The wood I used is carolina pine. My local supplier can only source 4.5 m lengths hence the scarfs. By the way I was particularly happy to buy (once more) wood from him: he's recently struggled after an arson attack damaged his stock and machines.
Saturday, 8 November 2014
10 stringers a-hoy!
After a bit of mess and noise cutting off the 20 scarfs with the router I have glued up the required length to make 10 stringers. It took me a while to figure out on the plan why 10 stringers are required as it would seem obvious that only 8 are needed. Well the remaining two are used as seat and bunk flat support along the planks.
The wood I used is carolina pine. My local supplier can only source 4.5 m lengths hence the scarfs. By the way I was particularly happy to buy (once more) wood from him: he's recently struggled after an arson attack damaged his stock and machines.
The wood I used is carolina pine. My local supplier can only source 4.5 m lengths hence the scarfs. By the way I was particularly happy to buy (once more) wood from him: he's recently struggled after an arson attack damaged his stock and machines.
Thursday, 6 November 2014
What's behind a nice behind?
.... oh well, nice raw material(s) to start with and some good deal of work... As is the case for my pathfinder's transom board.
Some 10mm thick mahogany slats are epoxied to the 12mm ply panel shaped as the transom as per the original drawings. I have used clamps in a spreader set up to ensure the slats where compressed against each other while the resin set.
After cleaning up and routing the edge with a flush trimming router bit the result was very pleasing for the eye.
This is the last component I need to prepare before starting to assemble the hull. Yesterday I received the stock to make the stringers ( one scarf joint needed per stringer) and today I have ordered the wood for the strongback.
Hull assembly will start in early december after I get back from a two weeks' work deployment at sea .... I simply can't wait!
Some 10mm thick mahogany slats are epoxied to the 12mm ply panel shaped as the transom as per the original drawings. I have used clamps in a spreader set up to ensure the slats where compressed against each other while the resin set.
After cleaning up and routing the edge with a flush trimming router bit the result was very pleasing for the eye.
This is the last component I need to prepare before starting to assemble the hull. Yesterday I received the stock to make the stringers ( one scarf joint needed per stringer) and today I have ordered the wood for the strongback.
Hull assembly will start in early december after I get back from a two weeks' work deployment at sea .... I simply can't wait!
Wednesday, 17 September 2014
Ideas are hatching ...
The pathfinder design calls for the installation of several screw-on watertight inspection hatches to allow access to the dry storage compartments. There are 2 on each of the seat fronts, further two on the main twarth, two (or four) on the raised forward floor and, depending on builder's choice, 2 more on the aft locker bench. And, oh yes almost forgot, one ore in bulkhead #1.
I have never found this type of hatches attractive. It is perhaps due to their white plasticky feel; they undoubtedly come with plenty of practical advantages but in my opinion they hardly match the look and feel of a traditionally inspired wooden boat. Now, don't get me wrong,this is a very personal point of view and there are scores of beautiful homebuilt wooden boats out there using this practical solution to great effect.
In my previous build (Janas) I admit using plastic watertight hatches.... I have however installed them under hinged wooden lids to keep them out of sight. There is one in the aft locker and one cut out in the little foredeck. The teak strips are glued on top of the ""vanity lid" that hides the white plastic giving continuity to the decks.
Now going back to the pathfinder I have opted to cut out hand-made wooden hatches. They require a "window" to be cut out of the receiving surface. Then a further piece is tailored to obtain the frame with lip where a soft neoprene seal will be glued to providing the seating for the closing lid. Then of course last but not least the lid itself.
In order to cut the same shape over and over again with different scale factors, I have first made a template window on a 10mm MDF sheet, taking into account the required offset to match the diameter of the router template follower that came with my new Bosch router. I then cheaply sourced suitably sized ball bearings to mount onto the template follower to obtain different offsets and therefore the correct scaling factors to match the three cuts, i.e; the opening, the locker lid and the inner frame.
The results are very satisfactory, the obtained offset cuts are correct as the lid fits to the hatch opening with a 1mm clearance all around as expected. The seal seating measures 13mm wide which I think should be enough surface to allow the neoprene seal to work correctly.
Here is the resulting seat fronts with the two hatches cut out and dry fitted. The hatches will be clear varnished while the seat fronts will be painted ivory or cream. The lids will receive stainless steel hinges and locking knobs.
The size of the opening has been carefully tailored to allow loading and accessing of essential items, such as the one pictured below ;)
At present I have cut the hatches on the seat fronts and bulkhead #1 as these components will soon be installed permanently on the building frame.
I have never found this type of hatches attractive. It is perhaps due to their white plasticky feel; they undoubtedly come with plenty of practical advantages but in my opinion they hardly match the look and feel of a traditionally inspired wooden boat. Now, don't get me wrong,this is a very personal point of view and there are scores of beautiful homebuilt wooden boats out there using this practical solution to great effect.
In my previous build (Janas) I admit using plastic watertight hatches.... I have however installed them under hinged wooden lids to keep them out of sight. There is one in the aft locker and one cut out in the little foredeck. The teak strips are glued on top of the ""vanity lid" that hides the white plastic giving continuity to the decks.
Now going back to the pathfinder I have opted to cut out hand-made wooden hatches. They require a "window" to be cut out of the receiving surface. Then a further piece is tailored to obtain the frame with lip where a soft neoprene seal will be glued to providing the seating for the closing lid. Then of course last but not least the lid itself.
In order to cut the same shape over and over again with different scale factors, I have first made a template window on a 10mm MDF sheet, taking into account the required offset to match the diameter of the router template follower that came with my new Bosch router. I then cheaply sourced suitably sized ball bearings to mount onto the template follower to obtain different offsets and therefore the correct scaling factors to match the three cuts, i.e; the opening, the locker lid and the inner frame.
The results are very satisfactory, the obtained offset cuts are correct as the lid fits to the hatch opening with a 1mm clearance all around as expected. The seal seating measures 13mm wide which I think should be enough surface to allow the neoprene seal to work correctly.
Here is the resulting seat fronts with the two hatches cut out and dry fitted. The hatches will be clear varnished while the seat fronts will be painted ivory or cream. The lids will receive stainless steel hinges and locking knobs.
The size of the opening has been carefully tailored to allow loading and accessing of essential items, such as the one pictured below ;)
At present I have cut the hatches on the seat fronts and bulkhead #1 as these components will soon be installed permanently on the building frame.
Scarfing router gig
Simple, basically "major drama" proof but effective ... Each of my pathfinder stringers will require 2 scarfs in order to reach the required length, so I needed a solution to speed up cutting the (precise) angled planes for the scarfs .
The slides are such that the router cuts a 1:9 scarf . I don't mind the noise and the dust.... the surfaces are cut effortlessly and precisly, ready for the glue
The slides are such that the router cuts a 1:9 scarf . I don't mind the noise and the dust.... the surfaces are cut effortlessly and precisly, ready for the glue
Friday, 12 September 2014
Going to the bottom of the question...
Recently I have been busy scarfing, or better assembling the bottom panel of the boat. This is a rather big panel CNC cut out of 12mm marine ply... quite heavy and tough!
As the pictures show the puzzle joint I designed and decided to employ helps to line up accurately the two halves, making sure the panel ends up correctly axi-simmetrical.
I have used epoxy, both unthickened and charged, a 160g/m² biaxial glass cloth inside out and peel ply. The whole under a decent amount of weight.
The result was particularly satisfying and the bottom panel ended up measuring correclty compared to the dimensions given in the plan.
I have also built a simple router gig to cut 1:10 scarfs out of the stringers stock. I cannot source long enough wood planks to produce the stringers in one go hence the need for scarfing.
At the moment both bottom chine stringers (the 70mm wide ones!) have gone through the scarfing process involving routing and glueing.
I intend to glue them on the bottom panel before placing the latter on the build frame.
As the pictures show the puzzle joint I designed and decided to employ helps to line up accurately the two halves, making sure the panel ends up correctly axi-simmetrical.
The result was particularly satisfying and the bottom panel ended up measuring correclty compared to the dimensions given in the plan.
I have also built a simple router gig to cut 1:10 scarfs out of the stringers stock. I cannot source long enough wood planks to produce the stringers in one go hence the need for scarfing.
At the moment both bottom chine stringers (the 70mm wide ones!) have gone through the scarfing process involving routing and glueing.
I intend to glue them on the bottom panel before placing the latter on the build frame.
Sunday, 17 August 2014
Laminating the blues away...
Tomorrow's back to work after a three weeks break mostly spent holidaying and sailing with the family... In order to kick the blues away I focused on a fun little project, laminating the stem for our future pathfinder.
The 4mm thick sipo mahogany strips were dry fitted and left there for a while (actually few weeks due to other commitments) to take the shape ...
The glueing involved priming each surface with unthickened epoxy first and then applying a little quantity of slightly thickened epoxy for proper bonding.
I will leave the lamination to cure a few days for the epoxy to harden properly given the elastic load the strips are subject to.
A fun little project to end the holidays.
The 4mm thick sipo mahogany strips were dry fitted and left there for a while (actually few weeks due to other commitments) to take the shape ...
The glueing involved priming each surface with unthickened epoxy first and then applying a little quantity of slightly thickened epoxy for proper bonding.
I will leave the lamination to cure a few days for the epoxy to harden properly given the elastic load the strips are subject to.
A fun little project to end the holidays.
Saturday, 16 August 2014
Holidays!
Building of Pathfiner Astrid has been put on hold during our annual summer holiday to Sardinia. Three weeks before leaving our Stornoway 12 Janas has had a varnish stripdown and recoating to allow her to look her best in the emerald blue sardinian waters.
I applied 5 or 6 coats of International Schooner traditional varnish that provided pleasure applying and a gleaming finish.
Holidays were packed with fun: sailing, beaching, picninc-ing and in general being out as much on the boat as possible given the young age of our crew...
Sailing encounteres: Almagores II a majestic Southern Wind 102' superyacht sails past giving thumbs up to Janas:
Sailing to the island of Tavolara:
Sailing home with wind and waves:
Having fun with the underwater camera:
Great 2014 summer! We look forward to the next trip down there in 2015.... perhaps onboard our Pathfinder? .... mmmh more likely to happen in 2016...!
I applied 5 or 6 coats of International Schooner traditional varnish that provided pleasure applying and a gleaming finish.
Holidays were packed with fun: sailing, beaching, picninc-ing and in general being out as much on the boat as possible given the young age of our crew...
Sailing encounteres: Almagores II a majestic Southern Wind 102' superyacht sails past giving thumbs up to Janas:
Sailing to the island of Tavolara:
Sailing home with wind and waves:
Having fun with the underwater camera:
Great 2014 summer! We look forward to the next trip down there in 2015.... perhaps onboard our Pathfinder? .... mmmh more likely to happen in 2016...!
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