Thread: GIS - Sacramento

Has all that wood been removed by natural forces ... or do boatbuilders come along during the night?

Surprised it hasn't broken yet!

MIK

Mik, That missing wood is mostly fire damage over the years. Those big trees are anywhere from 1800 to 3000 years old. They've been through a lot. And virtually all of them are damaged to some degree. Of course the worst thing that can happen to them is human activity.

Here's a pic of what was/is called the Discovery Tree - being the first big tree found in the area in the 1840s. In 1852 somebody decided to cut it down to take on tour... the stump was turned into a dance floor and eventually a pavilion was built around it. The tour, by the way, failed when the parts on tour (the bark and a couple of pieces of trunk) were lost in a warehouse fire.



For some inexplicable reason they never milled the wood - the trunk still lies where it fell. Note the tree that has grown between the stump (lower right corner) and the trunk.



The same yahoos who built the dance floor built a bowling lane and bar on the fallen tree trunk.

Fascinating place to visit. Rather humbling to stand next to something that's been alive since (or before) the time of Christ.

Bob

Progress...


Today I set the rudder aside (no, it is not done) so I could laminate the centerboard blank. The seven pieces of Western Red Cedar and two pieces of Ash fit together just like they did last month! After dry fitting things together (again) to make sure they were in the right place and making sure the clamps were ready to go, I used my moaning chair to think my way through the process once again.

• Turn the WRC staves on edge and clamp them together
• Mix epoxy
• Apply epoxy to edge of staves with roller; Apply epoxy to one edge of each ash stave
• Turn clamped set of staves over
• Apply epoxy to other edge of staves with roller
• Mix thickened epoxy
• Apply thickened epoxy to edge of WRC staves with roller; Apply thickened epoxy to one edge of each ash stave
• Unclamp staves and turn on sides
• Line up staves using reference line
• Clamp staves together with three evenly spaced bar-clamps
• Clamp cauls in place near ends of blank

Here is what that looks like:


Now I wait for the epoxy to set up. In the meantime I am working on the #5 jack plane. A friend commented the other day on wondering about what hands had used his planes before him. I'm trying not to think about where this plane has been! It was filthy, layered with an oily, gritty, crusty combination of grime and rust. And that was before I took it apart! When I removed the frog I found a greasy/oily collection of sawdust, dirt, and something gritty (sand?). A Dremel scrubber brush has been useful. So has the Dremel wire brush, warm soapy water and an old toothbrush. Here is the plane in its current state:

It may be easier to replace the iron, but I will spend some time working on it tomorrow. And, of course, I will continue to clean the rest of the plane. A replacement knob is on its way - a gift from a friend. Not sure why the tote isn't in the picture...



I need to a larger piece of glass to use for flattening the sole. I'm also looking for a source for rolls of sandpaper - standard sheets are too short.


So, I bit a tangible progress today. I will soon have another real boat part ready to go!



Bob

The centerboard blank looks pretty good this morning.

I'm getting ready to cut it to its outline so I can begin shaping the foil. But, being metrically disadvantaged, I am asking for somebody - anybody - to verify my conversions on the measurements (this is the prequel to the old adage, Measure twice, cut once.).

Leading edge: 1265mm = 50.6"

Top Mark on Trailing Edge: 135mm = 5.4"

Mark on Bottom Edge (from Trailing Edge): 131mm = 5.24"

While I want to keep moving on this, I can wait for a reply. The epoxy could set up a bit longer, and I'd really rather not make a mistake here.

Thanks.

Bob

HI BobWes,

Leading edge 49.8 ins

So either your conversion or my conversion is out. But none of it matters providing the width of the board is right. A little bit longer or shorter is going to make no difference at all.

The best way is to get a hold of a metric tape measure. Strongly recommend it before you get to marking up the hull as you must use a tape measure for those parts otherwise the small errors accumulate quite badly.

Not important for simple pieces like centreboards, rudders, rudder boxes, spars (though a tenth of an inch is not accurate enough for the cross section measurements but fine for lengths - it is about 2.5mm). But with anything complicated it can become tricky.

Duckworks sells tapes quite cheaply and will post them, though some have found them in their local hardware shops (I was really surprised they could find them at all in the USA!). Duckworks is also good for glass tape and cloth, epoxy and rudder fittings. And sails .. but that is getting too far of ourselves!

MIK

Thanks Mik,

Good thing I took the time to ask the question... not because the conversions were off but because I laid out the cut lines on the blank all wrong! Couldn't figure out why I'd be cutting almost 10" off the end of the blank...

Looking at the diagram in the plans helped... along with the time for my brain to catch up.

A metric tape has been on my "Buy" list since buying the plans, it just keeps getting pushed down the page. I'll order one from DuckWorks - better to support them than Home Despot.


Bob

Pretty much the same old mundane tasks continuing...

The jack plane got a good cleaning with mineral spirits and steel wool. I cobbled together a larger work station for flattening the sole of the plane - cut a 15" x 24" piece of 1/2" ply, glued a 2x2 cleat to the bottom (something for the WorkMate to hold onto), and taped a piece of glass to the top. Taped some sandpaper to the glass and began the process of flattening.

I ordered a metric tape from Duckworks, so I can check that off the list.

I also ordered a batch of 24 spring clamps from an eBay vendor. Delivered cost is about 85 cents apiece which is much better than the $3 Home Depot wants for the same size clamp. Yeah, I know, the eBay clamps are probably not the same quality, but just how good does a spring clamp have to be? The bar clamps I bought from the same vendor appear to be just as good as what's available at the big box stores, so my expectation is these spring clamps will be just fine.

My new avatar is the result of some doodling around following my post last month wondering whether something like the Bull or Bear sail marking (see https://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...394#post951394 ) could be done with a Goat. Several attempts at the same style as the Bull/Bear insignias didn't turn out so well (were actually pretty sad). But the idea of using a silhouette came up and a friend and I worked this up. The handful of people who have seen this like it. Don't know that I would actually decorate the sail with this image (not even sure how that would be done), but it was a fun exercise.



The "GIS" on the sail is borrowed from Brian's logo. The "71" is just a sentimental personal favorite. I certainly expect to get my Goat done well ahead of being No. 71!

Bob

Very cool Bob I like it, all you need is the designers stamp of approval

Gives the GIS a sort of tough stance..........you know, watch out I'm coming through.

...exactly! That has been the reaction of most folks upon seeing that drawing. Glad you like it. Mik has already admitted to liking the avatar, but of course that is a bit small to get the effect....

Bob

Howdy BobWes,

No problem with any of this.

If there is ever an official GIS insignia it won't be Brian's one .. it is too fussy for sailmakers to cut out and position. But you can use it of course if you accept that the official one might be different.

I dont' really see the need for an official one.

When you order sails speak to the sailmaker about painting it on.

BTW ... the GIS insignia would have to be at different heights on each side of the sail or the shadow from the one on the back will make it unreadable.

MIK

Thanks Mik. Not sure that I will decorate the sail but thinking about it.

Drifting off on a tangent... or what do I want to do with my Goat when it is done?

Here is a link to the NOR of the Lake Washington Sailing Club's Dinghy Delta Ditch Regatta. http://www.lwsailing.org/nors/2009Di...taDitchNOR.pdf It is a 30 mile downwind (or deep reach) sail. It is a handicapped event - a SF Pelican won on corrected time the last two years.

I will not be ready for this year's event but it is something to aim for...

Back to the centerboard...

Bob

While this becomes moot when you have the metric tape in hand your conversion (MM to inches) is off because you were dividing MM by 25 instead of 25.4.

BTW--I really like the goat graphic but would make it much smaller, maybe half as big.

Duckworks took good care of me this week, shipping the metric tape I ordered on Sunday on Monday. It arrived today. So, here I am forcing myself to catch up - at least partially - with 18th century France (one account tells me the metric system became the official system of measurement in France in 1795).

But if this will help me build a better boat I'll do my best to think in terms of mm, cm, and meters rather than inches and feet. Guess I better keep the pencil sharp - you could lose a couple of mm with a dull pencil! And I may have to get my glasses updated so I can read this tape!

It may be time to order the plywood this weekend! The shop doesn't keep it in stock but the boat builders I've talked to about this shop have been pleased with the quality and service. Once I have some ply I can begin on the bulkheads!

Progress, slow and steady progress.

Bob

The Goat is too bullish. Too overpowering. I think the nicest boats have all elements that flow together. Nothing stands out too harshly. Everything works together. The Goat emblem looks more like a bull. It could be smaller, but then the details get even more difficult.

Where are we on the hull # discussion? I think a GIS # on the sail is a good idea.

Clint