In at the deep end

[soldthehouse]

Are you leaving the stem joining the baseplate as a "corner"?

 

I'm asking because watching Tawny Owl on the southern parts of the Oxford, that's the bit that rides up the lock "buffers". Because we have a rounded stem she rides up the buffers nicely until the button is on the gate. That sharp corner is therefore a wear point on the hull.

 

Richard

My powers of comprehension can let me down badly. My stem is at a forward angle to the base plate and I will be adding a slightly curved plate either side of the "point "with a piece of rubbing strake welded from baseplate to the obligatory snakes tongue on the deck. At the very bottom I will leave the baseplate jutting forward and bent up slightly to give a very small amount of rideup if coming directly into contact with something although I appreciate it isnt as much as some boats have. Is contact at the bow a common occurence as in cills etc, many thanks for contributing i need all the help i can get

[RLWP]

My powers of comprehension can let me down badly. My stem is at a forward angle to the base plate and I will be adding a slightly curved plate either side of the "point "with a piece of rubbing strake welded from baseplate to the obligatory snakes tongue on the deck. At the very bottom I will leave the baseplate jutting forward and bent up slightly to give a very small amount of rideup if coming directly into contact with something although I appreciate it isnt as much as some boats have. Is contact at the bow a common occurence as in cills etc, many thanks for contributing i need all the help i can get

 

Cills, sloping edges of certain canals, running aground, supermarket trollies...

 

If you think about it, often that's the first bit of your boat that will hit anything that is underwater.

 

Richard

[soldthehouse]

Cills, sloping edges of certain canals, running aground, supermarket trollies...

 

If you think about it, often that's the first bit of your boat that will hit anything that is underwater.

 

Richard

Thanks for that really its just about minimising the draught at the very tip of the bow to navigate over any underwater obstacles and rounding the approach of the stem as much as possible which i am trying to achieve with my limited resources ie tools and experience,

 

going back to the boat now, {can i call it a boat yet}

Edited September 18, 2009 by soldthehouse

[soldthehouse]

Todays progress front deck cut and in position, I was for once proud of the accuracy of something that i had cut out and the fact that it wasnt easy to judge as i had to template each side and allow for tapering. However its in and the other two bits that fit above the sideplates and the gunwhale tops {what a description is there a correct term} are cut out and tacked on. Note the high tech template {hardboard and an old bit of 2x1 held up by a short length of 3x2 prior to scribing} this is how resourceful you have to be working on your own if no unsuspecting visitors stray by. Sorry for poor quality pics

 

 

 

[soldthehouse]

Well after a week off the boat finishing the utility in the house ive been given a pass out and i can start again. Its only a week but how things seem different after a little time away. I visited yesterday with a friend about teatime, but when I came back this morning the late night shoppers had been around and relieved me of the gearbox for the boat, must have been keen as it was an older large and heavy thing. The annoying thing is that there was a jcb rear bucket in the yard and a couple of alloy beer kegs that would have been worth more but who knows the rational that these folk use. However the bow is taking shape and I can move on with the shell.

 

 

And conspicuous by its absence.. the gearbox or where it used to be

 

[NB Esk]

Stuart, That's bad news about the gearbox, is that the one you bought a couple of weeks ago? Not good...

 

The only thing I've had nicked was a concrete flag. Bought just one to compare metric size against the old imperials...........hundreds of pounds of steel lying around & they nick a flagstone.........

.......like you say...

 

Don't let it put you off...

[Guest User]

Grief ! .... rotten news .... don't suppose you've got a serial number for it ? Might be worth keeping an eye out for it on E-bay ?

[soldthehouse]

Grief ! .... rotten news .... don't suppose you've got a serial number for it ? Might be worth keeping an eye out for it on E-bay ?

No id numbers on it i,m afraid I just took it out of the van with the forklit as it was too heavy to handle or so I thought, these folk must be keen, Need to be more careful in future regards Stuart

[soldthehouse]

Todays progress focused on the foredeck detail and welding up the stem especially below waterlevel. Starting to grind welds to a finish so that it looks more like the finished article. Am I allowed to put a little filler here and there, How do the pros get such a smooth finish on corners. Cant believe its progressing this quickly, maybe the wheel will come off!!!! Hope these are clearer today

 

Makeshift workbench, what would I do without the forklift

 

 

Resisted the obligatory forked snakes tongue

 

 

Edited September 29, 2009 by soldthehouse

[NB Esk]

I use flexible sanding type discs, in the angle grinder, for weld dressing & general tidying. I won't be grinding all welds tho', certainly nothing below the top guard iron.

 

I also make my own rotary wire brushes, to fit my 9" grinder.......make them out of bench grinder brushes.......not for the faint hearted.

 

Use filler by all means, but my shell has been declared a filler free zone........

[paulcatchpole]

I use flexible sanding type discs, in the angle grinder, for weld dressing & general tidying. I won't be grinding all welds tho', certainly nothing below the top guard iron.

 

I also make my own rotary wire brushes, to fit my 9" grinder.......make them out of bench grinder brushes.......not for the faint hearted.

 

Use filler by all means, but my shell has been declared a filler free zone........

 

Flap discs are good for weld finishing...

 

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/finishing-welds.htm

 

 

I like the sound of the home made brushes though!

 

PC

[soldthehouse]

Flap discs are good for weld finishing...

 

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/finishing-welds.htm

 

 

I like the sound of the home made brushes though!

 

PC

Been using flap discs in the preparation or oak beams for years and thought they would be too lightweight for steel. however after advice from mr Catchpole and Jonny Pistonbroke tried one today wooow what a finish. i think i will have to grind conventionally first or i will use a million flap discs because my welds are somewhat over zealous in places, thanks for the guidance much appreciated

[smileypete]

Been using flap discs in the preparation or oak beams for years and thought they would be too lightweight for steel. however after advice from mr Catchpole and Jonny Pistonbroke tried one today wooow what a finish. i think i will have to grind conventionally first or i will use a million flap discs because my welds are somewhat over zealous in places, thanks for the guidance much appreciated

Mr PistonBroke may have been referring to resin fibre backed sanding disks, which are used with a backing pad on an angle grinder.

 

I'd use zirconia fibre discs, eg: (clicky) If you already have a backing pad, I could drop a few 115mm ones in the post.

 

Not tried ceramic discs but they're supposed to be better still.

 

cheers,

Pete.

[NB Esk]

Mr PistonBroke may have been referring to resin fibre backed sanding disks, which are used with a backing pad on an angle grinder.

 

I'd use zirconia fibre discs, eg: (clicky) If you already have a backing pad, I could drop a few 115mm ones in the post.

 

Not tried ceramic discs but they're supposed to be better still.

 

cheers,

Pete.

 

Yes Pete, those are the ones. I was saying to paulcatchpole, that the flap type discs seem to *burn* quickly, as if the bonding breaks down. I have more success with the sanding discs...

[soldthehouse]

Turned turtle, in order to prove that I can drive a forklift and work singlehanded but not weld upside down I have taken the cowards route and turned the stern section over it now looks like something out of MAD MAX, however this will allow a better weld under the counter where I added about afoot onto the uxterplate for the fuel tank bit, I now realise that i should have trimmed the uxter to allow access to the bottom strake for welding. Tom was pressed into posing reluctantly {he jumped off twice, cold on his feet} to show that it isnt an illusion The boat is upside down, hopefully this will be the only occasion. Hoping to finish both bits in this coming fortnight then its off to the boatyard to entertain the other diyers, well the ones that dont die laughing that is.

 

[denboy]

when will the torpedo doors be put on

[grunders]

Just found your thread today. I am greatly admiring your handiwork. Like many others, I wouldn't know where to start when building a boat and having the skills to do all the fabrication yourself must be great.

 

I think the 'mad max' reference captures that upside-down stern end perfectly!

 

Good luck with the rest of the build; I will continue to watch this thread with interest.

[soldthehouse]

when will the torpedo doors be put on

 

When you send the drawings

 

Just found your thread today. I am greatly admiring your handiwork. Like many others, I wouldn't know where to start when building a boat and having the skills to do all the fabrication yourself must be great.

 

I think the 'mad max' reference captures that upside-down stern end perfectly!

 

Good luck with the rest of the build; I will continue to watch this thread with interest.

 

Thanks for that I just get on with it and somehow it all seems to workout in the end. Its getting around the problems that you create thats the skillful part and i.m getting plenty of practice at that

[soldthehouse]

Home for dinner, well decided to trim the baseplate where the tiller tube {a bit of scaffold tube } exits underneath while I have the boat upside down, However my skills with the burning torch leave a lot to be desired and ive burnt a hole thru the tube about two inches up inside the tank. Henceforth and hereinafter I have made the executive decision to cut the whole thing out {with the grinder} and replace with a bigger tube as advised by Nb Innisfree as i,m not a proud man. I will post some pics later with other progress report.

[casper ghost]

A scaffold tube was never going to be big enough. Make sure that the next tube you get has a wall thickness of 6mm as it will be on the water line.

[Kate and James]

WOW!!!!

So very impressed! We're planning on buying a sailaway and kitting out the insides (we need 3 bedrooms and havn't found anything suitable any where near our price range so have decided that's the way to go for us) but to uild the whole thing from scratch?! Wow! So impressed! (I know I'm repeating myself, but I'm a bit lost for words!)

Keep it up!!

[Albion]

Home for dinner, well decided to trim the baseplate where the tiller tube {a bit of scaffold tube } exits underneath while I have the boat upside down, However my skills with the burning torch leave a lot to be desired and ive burnt a hole thru the tube about two inches up inside the tank. Henceforth and hereinafter I have made the executive decision to cut the whole thing out {with the grinder} and replace with a bigger tube as advised by Nb Innisfree as i,m not a proud man. I will post some pics later with other progress report.

 

Something good has come out of the accident then. I'm sure that you're making the right decision as I've never ever seen a boat with a tiller tube anywhere near as thin as a scaffold tube. They are usually closer to 5 or 6ins dia on the boats that I've owned.

Roger

[soldthehouse]

WOW!!!!

So very impressed! We're planning on buying a sailaway and kitting out the insides (we need 3 bedrooms and havn't found anything suitable any where near our price range so have decided that's the way to go for us) but to uild the whole thing from scratch?! Wow! So impressed! (I know I'm repeating myself, but I'm a bit lost for words!)

Keep it up!!

Thanks for that and the best of luck with the sailaway at least yours will stand a good chance of floating theres an awful lot of my amateur welding below the waterline

 

Something good has come out of the accident then. I'm sure that you're making the right decision as I've never ever seen a boat with a tiller tube anywhere near as thin as a scaffold tube. They are usually closer to 5 or 6ins dia on the boats that I've owned.

Roger

I have to agree I am relieved in a way that my hand has been forced as I have said previously sometimes you move on after doing something that you know isnt just as you would like and its always there winking its eye at you, I,m sure I would have managed with a 50mm tiller rod inside the 55mm internal scaffold tube but it wouldnot have left anything in reserve, might bump into you along the towpath i will be in Skipton in the next few days after picking up a machine at Clitheroe for the son, Stuart

 

 

A scaffold tube was never going to be big enough. Make sure that the next tube you get has a wall thickness of 6mm as it will be on the water line.

Thanks Casper and good luck with the maiden voyage

[soldthehouse]

Uxterplate trimmed off and hole burning catastrophe that is probably for the best

 

 

 

 

[tomsk]

Save for the do-nut, it's looking enviable!