11/8/06: Built the first temporary frame with help from my visiting Dad — we learned to sail together when I was in Jr High in 1967!
Russel (Little Brother) helping with 2nd frame — 11/19/06.
Russel (Little Brother) helping with 2nd frame — 11/19/06.
Building one of the three temporary frames.
Building one of the three temporary frames.
Building one of the three temporary frames.
Building one of the three temporary frames.
The shop, circa spring 2007
Shop, circa fall, 2006
Bandsawing the stem pattern out of 1/4" plywood: June 2007
Calculating cypress for stem.
Stem pieces before gluing.
Gluing stem pieces.
Stem under construction.
Jessie, the shop dog, reviews my work on the stem.
Power planing the stem bevels to eventually accept the plywood strakes.
Stem beveled as per the plans.
Marking the stem for future stringer placement.
The stem — shaped, beveled and ready for the rest of the boat to catch up!
The stem — shaped, beveled and ready for the rest of the boat to catch up!
Forward bulkhead pattern.
Transom pattern and forward bulkhead & its pattern.
Cutting the half lap joints for the transom.
Cutting the half lap joints for the transom.
Cutting the half lap joints for the transom.
Half laps in process of being cut on either side of the upper cypress board for the transom.
Half lap cuts trimmed with razor knife and shoulder plane with steel level clamped on the line for reference.
Two of the four pieces that make up the transom.
Sweet Dreams transom
Sweet Dreams transom
Sweet Dreams transom
Sweet Dreams transom
Sweet Dreams transom in process of being shaped with the transom pattern
Sweet Dreams transom in process of being shaped with the transom pattern
Transom trimmed to pattern shape on the router table
transom after final shaping
Transom held in place on bench for sanding
Epoxying aft bulkhead hatch
Epoxying aft bulkhead hatch
Epoxying aft bulkhead hatch
Forward bulkhead with hatch cut out
Forward and aft bulkheads
Aft bulkhead framing
Evening on the band saw
Night time in the shop
Found a great deal on a used Holsclaw boat trailer (modified by previous owner to haul 4-wheelers)
Found a great deal on a used Holsclaw boat trailer (modified by previous owner to haul 4-wheelers)
Found a great deal on a used Holsclaw boat trailer (modified by previous owner to haul 4-wheelers)
Found a great deal on a used Holsclaw boat trailer (modified by previous owner to haul 4-wheelers)
boat trailer suspension
Holsclaw trailer (photo courtesy of Todd Bradshaw - who speaks very highly of this brand!)
Holsclaw trailer (photo courtesy of Todd Bradshaw - who speaks very highly of this brand!)
Sweet Dreams is taking shape - October 2007
Building jig - fall 2008
Building jig - fall 2008
Building jig - fall 2008
Jig and frames
Jig and frames
Table saw set up to accurately cut 16' long cypress into sheer clamps and stringers
Ripping sheer clamps and stringers out of 16' long cypress with Helen's son, David
String ripped to 3/4"
Checking keelson placement on frames
David (Helen's son) and I checking the fit of the newly cut keelson
Marking keelson for centerboard slot
Cutting centerboard slot on keelson
Overly long sheer clamps being tested temporarily on the boat for the first time
Testing level of forward bulkhead
Testing keelson placement
Testing keelson placement
Epoxying stem to forward bulkhead and additional cypress section for added width for centerboard placement
Epoxying additional cypress section for added width for centerboard placement
December 2008 in the shop
Transom in place on the building jig
Marking the compound bevel where right sheer clamp meets stem
Cutting the compound bevel where right sheer clamp meets stem
Marking the compound bevel where left sheer clamp meets stem
Notching aft bulkhead for stringers
My first attempt at cutting the stringer notch on the transom went so poorly, I had to glue in a new piece and start over!
Sawdust created from ripping numerous 16' cypress stringers
Stringers temporarily placed on boat
Stringers temporarily placed on boat
Stringers temporarily placed on boat
Notching the forward bulkhead where the stringer passes through
Cutting stringer bevel at intersection of stem
Cutting the stringer bevel for it to meet the stem
Cutting the bevel on the stringer
Bevel cut on stringer
Testing bevel cut of a stringer where it joins the inner stem
Screwing the stringer to the stem
Marking stringer intersection with stem
Stringers temporarily placed on boat
Stringers temporarily in place
Routing out a channel for the all thread axle for the wheels to make the building jig mobile
Routing out a channel for the all thread axle for the wheels to make the building jig mobile
Sweet Dreams getting some air for the very first time!
Sweet Dreams getting some air for the very first time!
Jessie approves of the boat being outside. (Note the mobile bases for miter saw, band saw and table saw — I much prefer working outside!)
Jessie keeping watch over the shop entrance
Supervisor Jessie
Testing the bendability of one lamination for the outer stem
Dry run with outer stem laminations temporarily clamped to inner stem.
6/22/09: Clamping the epoxied laminations for the outer stem with Helen's son David.
Clamping the epoxied laminations for the outer stem with Helen's son David.
Clamping the epoxied laminations for the outer stem with Helen's son David.
Checking the clamps
Not sure if I'm happy to have it done, or that I had enough clamps!
You can never have too many clamps!
Epoxy squeeze-out is a good sign — means there is enough glue in the laminations that they will take up the bend and harden into shape properly.
Nice squeeze-out
More squeeze out
With the clamps in place, the epoxy will harden and form the laminations into the proper curve for the outer stem. (Clamps stay in place 48 hours.)
The neighbor's dog Molly thinks everything is all set
Sanding the excess epoxy from the outer stem.
I mistakenly cut the transom 3/8" too low, so I had to add a piece to the keelson to bring it up
Planing the keelson addition to a feather edge
Planing the keelson addition to a feather edge
Keelson addition clamped in place with a clamping board on top, separated by a piece of saran wrap.
Epoxy squeeze out to be softened with a heat gun before scraping it off.
Keelson addition planed to a feather edge at the rear bulkhead and glued in place.
Once this area is planked, no one will know the difference — well, except for anyone who's seen these pictures!
7/3/09: My niece Eliza helping to layout the curve the tiller laminations will take while being epoxied. (photo by Willow)
My niece Eliza helping to layout the curve the tiller laminations will take while being epoxied. (photo by Willow)
Discussing cutting strategy with my niece Willow while Jessie supervises. (photo by Eliza)
My able assistant Willow, ready to catch tiller parts from the table saw. (photo by Eliza)
Cutting tiller pieces with Willow (photo by Eliza)
Cutting tiller pieces with Willow (photo by Eliza)
Willow doing a great job of catching the tiller pieces coming off the saw (photo by Eliza)
Cutting tiller pieces with Willow; her Dad David admiring the process (photo by Eliza)
Willow catching tiller pieces (photo by Eliza)
Willow and I layout the freshly cut tiller pieces into their pleasing curved shape. (photo by Eliza)
Testing 3 of the 9 mahogany & ash tiller laminations as they take up the sweetly curved tiller shape.
Eliza 'painted' the stringers, stem and forward bulkhead with a flashlight during a long exposure. Interesting, huh?!
10/1/10: Dad and myself setting up the tablesaw to rip more tiller laminations.
10/1/10: Discussing safety precautions using the tablesaw.
Dad catching the ripped pieces after they have passed through the blade.
Dad catching the ripped pieces after they have passed through the blade.
Dad catching the ripped pieces after they have passed through the blade.
Laying out the sweet curve of the tiller, by thoroughly referencing the plans.
Using a batton we locate the curve of the tiller on the building jig.
Preparing the stop block location on the building jig and checking it with the batton.
Mom is a happy supervisor, approving our efforts!
Tiller laminations (ash and mahogany) ready to be epoxied together.
Tiller building jig with blocks secured in place, wrapped in plastic ready to shape the laminations.
Mom helping me into my gloves.
Mixing a big batch of epoxy.
Spreading epoxy.
Carefully spreading epoxy over each of the ash and mahogany laminations.
Mom checking our work.
Checking laminations
Viewing the epoxy spread from an angle shows areas that have been missed.
Stacking the laminations...
All the laminations are nice and gooey, ready for the very top-most piece of mahogany.
Cleaning up the excess epoxy that has been squeezed out from stacking.
The top piece of mahogany, epoxied and ready to be added to the stack.
Ready to transfer to the building jig and clamping.
Positioning against the clamps that define the shape.
Clamps...
Clamps...
and more clamps.
Cleaning up more squeeze-out.
Our supervisor points out further excess epoxy that need to be cleaned up.
Cleaning up wet epoxy now saves trying to chisel away hard-as-concrete epoxy later after it has cured!
Aren't those two woods pretty together?
All the laminations clamped together in a sweet curve, waiting for the expoxy to cure.
New gloves needed to work on the stem.
Clamping and epoxying a small piece of cypress to the stem to correct an earlier mistake when the stem was made.
Clamping and epoxying a small piece of cypress to the stem to correct an earlier mistake when the stem was made.
Clamping and epoxying a small piece of cypress to the stem to correct an earlier mistake when the stem was made.
Two days later — after the epoxy has set — removing one of the numerous clamps.
Tiller - sans clamps
Look at that sweet curve!
Don't those laminations look nice...
Checking to make sure we glued it straight and true.
One happy builder/captain!
Filing and sanding to remove excess epoxy.
Band sawing to shape
Band sawing to shape
Band sawing to shape
A quick rub with mineral spirits really makes the colors pop!
Mineral spirits provide a temporary but appealing window to the future when the tiller is varnished.
Shaped, trimmed and partially mineral spirited!
May 2012 update
5/5/12: Oops! Pushed a little too hard on that stringer. No worries, that's why they make 5 minute epoxy.
This can be fixed very easily.
Carefully cut a 12:1 scarf and glue it back together.
Gluing the newly cut scarf joint. The stringer is braced against a long straight piece of wood to keep it perfectly aligned as the epoxy sets.
Repair after the clamps are removed.
All better. Scarfed, glued, sanded, ready to be installed for good (a little more gently this time)!
Can you spot the repaired stringer?
Ropes attached to the clamps aid in twisting the stringers into positions they are reluctant to take up. After the glue dries, they'll remain in position forever!
Repaired stringer, as good as new, glued in place.
An old equipment dolly that I'm going to re-purpose into new wheels for my baby.
The old wheels only rolled in one direction, and the front of the boat was cranked up with a car jack and carefully moved fore and aft only. What a PITA.
Look at those new shoes! She'll turn on a dime now. How sweet! Can't tell you how much I LOVE being able to easily move the boat all over the place.
Marking the transom where R4 lays across.
Cutting R4.
Ahhh, perfect!
Chiseling through the transom for stringer R5.
Getting closer...
Almost there...
Another ideal fit. Makes up for all the bulkhead cuts that I made ahead of time and totally screwed up. Never should have done them ahead of time.
Backside marked and cut for L4.
Slot for L4 getting cut to size.
My rolling table saw stand that also serves as a clamping station to rout and sand the stringers.
I found it was better to sand the stringers before routing, as there is more flat bearing surface to hold the sander steady.
After sanding, it's time to round over the 2 inside edges of the stringer.
Note the rounded edge to the left of the router and the flat edge to the right.
Sometimes, the router didn't play nice with the onion-like layers of the cypress. No matter — once again, that's...
... what they make good 'ole 5 minute epoxy for.
All glued up.
Cleaning off the excess epoxy, nearly as good as new.
Once the previous stringer was repaired, on the very LAST stringer, one final chunk got chipped away! Arrgghh!
So, one more time, out comes my new best friend: 5-minute epoxy.
All better.
It's not quite time to bevel the keel, but I couldn't resist taking a few shaves with the plane.
Jessie likes being outside with Sweet Dreams.
Twisting the forward end of the stringers into the proper shape as they are glued to the stem.
Getting the run of each stringer correct is critical because that determines the final lines of the sweet lapstrake Penobscot 14!
The string pulls the stringers gently but firmly into shape as the epoxy cures.
The last 4 stringers have been pulled into position and epoxied in place.
Those last 4 stringers, left and right #'s 4 & 5, are now ready to be trimmed to the aft edge of the transom frame.
Cutting the stringers flush with the rear of the transom frame.
Five trimmed, five to go!
Working on the left side stringers.
A cabinet scraper does a good job of cleaning up dried epoxy.
Very pleasing shape, isn't it?
It's especially nice to not see any stringers hanging over the end, after all these years!
The two boards coming up from the building jig have been removed, since with the stringers epoxied in place, the transom's not going anywhere!
The packing tape method of keeping epoxy away from the places where you don't want it to stick.
Nice and clean after pulling the tape.
Packing tape applied where L4 passes through the forward bulkhead.
And now, with the tape removed.
At each temporary frame, the stringers are screwed in place. All this framing is removed after the boat is planked and turned over.
Marking the bevel line on the keelson with a nifty jig. Pretty soon I'll plane a bevel from the centerline to this line on the side, in preparation for planking.
This shows the bevel line as it starts around the wider portion of framing where the centerboard housing will be glued in place.
Playing around with the layout of the 6" wide walnut I'll glue together to form the transom. I have lots of walnut to sift through and choose the best pieces.
Determining the layout of the walnut that will be seen from inside the boat, looking aft.
Four other possible walnut boards (with some mineral spirits on half to see how the varnish might enhance the look) as seen from the outside...
... and the same four boards turned over to see it from the inside. With the mineral spirits treatment, which will quickly evaporate, by the way.
With all the stringers glued in place, everything got very stiff and I thought the last 33" of the jig was unnecessary. So....
...I jacked up the boat, unscrewed the legs and back end, and started sliding that assembly forward to its new location.
Back of the jig and wheels screwed in place in their new location and one of the two sides cut, one to go.
My new, souped up, shortened jig. I like it, however, time will tell if this was such a good idea or not!
The shortened jig.
Looking at the boat from my step ladder — trying to see it from all angles in order to make sure the lines are fair.
And now, the view from the roof.
More rooftop views.
I love the way the stringers provide a nice symmetry.
One more shot from the roof.
My stickered pile of walnut grows shorter by the day.
Five years after I bought 100 bf of a local walnut from the sawyer, the boards are definitely dried to perfection.
Looks like someone in the distant past shot the poor tree! Not good for the planer blades. I certainly didn't see it before running it through the planer!
Yup. Dug it out and it is definitely a bullet.
Walnut ready to plane.
The venerable Parks planer makes short work of the walnut destined for the transom.
Look closely and you'll see the curly planed pieces being ejected from the planer chute.
Thought I'd make a practice run...
...with the hungry DeWalt planer before taking bites out of the keelson. That planer can grab way too much wood and then you're in a fine fix!
Making the angle cutting jig (at a precise 8:1 ratio) for the table saw in order to make the scarfing jig!
The angle cutting jig on the table saw just after cutting the legs (?) of the scarfing jig.
These shots are after the fact (couldn't take my hands off the wood during the cut, donchaknow) but show the results of the cut.
The newly cut legs weren't quite right, so I've placed them together & gotten rid of the high spots, so they are coplaner.
That looks pretty good, don't you think? No light showing under the block plane — that bodes well for the scarfs. Time will tell.
Locating the walnut base before drilling and screwing it to the sled.
I love the plastic curls from drilling the acrylic for screw holes on the router sled of the scarfing jig.
Drilling for the left side runner on the router sled.