Thread: Tom Cat

I've made hoops like this, though I don't like them much. They're noisy, stack poorly, like to tear up varnish, etc. I found you have to generously radius the inside edge, so they can slide up and down better. I also found you need to use heat, to really smooth out the granulation that occurs when you sand the round overs. I used a torch, and just quickly waved it over the edges. I did this several times until they "laid down" smooth. Once you run a router and sander over this stuff, you see what I mean. I used schedule 80 PVC pipe for this, not that particular product. Find out what the UV resistance is on that stuff. Given the choices, I'd lace, instead of using hoops, but I understand why you'd consider the hoops on this build.

Finally got some weather that I was happy with and the final glue up of the Mast is complete!

Pretty happy with the outcome – just hope I’ve used enough glue as it is difficult to ascertain from the outside. There wasn’t a lot of squeeze out but I guess when I trim the ends we’ll see what we finally ended up with. I took some advice found on the net and used plastic ties in lieu of clamps etc.

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Going forward will be a big planing job to finally bring her to the required round profile. I will follow the time honoured trimming 8 > 16 > 32 siding and then hand sanding. Seems like it may take a while!

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Looks nice and solid from here!

What was the spacing between the ties? They seem to be closer at the top end but it could be the photo angle.

Tie spacing was between 150 and 200 mm throughout with the exception of the ends where the tapers occur and I slowly brought them down to about 100 mm and finally about 50 mm in the final few.

I've found ties are where you need them, to draw in wayward staves. Some will have natural curves from internal stresses, so you simply "suck" them in as you tip it up. I just did a neat teardrop mast which had quite a few of these internal stresses to contend with. I saw tham as the stock came off the table saw and would normally have tossed them, just to cut some more, but this stuff was so pretty, I couldn't bring myself to do it, so I "talked" them into the stick anyway.

Trimming with the hand plane now complete and up to the big job of sanding – this is being completed by the hand sanding method using a bit of half pipe with the various grits taped on the inside. Oh well, it’s good for the fitness!

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Somehow I un-checked the box that notifies me of updates! Fixed that. Work looks perfect here Laurie, thanks for good pics and text as always. Plastic ties particularly useful here as i begin the setup planning for my mast. getting exciting now , close to the finish!!!

It continues at a very slow pace – I don’t like sanding but at least I have reached the end of Stage 1 ie. 40 grit sanding is now complete. Just all the finicky work left going down thru the different grits until happy. I have also knocked up the beginnings of the Bolster and associated Boom Hold-Down but will not commit to attachment until the Mast is finished.

Oh, and just by way of explanation re: the dowels. These are a result of my utilising the existing joist I had. It shouldn't be so bad - the intention is to paint up to the Bolster so they should be covered. I do have others towards the top end but also should see paint applied in that space.


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very nice Laurie!! Thanks for all your documentation and pictures. They're great!

Well, it’s been a very hectic couple of months since my last post. The reason for the lack of correspondence and work on the boat comes down to my retirement from work and any further money earning days!! I decided at age 66 I’ve had enough of the daily grind so I pulled the pin at the end of November. This, of course, was immediately followed by Xmas preparations, Xmas and then holidays down the coast, getting back just this week.

Subsequently, I have much work to do in the garden due to our absence and coming to terms with retirement – golf is back on my weekly agenda after 10 or so years away so my weekly routine will be vastly different! Still attempting to come to terms with sleeping in!

My hold up on the boat is the fact that I need to get it onto the trailer and have been spending some time in prep for that and also ran up against the non-availability of SS staples to hold down the carpet on the skids – one of the vagaries of living so far from the coast.

Anyway, some pics below of the mast head fitting.

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Hello Laurie and my congratulations on retirement!! Don't let them tempt you with consulting now... The mast fitting is beautifully done!

I too have plans for trailer readiness to ease the whole thing. I will fit a walkway down the tongue and make a detachable light board as I loathe finding shorts. I will arrange some sort of back up camera by plan to ease the "sit forward, drive backward" that gets tougher and tougher. I MAY add brakes too, we'll see.

Anyway, I hope you keep going and finish out this thread. It's part of the build itself!!!

Many thanks Greg...the trailer requirement is so I can back to finishing the boat. I still have lots to do with fittings, trim bits, yard and boom, varnish the mast et al. Hopefully I can get on with it without being waylaid into the garden!!
Cheers
Laurie

Thousands of details! You have to build one to understand! When you take as much care as you can; it takes a long while!!!

Can you tell me how you plan to secure the mast head fitting to the mast please? A pin, epoxy?

Best to you Laurie and thanks as always...

Hi Greg...simple answer is sand both the mast head and fitting with coarse grit and epoxy on. All stresses are down do I don’t see a need for much more. Even trailering it should be OK.
Cheers
Laurie