Garden Tom Cat

[gregleetaylor]

Bill, sent you an email for source,

Best,

Greg

[Cogeniac]

You can make a steam box in about 15 minutes using plain old pine boards. YOU can see mine (which is about 6 inches square and 8 feet long) on my thread at Post #485.

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...Cruiser/page10

I used a steam generator I got from Rockler (you can see it in the pic, sitting on top of the steam box).

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=30714

It is about $75, and works GREAT!

I steamed 1 3/4 x 1 1/8 UNDRIED white oak that I got from Edensaw in Washington. It was expensive, but then I needed a lot of it. I suspect you can probably do OK steaming 1/4 inch dried white oak, since it is thin enough that you can get it hot all the way through. If it is dry, I'd steam it for about 45 mins and see how it works. You might want to soak the pieces for a few days before hand. Then steam them, bend them and let them dry in the form. Then glue them after they are dry.

S

[gregleetaylor]

Read your references and thanks! Getting closer to the stem steaming and frames after, I am preparing in every way I can. All say that the fresher the white oak the better and I will likely get a chance to drive out and pick up some new sawn wood as early as this weekend. Again, the forum really is great to have in these adventures! I watched an 8 part You Tube on stem laminating the past two nights. I am an electronic apprentice.

Like the Rockler steamer and nearly went that way but opted for the turkey fryer conversion approach and crossing fingers. Thanks forumites

[gregleetaylor]

Advice Request... I'd like to make a pattern up for the stem so that I can check the jig I'll make for stem steaming/laminating and to trace around when getting and checking the final size. Would tracing paper be sturdy enough? Would some sort of thin ply or mdf work?

Regards,

Greg

[gregleetaylor]

Mould Sandwich?

[Cogeniac]

Advice Request... I'd like to make a pattern up for the stem so that I can check the jig I'll make for stem steaming/laminating and to trace around when getting and checking the final size. Would tracing paper be sturdy enough? Would some sort of thin ply or mdf work?

Regards,

Greg

Personally, I'd cut it out of doorskin...Lots more durable than paper...

The converted turkey fryer might generate a bit more steam. Depends on how many boards you are steaming.

[Dry Water]

Hi Greg
I count 6 moulds in your sandwich and assume the mould at Stn 0 is underneath the pile. This is the same amount that I used (an extra one at 1A and 2A). My advice is to include an extra one between Stn 3 ans Stn 4. The boat is very wide here and keeping the strips fair in this area proved somewhat difficult. If you visit my thread you will see that a bit of filling was required in this area to make the hull fair. I regretted not adding a station here.

[gregleetaylor]

Gentlemen,

You probably know this however I am compelled to respond... What a treat to have the benefit of the forum's collective experience (Borg, "you will be assimilated..."). This keeps me in the game moving forward when I so easily succumb to bright shiny objects that threaten to carry me away.

Cogeniac,

The stem will have 9 - 1/4 x 2 x 6' strips in it as largest single steaming batch so yes, I felt the turkey convert more fitting. Paper IS too flimsy; used it to rough out the outline for cutting the mould gussets, OK for non-critical cuts. Big Box has 3mm ply in small sections I can make patterns with; don't know if this is "doorskin" but is my plan as of now.

Laurie,

Thank you, thank you. Timing is everything, 3A on its way and yes, I took your 1A and 2A additions from smack in between the offset listed frames. Getting close to setting up the strongback and moulds which will be cool. I am stealing your use of the mast step at waterline C as the mould landing point... how clever, nice and level!

I am figuring on this being a 5 year project with dart thrown at January 2013 as beginning, although MUCH noodling and an 18" hull modelling prior to that. With this kind of support, I'll be ahead of schedule with a better boat at lower investment!!!

Cheers!

[mcdenny]

Greg, My 0.02 on the pattern stock. I've found 6mm luan floor underlayment the same price (about ten bucks) and easier to handle than the 3mm door skin stuff.

[Cogeniac]

Since you have the turkey baster already set, it's a moot point, but I used the Rocker steamer for 1 3/4 x 1 1/8 (7/4 x 9/8) oak beams and it worked just fine. 2 hours seemed to be the magic cooking time... You should be easily fine with 1/4" strips. If they are wet, then cook them for about 15 mins. If they are dry, I'd cook them for 30-40...

S

[Cogeniac]

I can't believe you would set a 5 year ETA on this project. C'mon dude! It isn't THAT big a boat! 12 months or bust!

Can you post line drawings? I have been wanting to build Joel White's Marsh Cat, and will once I have time and enough space...maybe in a year, after MAKOTO is done...

Best

Scott

[Dry Water]

Hi Cogeniac
You can refer my thread on http://www.woodworkforums.com/f32/tom-cat-66348/ Post #8 if you're interested.

[Cogeniac]

Hi Cogeniac
You can refer my thread on http://www.woodworkforums.com/f32/tom-cat-66348/ Post #8 if you're interested.

Thanks for the pointer. Unfortunately, you have to register and log in at Woodwork Forum to see the pics. :-(

[Cogeniac]

Found this.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rodewor...7626345195087/

Wow this is a pretty cool boat!

[gregleetaylor]

Strongback gets placed on shop floor. It's gonna be tight in there!!!

[gregleetaylor]

Found Hollister's sawmill 1:45 away. Nice people, good prices, new white oak.

[Cogeniac]

Those look like some mighty big boards!

[jahlinux]

I just ordered the plans, looking forward to watching your progress.

[gregleetaylor]

Those look like some mighty big boards!

Those big boards will pretty much be lotsa small ones. Wood is being air dried for use as apron, frames, knees, centerboard pieces... also have enough 8/4 to slice up and laminate into inner and outer stems. The oak worries me a bit I must confess. This is the first time I've worked it and the first time steaming. Fun though, I can do it with the help from this forum...

[gregleetaylor]

I just ordered the plans, looking forward to watching your progress.

Good to hear. I would really like the benefit of your input/comments ( I bought the plans many years ago and have plan #140 something. Can you advise the number on your plans when you have them? Curious to know how many they are up to...

[Cogeniac]

Those big boards will pretty much be lotsa small ones. Wood is being air dried for use as apron, frames, knees, centerboard pieces... also have enough 8/4 to slice up and laminate into inner and outer stems. The oak worries me a bit I must confess. This is the first time I've worked it and the first time steaming. Fun though, I can do it with the help from this forum...

If it isn't too dry the oak bends really well. track down my thread and you can see my experience cutting up a big oak board and steam bending it. One of those looks to be about 18+ in wide!

[gregleetaylor]

Kid's wedding coming, good weather, slow boat progress. Had a buncha fun sawing out white oak strips to steam, then laminate. Looking forward to this... how much checking is too much in the oak?

[jahlinux]

Good to hear. I would really like the benefit of your input/comments ( I bought the plans many years ago and have plan #140 something. Can you advise the number on your plans when you have them? Curious to know how many they are up to...

Mine are plan #143. I assume WoodenBoat updates the number when the make the copies.

[gregleetaylor]

Looks like Garden's Tom Cat is #143, same number on my plans...

[gregleetaylor]

turkey fryer steam source would not stay lit!!! a Home depot wall paper remover worked and was EASY.

[gregleetaylor]

all moulds up...

[Breakaway]

Progress. Keep at it. I am enjoying this thread.

Kevin

[gregleetaylor]

inner stem stack showing amount of springback from steaming:



and, G-Flex epoxy with clamps, hoping I didnt squeeze all glue out... know tomorrow I guess...

[gregleetaylor]

[andrewpatrol]

George on laminations like that I drag a hack saw blade sideways on adjoining faces of the pieces to rough them up. Some people use 60 grit

[gregleetaylor]

I see, on the roughen technique. I am hopeful with this first glue up. the oak was really quite rough after steaming and one face of each slat was sawn and not planed. BUT!!! Tomorrow will be the end of the cure time... and we shall see if it holds. .. or springs back or works?!

[gregleetaylor]

It worked! Thanks to all. about 1/16" springback if you want to call it that...I have cleaned off with block plane but the stack is just over 1 3/4" for a 1 1/2" finished width so off to the thickness planer...





And, a quiz question! What is snuck into this last picture???

[Breakaway]

A cool boat model that deserves its own thread?

Kevin

[gregleetaylor]

Yes Kevin, we have a winner!

A while back (years) when building the real thing was just a wish and a hope and, always having been a bit of a modeller I scaled the Tom Cat for 1/8th scale build which has been a nice size and easy to find and make scale wood for, basswood and modelling ply and similar. It worked out pretty well helping this neophyte get some practical on what's involved in the build. At this moment, I am finishing the exterior of the hull to provide a plan for cutting and fitting my sheer strakes which will be 1/2" quarter sawn white oak finished bright. I will also paint he hull to get and idea of color schemes. I will have some more shots of the model to go along soon. Thanks for the encouragement!!

[gregleetaylor]

I take some of the milling to a lumberyard/woodshop. I gone there to these guys maybe three times so far. Their planer can handle 36"!! I had them plane the stem down to 1 1/2", plane the apron/keelson? down to 5/8" and plane some 5/4 down to an inch for late use on the mast step and deadwood. I have finally gottem back to the transom mould and pictured is my glue up of two 1/4" plys with never too many clamps!!! also is a fairly close shot of two of the four 1/4 oak panels that will get glued onto and clampety clamped up to the transom mould.

Also a shot down the lofting cum construction table with model in foreground and transom glue up back aft. having some fun now...