The Harbor Master Called me Today

[jsjpd1]

Thanks guys, I'm glad you're enjoying following along.

Today at lunch I was drilling the last hole to connect stem to knee and the lead screw on the bit stripped out the hole it was in about two inches shy of breaking through. I don't know if you are familiar using a bit and brace, when the lead screw strips out it can be a real bear to be going again because the scoring spurs on the side keep the cutter from engaging without the downward pull of the lead screw. After struggling with it for about a half an hour I decided to try something different. Digging through my bit collection, I found another number 10 bit and gave it a hair cut with the bench grinder and a file.

Now I have a 5\8" barefoot auger.



That worked good and got me back on track.

After I finished tightening up the last bolt, I was cleaning up some squeezed out Dolphinite and one of my assistants showed up.

Assistant: What are you doing?
Me: Cleaning up some extra bedding compound.
Assistant: What's bedding compound?
Me: It's a sticky substance you put between big pieces of wood to help keep the water out.
Assistant: Oh, can I help?
Me: Sure.



Thirty seconds later other assistant shows up and says to first assistant, "hey, do you want to play, ride bikes, swing, pick berries, do whatever?"
Assistant to her sister: Sure!
To me: Gotta go, bye!

And boatbuilding with dad is done for the day.

Even without help, I managed to persevere for a while longer laying out the rabbet and bevel for the starboard side. Then knocking off most of the bevel before calling it a night.



Jim

[dktyson]

Yes, but you can't deny your helper made the job go easier.

[Mad Scientist]

Back when this thread started, I looked at the title and expected a sad tale about a boat damaged in a boatyard mishap. Glad to be wrong!

This is one of the most enjoyable threads on the WBF. A wonderful boat being 'brought back to life', and two assistants who are learning about good old-fashioned boat repair work (even if they don't realize it yet).

Thank you, Jim

Tom

[MoMan]

Good stuff Jim-- I'm really enjoying your work and your thread.

[jsjpd1]

Yes, but you can't deny your helper made the job go easier.

You may have a point there Kent.

Good stuff Jim-- I'm really enjoying your work and your thread.

Back when this thread started, I looked at the title and expected a sad tale about a boat damaged in a boatyard mishap. Glad to be wrong!

This is one of the most enjoyable threads on the WBF. A wonderful boat being 'brought back to life', and two assistants who are learning about good old-fashioned boat repair work (even if they don't realize it yet).

Thank you, Jim

Tom

Thanks guys, I appreciate the kind thoughts.

The reward you're gonna feel when that fits will be something

Andrew, this thought right here had me breaking out in a cold sweat. I started boldly cutting the rabbet today and then thought, 'you know, I should probably check the fit before I get to carried away here.'





Okay, I think I'm alright now.

Jim

[chas]

We'll be talking about roofing tar soon. / Jim

[Runner]

Looking good! Thanks for sharing!

[Jamesh]

Perfect!
That should put a dent in any shipping container!
Woe betide any plastic tub that dosent give way!!
James

[lupussonic]

Excellent!
So have you disconnected your phone yet?

[Falcon1]

Super job!

[Thad]

Beautiful! Don't forget stopwaters.

[jsjpd1]

Excellent!
So have you disconnected your phone yet?

Hah! It wouldn't help, he knows where I live. In fact he stopped by the other day to give me a bit of brass trim and see how the project was going.

Beautiful! Don't forget stopwaters.

Stopwaters are on the list Thad. I had to fill two spots in the keel where the old ones were to make drilling new ones possible.

Yesterday saw a big leap forward on the rabbet.



Lots of chisel work but the upper stem was straight enough to make good use of my old rabbet plane.



Which got us to here.





There is some adjustment needed but it doesn't look too terrible. The corner got knocked off the other side too.





It's getting lighter.

[jsjpd1]

Later in the evening the girls and I went out in Sparrow to watch the fireworks.



The wind died completely and it was pretty smokey from all the beach bon fires.



But it was still a nice show.





Happy 4th and stay safe!

Jim

[andrewpatrol]

What is the 4th of July celebration for Jim? That stem is looking fine

[Gerarddm]

Staggering work. Thanks so much for documenting. Carry on...

[Peerie Maa]

Hah! It wouldn't help, he knows where I live. In fact he stopped by the other day to give me a bit of brass trim and see how the project was going.



Stopwaters are on the list Thad. I had to fill two spots in the keel where the old ones were to make drilling new ones possible.

Yesterday saw a big leap forward on the rabbet.



Lots of chisel work but the upper stem was straight enough to make good use of my old rabbet plane.



Which got us to here.





There is some adjustment needed but it doesn't look too terrible. The corner got knocked off the other side too.





It's getting lighter.

I would do the stopwaters before you cut more rebate, or you are going to have to glue wood back on to provide a flat to start the drill.

[ben2go]

[jsjpd1]

What is the 4th of July celebration for Jim? That stem is looking fine

Thanks Andrew. The fourth is Independence day here, so parades, picnics, and fireworks are the order of the day.

[jsjpd1]

I would do the stopwaters before you cut more rebate, or you are going to have to glue wood back on to provide a flat to start the drill.

I'll give that some thought Nick. Two of the stopwaters were right in the bottom of the rabbet so wandering didn't seem like it would be an issue for those. There were two more that weren't in the bottom of the rabbet as well. The stopwaters on the keel are going to have to be drilled after the fact since I can't uncarve that one.

[Paul Girouard]

What is the 4th of July celebration for Jim?

Err, Independence Day from the bloody British overlords !

[Peerie Maa]

I'll give that some thought Nick. Two of the stopwaters were right in the bottom of the rabbet so wandering didn't seem like it would be an issue for those. There were two more that weren't in the bottom of the rabbet as well. The stopwaters on the keel are going to have to be drilled after the fact since I can't uncarve that one.

The best location is half in the rebate so that when you drive the caulking you caulk against the stopwater. Like this.

[Peerie Maa]

Err, Independence Day from the bloody British overlords !

Now replaced by the Blue Lizard Overlords.

[Garret]

Now replaced by the Blue Lizard Overlords.

More like the corporate overlords....

Sorry for the political drift, but since it's the 4th of July it seemed appropriate.

[andrewpatrol]

We're yet to achieve that day off down here.

[jsjpd1]

You guys don't get Saturday off? Man, tough place!

[Paul Girouard]

We're yet to achieve that day off down here.

You guys don't get Saturday off? Man, tough place!

Good exchange! Talk about dead pan comedy , we need both you guys down in the bilge , that place is full of to many people who take themselves and their posts , WAY to seriously!

Nice work on the boat and great thread:-))

[jsjpd1]

Well, I've been trying to get back into the swing of things after having a week off. I spent some time trying to line up the rabbet with the planking to make sure I've got it right since the old stem was only somewhat useful as a pattern. It's pretty close now.





Finished up the rabbet after deciding it was in the right place after all and turn some yellow cedar for stop waters.



First one drilled.



Then pound them in and trim them off.





I think I'm just about ready to bolt the stem back on to the keel.

Jim

[MoMan]

Here's a newbie question for you: I've seen the term in a number of places--what is a "stopwater" and what does it do?

[jsjpd1]

Water will creep up joints between big timbers and into the boat. To stop this a hole is drilled on the seam between the timbers and a dowel driven in. When the water gets to the dowel it will swell tight and stop the water from going further into the boat. The stop water creates a more perfect seal that the long joining face of the timbers can.

Jim

[Woxbox]

Looking good, Jim. It must be easier to make progress without those pesky tourists stopping by.

[jsjpd1]

Hi Dave, a whole bus load of tourists could have stopped by today without interrupting any progress and helped me watch paint dry. Did you guys enjoy your trip?

The paint in question.

[Woxbox]

Couldn't have been better. Sunny most days, lots of good stuff. Bears even. And in the wood boat department, I've never seen such a huge fishing fleet, lots of it apparently wood, as I did in Sitka. Some New England ports long ago looked like this, but that's all old history on this side of the country.

[jsjpd1]

Petersburg is like that too. Fishing is a huge part of the economy of southeast Alaska and wood boats can still pay their way so there are quite a few around.

[Lew Barrett]

Impressive and daunting all at once.

[andrewpatrol]

all the best for the final fit Jim, although you and I know it'll fit don't we