In at the deep end

[soldthehouse]

It's probably that long since he last did any welding.

 

He would have loved to put the new bottom on 'Sir Edmund' but his vertigo gives him problems.

 

He IS a workaholic but I think (I know?) you're out of luck there (unless you're in Birmingham!)

I,m a little bit further north than that! Did you get your boat rebottomed!

[NB Esk]

Burnt my 9"grinder out yesterday, awaiting delivery of a new one, managing to work on boat everyday which will help progress have what I believe is called the uxter plate in place now{is this the one that sits on the swim plates}, and cuting weedhatch hole and adding a little more plate to the stern for more clearance between sternpost and tiller, Iam making it up pretty much as I go and from memory, so tears will be shed soon i think. however i havnt had so much fun in a long time. Pictures tomorrow camera phone permitting.

 

 

I use a 9" angle grinder + a minimum of three 4 1/2". Two of those are decent quality & the other is a cheapo, which just gets used with a wire brush.

 

You'll be fine doing it *from memory*. Yes, there will be mistakes, the trick is being able to sort them.

My worst so far, was getting all the cabin framing in place, followed by the sideplates. At this point I decided the cabin sides were too tall, so the sides & roof framing was lowered by 3". A pain but now I'm happy with it

 

More pics when you get time........cheers...

[OldGoldy]

I,m a little bit further north than that! Did you get your boat rebottomed!

Yup! Rebottomed, awaiting resealing of windows against rainwater, replacing floor where old bottom plate was 'slashed',

welding of anodes bought today, replacement of tiller tube and hull blacking.

 

Won't go back in the water 'til next spring when we have our annual boatlift (at the club)

[soldthehouse]

I use a 9" angle grinder + a minimum of three 4 1/2". Two of those are decent quality & the other is a cheapo, which just gets used with a wire brush.

 

You'll be fine doing it *from memory*. Yes, there will be mistakes, the trick is being able to sort them.

My worst so far, was getting all the cabin framing in place, followed by the sideplates. At this point I decided the cabin sides were too tall, so the sides & roof framing was lowered by 3". A pain but now I'm happy with it

 

More pics when you get time........cheers...

Was going to post some pics today but had to go to garstang to deliver a sawblade, {any excuse for awalk along the canal} just back at 10.30. will take photos tomorrow at the close of play, should get plenty done as the grinder came today

 

Yup! Rebottomed, awaiting resealing of windows against rainwater, replacing floor where old bottom plate was 'slashed',

welding of anodes bought today, replacement of tiller tube and hull blacking.

 

Won't go back in the water 'til next spring when we have our annual boatlift (at the club)

As recent as that. good luck with the sealing of the windows thats important, will you do the blacking yourself ,what do you use.

Edited August 27, 2009 by soldthehouse

[OldGoldy]

Was going to post some pics today but had to go to garstang to deliver a sawblade, {any excuse for awalk along the canal} just back at 10.30. will take photos tomorrow at the close of play, should get plenty done as the grinder came today

 

 

As recent as that. good luck with the sealing of the windows thats important, will you do the blacking yourself ,what do you use.

 

To seal the windows, I use a bitumen-based Roof & Gutter sealant to ensure that it remains flexible (GRP cabin top) but I'm open to suggestions for anything better. I don't want to use an automotive polyurethane sealant because that stuff really does stick and I'd have trouble getting the window out, should there be a need.

 

Blacking? Always done it myself. Almost a pleasure - love that smell!

I used to use Keys (Keays?) Imperial No 1 but it's no longer available, so I'm using bitumen paint

from Rapidpaint in Birmingham (www.narrowboatcolours.co.uk/bitumen-paint.html)

[soldthehouse]

To seal the windows, I use a bitumen-based Roof & Gutter sealant to ensure that it remains flexible (GRP cabin top) but I'm open to suggestions for anything better. I don't want to use an automotive polyurethane sealant because that stuff really does stick and I'd have trouble getting the window out, should there be a need.

 

Blacking? Always done it myself. Almost a pleasure - love that smell!

I used to use Keys (Keays?) Imperial No 1 but it's no longer available, so I'm using bitumen paint

from Rapidpaint in Birmingham (www.narrowboatcolours.co.uk/bitumen-paint.html)

The sealant you use is probably the best taking into account the need to possibly remove the windows at a later date. I use sovereign chemicals products but their polymer sealant is tenacious stuff that wont let go, ideal for a permanent strong waterproof bond but no use for windows that may need to come out. hope you get it all done while the weather is half decent. i dont know which blacking route i will go but ive a while yet before i come to that. Is it the cost that puts people off the two pack stuff

[soldthehouse]

Todays piccys

Best I can do on the glueing bit

Counter side plates tacked on, also have the curved rear plate in place, it was too dark to photograph, i,ll do it tomorrow

[soldthehouse]

[NB Esk]

Some more good work there & from what I can see of the welds, definately nothing to worry about. You're making some good progress.

 

What style of boat will it be?

 

I use an AC machine & I can weld OK with it but I must get to have a go with a DC one, when I get the chance...

[soldthehouse]

Some more good work there & from what I can see of the welds, definately nothing to worry about. You're making some good progress.

 

What style of boat will it be?

 

I use an AC machine & I can weld OK with it but I must get to have a go with a DC one, when I get the chance...

Its going to be trad stern, but i,m not keen on trad bow, i looked at your previous posts and think I remember youre going towards a tug which I like, I always find it easier making decisions for other people than when working for myself. I prefer a straight stem as in vertical but am struggling with a design. the usual dutch barge type would probably look naff with a trad stern, I am toying with a low vertical stem with a long tug style deck but i will probably bottle it in the end unless someone comes up with a photo of some thing right. Ive got to an age where I dont go with the flow so it may turn out interesting or laughable who knows. what progress have you made with yours, I see you are advertising for vents good luck

[NB Esk]

Its going to be trad stern, but i,m not keen on trad bow, i looked at your previous posts and think I remember youre going towards a tug which I like, I always find it easier making decisions for other people than when working for myself. I prefer a straight stem as in vertical but am struggling with a design. the usual dutch barge type would probably look naff with a trad stern, I am toying with a low vertical stem with a long tug style deck but i will probably bottle it in the end unless someone comes up with a photo of some thing right. Ive got to an age where I dont go with the flow so it may turn out interesting or laughable who knows. what progress have you made with yours, I see you are advertising for vents good luck

 

If I'm looking for ideas I search thro' the boat sales sites, such as appoloduck etc. If I see something good I save the image to a folder, for use later.

 

My progress?, well the slowness has sped up a bit Should have started a few years back, it's bleedin' hard work

[soldthehouse]

If I'm looking for ideas I search thro' the boat sales sites, such as appoloduck etc. If I see something good I save the image to a folder, for use later.

 

My progress?, well the slowness has sped up a bit Should have started a few years back, it's bleedin' hard work

Ive been forming the curved counter today which ended in disaster. the 2500 plate i used was tacked centrally at the rear then bent forwards with the pull lift one side at a time with the other side tethered, no problems with that just that there was a 700mm gap between where it finished at both sides and the profiled plates in the last picture, i havent got used to taking a great deal of time in preparation and to cut a long story short made a hash of the calculations and my technique left a lot to be desired, the upshot being that i failed to reach my daily target and will have to do some serious alterations on monday, meaning i wasted about three hours and came a way disheartened. Off to nottingham tomorrow to see how the pros do it, {All your "bleedin hard work" will be worth it] nothing in life worth achieving is easily achieved

[Phil Speight]

As promised a progress report on my mammoth adventure. Ordered steel for sides Thursday gone, this will be folded twice to create tumblehome and gunnel before it reaches me. Will be building 3 metres of bow and 3 metres of stern at home then transporting them nearer to a canal for insertion of the middle bit and fitting out. Found somewhere to do the final assembly today by chance and a series of lucky encounters. I can hear cries of it cant be done and thats not the way its done, but red rags and bulls come to mind plus the wife has a big stick and knows how to use it. Base plate and other steel arriving next week then time to start scratching head.

Bloody `ell. My admiration knows no bounds. You really won`t have trouble painting the damn thing if

you have the whatsits to actually build it in the first place.

Phil

[NB Esk]

Ive been forming the curved counter today which ended in disaster. the 2500 plate i used was tacked centrally at the rear then bent forwards with the pull lift one side at a time with the other side tethered, no problems with that just that there was a 700mm gap between where it finished at both sides and the profiled plates in the last picture, i havent got used to taking a great deal of time in preparation and to cut a long story short made a hash of the calculations and my technique left a lot to be desired, the upshot being that i failed to reach my daily target and will have to do some serious alterations on monday, meaning i wasted about three hours and came a way disheartened. Off to nottingham tomorrow to see how the pros do it, {All your "bleedin hard work" will be worth it] nothing in life worth achieving is easily achieved

 

I didn't do a lot of pulling, when forming my stern counterplate. Two 3 metre plates were welded together (allowing a few inches of overlap). By the time they were raised with the forklift, much of the bending had taken place. There was very little tension on the pull-lifts.

 

 

My biggest problem was lowering this down flat, picking it up (with a length of timber across the forks, at the open end) & shuffling round in the space you can see. The swim is just out of shot, to the left of the forklift.

 

To add to all that, the main lifting ram creeps down ...........made final positioning quite interesting.

[nb Innisfree]

Ive been forming the curved counter today which ended in disaster. the 2500 plate i used was tacked centrally at the rear then bent forwards with the pull lift one side at a time with the other side tethered, no problems with that just that there was a 700mm gap between where it finished at both sides and the profiled plates in the last picture, i havent got used to taking a great deal of time in preparation and to cut a long story short made a hash of the calculations and my technique left a lot to be desired, the upshot being that i failed to reach my daily target and will have to do some serious alterations on monday, meaning i wasted about three hours and came a way disheartened. Off to nottingham tomorrow to see how the pros do it, {All your "bleedin hard work" will be worth it] nothing in life worth achieving is easily achieved

[/quote

 

While your doing the stern you might consider making a recess for the rudder stock as on Black Prince boats, enables rudder removal in shallow water and easier to black. Very practical

[soldthehouse]

I didn't do a lot of pulling, when forming my stern counterplate. Two 3 metre plates were welded together (allowing a few inches of overlap). By the time they were raised with the forklift, much of the bending had taken place. There was very little tension on the pull-lifts.

 

 

My biggest problem was lowering this down flat, picking it up (with a length of timber across the forks, at the open end) & shuffling round in the space you can see. The swim is just out of shot, to the left of the forklift.

 

To add to all that, the main lifting ram creeps down ...........made final positioning quite interesting.

Mine sags too "ooer missus", totally useless when you are working on your own. Been to iwa festival today and its looking like a trad bow,and boatmans cabin rear section stepped after engine room with rivets along the roofline, i like integral handrails but the type of mock working boat superstructure i,m aiming for is better suited to 1" bar and upright dowels I think. Hope youve fitted those mushroom vents and polished them by now, regards, stuart

Edited August 30, 2009 by soldthehouse

[soldthehouse]

Bloody `ell. My admiration knows no bounds. You really won`t have trouble painting the damn thing if

you have the whatsits to actually build it in the first place.

Phil

Thanks for that Phil but what you are forgetting is the subtle skills that take years to achieve, while I would say the technology wouldnot be a problem as ive been working on special finishes in pubs for years and on furnirure etc, my ability to paint straight lines, and the detail normally found on the rear doors etc ,as well as the semicircles on hull sides at bow and stern properly, along with roses and castles and scumbling, and getting the deck to stay painted, are you getting the picture, If something a craftsmen does looks easy ive learnt enough to know that it probably isnt. However if I get the steelwork looking good enough to warrant a professional job and i havent run out of money you may get to meet me after all. In an ideal world i would have been standing on the stern of a Mike Heywood boat painted by your goodself for the last 18 yrs or so with a coathanger smile on my face but that time has passed and another adventure has started, kind regards ,Stuart

[soldthehouse]

Todays progress correcting Saturdays mistakes the counter curve now all joined up and ready to move on to diesel tank and weedhatch. any advice and pointers on construction of weed hatch would be gratefully recieved.

 

On a different note saw this at Nottinham yesterday [the middle boat} and like the style, would like to think my efforts end up looking like this

[denboy]

wouldnt swear to it but i think its LION built by paul barbor

[soldthehouse]

Spent all day welding up the counter horizontal and vertical welds and cut out the weed hatch aperture and tiller tube aperture, these will be the testing welds for an amateur like me as the potential for a diesel leak through the tiller tube and water finding its way in through the tiller tube and weed hatch plus the diesel tank bulkhead leaking into the boat, what a ghaaastly nightmare could ensue. Just want to get to the curly cants and curved rear deck. then i can drag it outside for mother nature to work her magic on the millscale

[soldthehouse]

Tiller tube and fuel tank top cut and formed today, starting to take shape, photos tomorrow. weedhatch construction pointers needed any advice anyone

 

wouldnt swear to it but i think its LION built by paul barbor

Is that a pretty boat or is it just me

[soldthehouse]

Tiller tube installed weedhatch cut out and rear deck tacked on, weedhatch looks skewed but is straight must be a trick of the camera and yes the tiller tube is a bit of scaffold tube

[nb Innisfree]

Tiller tube installed weedhatch cut out and rear deck tacked on, weedhatch looks skewed but is straight must be a trick of the camera and yes the tiller tube is a bit of scaffold tube

 

Looking at tiller tube how do you propose to remove tiller once it is installed? usually tube is a large affair to allow tiller to be angled and dropped by the side of skeg.

[soldthehouse]

Looking at tiller tube how do you propose to remove tiller once it is installed? usually tube is a large affair to allow tiller to be angled and dropped by the side of skeg.

I dont intend removing the tiller assembly unless it is damaged ,when it will be cutoff, if the bottom cup needs work then that can be worked on without tiller removal as the tiller will lift sufficiently to allow access, will this work in practice I hope so, tell me now in case Ive missed something.

[NB Esk]

Hi Stuart, been up at the boat today & taken a few measurements. The distance from the top of my uxter plate to the underside of the rear deck, is 21". This should allow me to make the weedhatch 5" to 6" high.

What I will be doing, is to cant the front plate forward at an angle, to make access more comfortable.

 

Don't forget a baffle plate, to close the hole thro' the uxter plate. Leave enough clearance to prevent any vibration.

 

Cheers...