Model D.F. McLachlan skiff, via the bad idea

[pandelume]

As a followup to this thread:

http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=94936

I'm building a 1/8 scale model using the patterns that would be provided to shops for cutting. These patterns could also be used full size to make everything by hand. Sorry for some of these pictures - they seemed a lot less blurry on the 2" camera screen.

Starting materials:


After cutting out the parts for the stem, stem knee, sternpost, and stern knee:



And after initial assembly and cutting the first set of planks:

[pandelume]

Details of the stem and stern assemblies:





Rest assured that the lousy fits are on account of my unsteady cutting hand, not the patterns.

And a shot of the jig with the first mold in place:

[Thorne]

Nice! CLC look out...

[pandelume]

Thanks, Thorne! I don't think CLC needs to worry quite yet. But if this works out pretty well, I'll start planning a full-size build.

I'll post more pictures (hopefully better ones) as it progresses.

[pandelume]

Ok, the complete jig:





I have a couple of questions hopefully someone can answer:

1) what's the approved method of beveling the hog-piece, stem, and sternpost to accept the planking? I can eyeball it, but I'm a little concerned about taking too much material off, since it'll be a bit difficult to glue material back in.

2) is it customary to bevel the plank laps or just fake it?

I'd also like to offer PDFs or DXFs for the model or full-size skiff to anyone who'd like to make one. PM me and I'll email them.

[John Meachen]

To get a good answer to question 1,you should read what John Gardner wrote on the subject.My answer to question 2 would be ignore the bevelling for the model but be sure to do it on the real thing.Some very small planes and chisels would be useful for the model.

[Clinton B Chase]

You can do your beveling with sandpaper on a small hard block. I would do it to some extent.

Get Dynamite Payson's dory model book..he has all the tricks up his sleeve.

Building a model is the best way to get to know a boat before going all in!

Clint

[pandelume]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've test-fitted the garboard and second strakes and done a little of the beveling, but I forgot to take pictures. The fits seem pretty good so far, so that's encouraging.

[pandelume]

Time for an update! I got a fair amount done on this, although holding the planks in place while the glue sets has turned out to be a pain. I also don't like the glue I have - a cyanoacrylate superglue. I don't have Dynamite Payson's model book yet, but if I ever build another I'll get a copy first.

Anyhow, I've been able to muddle along. Here's a shot of plank #3 going on:



I've tried a bunch of things to hold the plank while the glue sets, and very carefully applying the vice-grips seems to be the best so far. I've haven't been able to get a continuous contact between planks while gluing - the superglue doesn't seem to like a continuous glue line as much as individual beads of glue. I figure I can fill the gaps prior to painting (or not, since it's only a model) - any suggestions on what to use?

Here's a shot of the 5th plank on:



And another with different lighting and angle:

[pandelume]

Time to catch up on this thread. Here she is with planking completed:



And off the building jig:





You can see the patterns for the thwarts and stern seat. I hadn't planned to build the centerboard and case, but now I think I might add those in. I'll also build a model sail rig to go with them.

Here she is while gluing the outwale or rubrail:



And with everything installed:



You can see that the bend turned out to be too much for the outwales. I hope to fix this by fitting an inwale, which I hope will help straighten out the hard spots caused by the breaks. Otherwise, I suppose I'll have to cut these off and try again, which will be a drag.

However, the lesson would be to test fit before gluing. And maybe laminating these on a full-size build would be a good idea.

[pandelume]

Here's the current state of the model, for those who are still interested:



I finished fitting the inwales, but it didn't do as much as I had hoped to correct the hard spots on the rail. Oh well, I guess. After I install the centerboard case, I think I'll give the whole works a coat of two of varnish followed by paint on the exterior. Anyone have thoughts on this?

[John Meachen]

I'm certainly still interested;both in the model and the scheme for the full size version.

[Bill Huson]

Breath on the cyano glue. Moisture - as in hot breaths - kick it off quicker. And the major cyano fix - BAKING SODA! Yes, put the parts in a bag or small box, dump in a handful of baking soda and shake & bake. Cyano loves a dusting of baking soda.

[Ed Armstrong]

Thanks for showing us the progress. This is the first time I've looked at the thread. She looks pretty good, though if it were me, I'd probably re-do the outwales. Could you just use a sharp plane to remove the wood, or maybe heat applied with a heat-gun would loose the glue (works with epoxy, but I don't know much about CA glue). What scale is she built at? I've been scratch building a 1-1/2"=1' scale sailboat for a few months now. I decided to strip-build her, using Titebond III, which maybe isn't such a good idea. The 4 hour dry time means I only hang a pair of strips at a time, which is why it's taken me so long just to plank the hull. If I do it again, I'll go with a faster drying glue, maybe 5 minute epoxy, though I'm not sure the 5 minute stuff is meant to last.

Ed

[pandelume]

Thanks for the interest everyone. I'm working on the patterns to build full-size; per some suggestions I'm taking a look at an enlargement of about 10% in length - I'll post some screenshots once I've finished the basic CAD model.

I've never heard of the baking soda trick, Bill. I'll be sure to try it with the remaining glue joints - possibly with the reworked inwales/outwales. I'm pretty tempted to try them again, so I'll see what I can do to remove the broken ones. A plane might very well do the trick.

Ed, the scale is 1:8 or 1.5" = 1'. A nice thing about the cyanoacrylate glue is that it sets quite fast, so I can get a fair amount done in an evening. Any chance you'd be willing to post some pictures of your model?

[pandelume]

One other thing: I put together a set of basic instructions that should have everything a person would need to make this model - it's posted here.

[Paul Scheuer]

When I built a similar size Catspaw model I didn't bevel the laps but I did cut the gains. I was amazed at how much effect that little bit of trimming had on the way that the planks fit.

[Ed Armstrong]

I don't have any recent photos of my model build, but here are a few taken early on.

The molds waiting to be assembled on the strongback:


And the strongback and backbone completed with the first few strips attached:



The design is Gartside's #155. The transom is thick because I elected to carve it out of a piece of redwood to get the curve, rather than laminating it over forms. Planking is 1/8"x3/16" western red cedar. Keel is ash. I cheated on the stem and cut it out of a scrap of marine ply that I'd laminated together for a centerboard for my dinghy.

Ed

[pandelume]

Ed, nice work! I like that cutter design of Mr. Gartside's. Did you cut the molds with a jigsaw?

No pressure, but if you stumble across more pictures I think we can force ourselves to look at them

[Ed Armstrong]

I'm working from home today, so I snapped a few shots. It looks like a pincushion now, because I've been using straightpins to hold the strips until they dry:



The strips are glued with Titebond III, but I've gone back over it and painted epoxy in the dark areas in the hopes that it would penetrate between the strips where the Titebond may not have grabbed and help lock the structure together.




Once I finish the planking, I'll paint the remainder with epoxy, then pull the pins, trim the bow and stern planking flush and start fairing. Fairing will require some work, since the strips aren't all consistant thickness and didn't always lie completely fair on the molds, but with 1/8" thickness to work with, I should be able to fair it smooth with the help of a little thickened epoxy and some elbow grease. Once faired, I plan on covering with fiberglass & epoxy.

I cut the molds on my bandsaw with a 1/4" blade, then faired with hand plane and spokeshave. For the strips, I cut slabs of WRC of approximate thickness on the bandsaw using a 5/8" blade, planed them to 1/8", then cut 1/4" strips from the slabs and hand planed to final 3/16" width.

It's been fun so far, but I'm looking forward to turning her over and starting on the interior.

Ed