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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Banora point,NSW.
    Posts
    172

    Default And so it begins !!!

    G'Day Folks,

    I've started building a Guillemot Kayaks 14 Ft Great Auk. Forms and finishing the strongback next. Followed by milling the cedar.

    Kayak 001small.jpgKayak 002small.jpg

    Regards,
    Cam

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Adelaide - outer south
    Age
    67
    Posts
    935

    Default

    Good one Cam, we're overdue for a build log and a strip build is especially welcome.

    Will be following with great interest.
    Cheers, Bob the labrat

    Measure once and.... the phone rings!

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Banora point,NSW.
    Posts
    172

    Default Thanks!

    Quote Originally Posted by labr@ View Post
    Good one Cam, we're overdue for a build log and a strip build is especially welcome.

    Will be following with great interest.

    Thank you for that, I intend to post as the build progresses up to the maiden voyage !
    I have never built a kayak before, in fact only done some simple furniture, am mainly aturner!
    lets see where this journey leads !!

    Cam

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Albury Well Just Outside
    Posts
    13,315

    Default

    This should be an interesting work in progress to follow.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Banora point,NSW.
    Posts
    172

    Default First week update

    G'Day Folks,

    Update on what I have achieved this week.

    Forms cut out, sanded to the lines and centres cut out. Bow and stern forms bevelled.

    001small.jpg

    002smallJPG.jpg

    Next step is to layout the forms on the strongback at correct spacing and secure them in place, the small end forms need cutting and gluing to the bow and stern.
    Next major job is to mill the Cedar into strips - looking forward to that, especially the clean up afterwards !!!!
    Plan is to space and secure forms monday/tuesday, mill the timber friday arvo - if the neighbours missis isnt on nights as it'l be noisy !!


    LEARNS for this week

    When cutting the plan sheets allow an inch of paper around the lines, as when cutting to the line if its less the jigsaw blade can pull the paper from the wood. If you allow an inch the jigsaw base will hold it in place.

    Cheap isnt necessarily crap. I bought a low angle block plane from Bunnings (Trojan Brand) for $15 - I expected to end up throwing it away in disgust _ I was wrong - I sharpened the blade and it cuts very well. Beats paying $154 for the Bailey version, mind you the Bailey will out last me !!!

    003small.jpg



    Accuracy - Dont be too fussy and drive yourself nuts trying for perfection. This is a large item and a millimetre here and there will not be noticed nor will it affect the usability of the Kayak !!!



    This little relatively cheap sander has saved me countless hours - BUY ONE !!!!!!!!!!!

    005small.jpg


    Biggest Learn - I CAN do this !!!! LOL !!!!

    Regards,
    Cam

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Adelaide - outer south
    Age
    67
    Posts
    935

    Default

    Good progress there bloke. Are you going to bevel the strips or cove and bead? Some people swear by cove and bead but there are good reasons for bevelling too.

    I bought one of those cheap block planes some time back and had some use out of it. Then one day I found an old Falcon, made around 1950 (older than me!) for not much more $ and bought that too. The Falcon is one of my 2 favourite hand tools and the cheapy sits all alone in the drawer. Apparently there are still a few around so if you come across one at a good price snap it up.

    My other favourite hand tool is one that could come in handy for this build too - a japanese saw. It's the only type of saw I've ever been able to do neat accurate cuts with. There are various brands but I have the Z saw flexible cross cut.
    Cheers, Bob the labrat

    Measure once and.... the phone rings!

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Willagee WA
    Posts
    27

    Default Strip planked kayak

    Hi Cam,
    I have built 2 strip kayaks so far, and it is a great and satisfying hobby. Just a word of advise...when machining your strips, try to get them all exactly the same thickness, as it saves heaps of time later in the project, and makes for a "fairer" hull.
    Kiwi Richard B.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Banora point,NSW.
    Posts
    172

    Default Thanks for the advice !

    Fellas, Thanks for your input. I too am converted to pull saws, much easier to use !
    After milling i may run any odd strips through the planer.

    Cam

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    115

    Default

    This plane is perfect for beveling thin strips and tidying up form edges.
    http://m.supercheapauto.com.au/Produ...ne-Mini/321712
    At the price they are almost a disposable item.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Townsville, Tropical North Qld.
    Age
    76
    Posts
    556

    Default Great Timing

    Great timing Cam, I am currently reading Nick Schade's book "The Strip Built Sea Kayak" and thinking I'd like to do a stripper as well. Look forward to following your build as a first timer which i would be as well. Have you decided on your joint preference yet, Bead & Cove or bevelling? I'm not sure which way I'd go but I'm leaning towards bevelling. Anyway good luck with your build, looking forward to more pictures and your experience.
    Cheers, Ian
    "The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot.. it can't be done.
    If you deal with the lowest bidder it is well to add something for the risk you run.
    And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better"

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Willagee WA
    Posts
    27

    Default Cutting Strips for Planking.

    Hi Cam and Others,
    Just another tip here when cutting the strips...you need to have the strips cut as quarter sawn...ie, the wide grain pattern should be on the edge of the strip, not on the face, and all strips must be this way, or you will never get your hull "fair"...the wide grain pattern is harder than the surrounding wood, and when sanding, you remove more of the softer wood, leaving the hard part higher. Cedar and oregon both have this problem.
    Richard B9

  13. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Tuross Head, South Coast, NSW
    Age
    77
    Posts
    155

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Nanigai View Post
    Great timing Cam, I am currently reading Nick Schade's book "The Strip Built Sea Kayak" and thinking I'd like to do a stripper as well. Look forward to following your build as a first timer which i would be as well. Have you decided on your joint preference yet, Bead & Cove or bevelling? I'm not sure which way I'd go but I'm leaning towards bevelling. Anyway good luck with your build, looking forward to more pictures and your experience.
    Cheers, Ian
    Ian, I think you are leaning in the right direction. If you are patient, it isn't hard to do a very neat job with beveled strips.

    A lot of people, including me, think that bead and cove is a waste of timber and a waste of time.

    If things go wrong with bead and cove, it is likely to look worse than beveled strips.

    There are certain decorative patterns that involve a lot more work if you use bead and cove and there are certain patterns with which your nice straight lines will become wavy as you sand the deck.

    All eleven of my strip built kayaks have been built with bevels. I follow Nick's methods from "The Strip Built Kayak" pretty closely and it works well for me.

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Banora point,NSW.
    Posts
    172

    Default Setting up forms

    G'Day Fellas,

    I really need some help with aligning the forms properly before I make a terminal stuff up !

    I have the forms spaced out correctly (? see below) and made sure they are vertical - BUT I cant get the waterline reference lines to line up nor the ones on the corner of the forms. The forms are reasonably well cut out - I dont think there is any gross errors here. I THINK I am wrong to use the lines on the corners of the forms as these are the marker points for where the first strip goes for the hull and deck and will hence be curved, is this thinking correct ?

    I glue a strip to one form (#6) at the the waterlevel reference line and hold it in place on form #1 at the reference line and it dips up to a 1/2" below the intervening forms marks, yet when I eyeball the lines they basically line up except form 4 (this whole form appears too damn small!).

    Ignore the comment about form 4 !! I dashed into the garage following a sudden thought and measure the form spacing - I've got form three in the wrong place, its out by an inch !

    What method should I use to ensure that the waterlevel reference lines line up ?

    Cam

  15. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Adelaide - outer south
    Age
    67
    Posts
    935

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tangoman View Post
    I THINK I am wrong to use the lines on the corners of the forms as these are the marker points for where the first strip goes for the hull and deck and will hence be curved, is this thinking correct ?
    Yes you're right in thinking that's wrong . If you tried to set up the sheer line marks in a straight line then you would be in good company - it's something that happens to a lot of first timers. Not all of them can pick that there is something wrong first up though so your thought processes are good. It's just that there is a lot to learn.

    The pic below turned out a bit smaller than I expected but if you click on it you should get an enlarged view.

    Hopefully it confirms what I think you already know.
    Form alignment pic-001.JPG

    You are also correct about this being important to get right. I spent a lot of time in several sessions over a period of days doing mine. It was frustrating at times but once everything is locked in correctly the job can succeed. If the set up is wrong there is no way to correct it later.
    How you make them line up depends a bit on the type of strongback. If it is an internal box beam then my understanding is that the cutouts in the forms need to be just a little oversize and they are adjusted/locked in place using wedges and screwed on blocks - basically whatever works for you. I have not used this method though so someone else may have better advice.
    A laser level is invaluable for checking alignment all the way down the row. If you don't own one try to borrow one for the job. Actually anything with a laser attachment would probably do. I tried a string line to start with and had all sorts of trouble.

    Just another thought: Have you ensured the spacings are taken from the edge of each form that the strips will rest on?
    Cheers, Bob the labrat

    Measure once and.... the phone rings!

  16. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Townsville, Tropical North Qld.
    Age
    76
    Posts
    556

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by anewhouse View Post
    Ian, I think you are leaning in the right direction. If you are patient, it isn't hard to do a very neat job with beveled strips. A lot of people, including me, think that bead and cove is a waste of timber and a waste of time. If things go wrong with bead and cove, it is likely to look worse than beveled strips. There are certain decorative patterns that involve a lot more work if you use bead and cove and there are certain patterns with which your nice straight lines will become wavy as you sand the deck. All eleven of my strip built kayaks have been built with bevels. I follow Nick's methods from "The Strip Built Kayak" pretty closely and it works well for me.
    ELEVEN, bloody hell it must be addictive........hope I enjoy it as much as you obviously have. I will take your advice as the final piece of info that turned me fully to bevelled edges rather than bead N cove. I had not heard anyone mention this other potential problem before ("your nice straight lines will become wavy as you sand the deck") which makes a lot of sense to me particularly if you were to sand away too much of the cove edge, once done it couldn't be put back and would no doubt produce the effect mentioned.... big trap for newbies. With almost square edges that probably couldn't happen with beveled edge builds. Another potential problem removed, BIG thank you anewhouse. Now which one to build? Cheers, Ian
    "The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot.. it can't be done.
    If you deal with the lowest bidder it is well to add something for the risk you run.
    And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better"

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