Dave started with a plywood template lying along the keel with a tapering edge towards the bow. Having drawn the required lines on the template ,as in Making a plank for Helen 2......,this was then laid on one of the new 30 foot slabs to transfer the exact detailed lines ready for cutting out.
A tourist asked why Dave had now started planking from the keel up.
I explained that planks were fixed from above and below so that the final plank (called the stop plank ) is laid near the centre of the hull in a place that is easy to get at ( presumably to make an awkward job a little easier ).
He found that previously tight bolts were now slack and some could be tightened by fingers.
The reason turned out to be that the frames had dried out even further and the wood shrunk so that all bolts needed to be tightened at least one complete turn if not more .We discussed what might happen later when the wood swelled, but decided we could not have slack fastenings now . So Phil went round the entire boat re-tightening all bolts. Oh what fun I had !
At the same time PAT, our latest volunteer, began work filling in the nail heads on the planks with a stiff mix of West epoxy. She soon got in the swing of it and was finally mixing her own filler.
It's great to see another helper with a love of
Helen 2.... and patience.
Readers will be pleased to see that FANG, our guard dog , is keen to model as the figure head for the bow. Dave thinks he has ruff chance.
Visitors today were in abundance with many well wishers coming to see progress.
Adrian, the saw mill owner, came to see what was happening and to discuss his idea of using sail power to restart trading between Wales and the Shetland Islands. More on that later.....
Tony Mead and Murray Taylor two of the trustees made one of their regular visits to discuss the work in progress and then Murray,after funding lunch , went to the College to see some of the students on the boat construction course . Cheers Murray
And finally both Daves showed me how to sharpen my chisels to perfection. I learn something new each day.
Wednesday Phil
No comments:
Post a Comment