard when we tried to put them together. The solution? Fill the gap with lot of glue.
 |
| Box Landing |
In order to fix the strake, we spread two layers of glue, and then nail it to the garboard. This is not enough. We also use several sticks to keep pushing it against the garboard. This makes the boat looks like a spider rather than a dory. Then we fill the gap between garboard and strake with glue. The process took us lot of time and lot of glue.
 |
| Chris (tutor) spreading glue |
 |
| Spider-look dory |
It is good that we finished this today. Otherwise, it probably will us the whole week and drag us behind the schedule (as we are not ahead of it, so time really matters). I think we have finished the most difficult parts of building the dory.
Sebastien and Tian also finished the skeg this morning and we also glued them together. Tomorrow we will be able to attach the skeg to the boat. Good jobs, Team Morris.
 |
| Glued Skegs |
Tuesday
The skeg gave us some problems today. First is that one of those two skegs are not glued properly, so we had to take it apart and re-glue it. Secondly, our skegs are 300mm shorter than it should be. So we had to extend it by scarfing. So we have to wait till tomorrow to put these skegs on.
There is another mistake in the stem cabin. We used the wrong nail (steel nail will go rust easily when it touches salt water. Copper, bronze or stainless nails should be used ) to fix it to the stem and did not use the block between the nail and the stem cabin (this makes it difficult to take the nail out. Fortunately Chris promised to take his tool tomorrow and help us to fix the problem).
The center skeg is also cut. James showed us how to draw the curve of the bottom on a piece of wood. And then we transfer the curve to the wood block and got the center skeg cut.
Chris (tutor) also explained the difference between lamination and sawn. As the boat will face constant waves in the water (which might be very strong and cause lot of shock on the boat),the sawn stem or midship frame is not strong enough for these waves. This is because as sawn stem or midship frame, there will be long grain and short grain areas. Short grain areas are very weak and easy to break. So lamination is better choice as it produces much stronger stem and midship frame. More over, we can learn more from lamination as it. By the way, lamination is also more expensive.
The first boat flipped over today! (see the video)
Team 'Hory Dory" flipped their boat (James is the owner) over in the afternoon. This is really a big step forward, not only for the team but also for all CAT program students. As this is a milestone for our learning process.Congratulations! Team Hory Dory.
Hopefully we can flip our boat at the beginning of next week. I am looking forward lot of sanding work.
Wednesday
This morning, Chris (tutor) came to us before we started our work, and asked us to take 15 minutes to discuss and make a plan for the rest of our small craft building project. The reason for this is that with a clear plan and goals, we can work 10% more efficient. Actually the final plan is almost as the same as we discussed before: skegs and gunnels are for today, and other components are for next week.
Chris (tutor) also talked details about fore deck, bulk head, thwarts and other components. Especially about the fore deck, as it is not included in the plan. It seems a real challenge as there are lot of challenging details. I will write more about the fore deck after we finish it.
Another important technique Chris taught us is how to get nails out of the wood. See the video below:
The skegs are more complicated than I expected. As we extended them yesterday by scarfing, this morning is for shaping skegs to the exact shape. The first thing to do is to draw the curve of the bottom of our boat and transfer the curve to skegs. James showed us a good method to do this. So this is not a problem. Then we plane off glue and sand skegs to make it the right shape. Then, skegs are put through big sander machine to get smooth surface and right thickness.
In order to install the skegs to the boat bottom, we have to fix the location of the skeg. Measured from the center line and draw lines for the skegs. And then we drilled several pilot holes on the bottom, these holes are right position for screws and reference for the skegs. After finished these preparation, spread glue on the skeg and put it on the bottom. Then screw the skegs to bottom to fix them.
After the skegs, it is our turn to work on the gunnels. Lot of cramps are used to hold the gunnel to the strake, screws are used as well. We made screws same common spacing.
It is good that we put skegs and gunnels on today. Tomorrow, we will do the sanding and clean up and we will flip over our boat tomorrow afternoon. One big step forward! Cheers!
The skeg gave us some problems today. First is that one of those two skegs are not glued properly, so we had to take it apart and re-glue it. Secondly, our skegs are 300mm shorter than it should be. So we had to extend it by scarfing. So we have to wait till tomorrow to put these skegs on.
There is another mistake in the stem cabin. We used the wrong nail (steel nail will go rust easily when it touches salt water. Copper, bronze or stainless nails should be used ) to fix it to the stem and did not use the block between the nail and the stem cabin (this makes it difficult to take the nail out. Fortunately Chris promised to take his tool tomorrow and help us to fix the problem).
The center skeg is also cut. James showed us how to draw the curve of the bottom on a piece of wood. And then we transfer the curve to the wood block and got the center skeg cut.
Chris (tutor) also explained the difference between lamination and sawn. As the boat will face constant waves in the water (which might be very strong and cause lot of shock on the boat),the sawn stem or midship frame is not strong enough for these waves. This is because as sawn stem or midship frame, there will be long grain and short grain areas. Short grain areas are very weak and easy to break. So lamination is better choice as it produces much stronger stem and midship frame. More over, we can learn more from lamination as it. By the way, lamination is also more expensive.
The first boat flipped over today! (see the video)
Team 'Hory Dory" flipped their boat (James is the owner) over in the afternoon. This is really a big step forward, not only for the team but also for all CAT program students. As this is a milestone for our learning process.Congratulations! Team Hory Dory.
Hopefully we can flip our boat at the beginning of next week. I am looking forward lot of sanding work.
Wednesday
This morning, Chris (tutor) came to us before we started our work, and asked us to take 15 minutes to discuss and make a plan for the rest of our small craft building project. The reason for this is that with a clear plan and goals, we can work 10% more efficient. Actually the final plan is almost as the same as we discussed before: skegs and gunnels are for today, and other components are for next week.
Chris (tutor) also talked details about fore deck, bulk head, thwarts and other components. Especially about the fore deck, as it is not included in the plan. It seems a real challenge as there are lot of challenging details. I will write more about the fore deck after we finish it.
Another important technique Chris taught us is how to get nails out of the wood. See the video below:
The skegs are more complicated than I expected. As we extended them yesterday by scarfing, this morning is for shaping skegs to the exact shape. The first thing to do is to draw the curve of the bottom of our boat and transfer the curve to skegs. James showed us a good method to do this. So this is not a problem. Then we plane off glue and sand skegs to make it the right shape. Then, skegs are put through big sander machine to get smooth surface and right thickness.
 |
| Skegs going through big sander |
In order to install the skegs to the boat bottom, we have to fix the location of the skeg. Measured from the center line and draw lines for the skegs. And then we drilled several pilot holes on the bottom, these holes are right position for screws and reference for the skegs. After finished these preparation, spread glue on the skeg and put it on the bottom. Then screw the skegs to bottom to fix them.
After the skegs, it is our turn to work on the gunnels. Lot of cramps are used to hold the gunnel to the strake, screws are used as well. We made screws same common spacing.
It is good that we put skegs and gunnels on today. Tomorrow, we will do the sanding and clean up and we will flip over our boat tomorrow afternoon. One big step forward! Cheers!
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