NB 'Talpidae'

[pomsabroad]

Hi Moley/mrs.Mole,

Been watching your build,your doing a great job(bet your glad all that rust has gone,been there, done that)

 

I,m coming back to the uk in a few weeks to fit out a boat (missing a good english pint!) and interested in the Reticel you used.

 

Looks to be just the job but do you know if it's RCD compliant?

 

Keep up the good work and looking foward to updates on your blog,

 

Dave

[Moley]

I'm coming back to the uk in a few weeks to fit out a boat (missing a good english pint!) and interested in the Reticel you used. Looks to be just the job but do you know if it's RCD compliant?

Hi Dave, thanks for the comments. Sorry, but I can't really help you on that one, as I'm refitting an older boat and RCD is irrelevant. You could try this: http://www.recticel.co.uk/products/insulation/index.asp

or PM Stuart, who might be able to help, as he's used the same stuff on a new sailaway. Good luck with the job, and enjoy your beer.

--------------------------------------

 

A brief update, got two good days work in over the holiday weekend, and have finished tiling the bathroom (but I’m not putting any pics up until I’ve finished ‘grouting’ - and there’s a job I’m not keen on at the best of times, and doing it with sealant is quite unpleasant).

Made reasonable progress, despite frequent interruptions, and we almost have a functional bathroom.

 

Rigged up a DVD player to keep the kids out of the way, and Lynn and I managed to break into the ‘wairter ‘ole’.

 

Oh My God!

 

Looks like I’m not finished with rust after all good job I've got plenty of Vactan left Will post some pics when I get chance, but there’s lots of flaky stuff in the bow, and then an inner water tank (with altogether too much crud in the bottom), and only a 12 x 9 inch access hole, so it looks like quite a few tools-on-sticks have got to be contrived.

 

I would like to publicly thank Mr. Plasplugs or whoever it was that invented diamond edged tile saws. I wouldn’t entertain tiling on the diagonal without one, but with walls angling out and then back in again, I suppose there would have been plenty to cut anyway.

 

As it would appear that my neighbours (that’s the residents of the housing development, as there still aren’t any more boats, though I am told that all the moorings are now taken) have now become regular viewers of this log, I would also like to publicly thank them for their continued tolerance. Although I have tried to be as unobtrusive as possible throughout this refit, cut as much wood and stuff as possible off-site, and try to keep use of power tools onboard to an absolute minimum (and never at anti-social hours), there are times when it’s unavoidable. Aforementioned tile saw has seen plenty of use this weekend.

 

I’ve also had my iPod playing fairly constantly. Volume is not an issue, as the speakers I’ve got are truly pathetic, but this would also mean that I’ve probably been singing. I can’t, but that doesn’t stop me. As a boy I used to have a superb voice, I was in the school choir and took solo parts in school productions, but then my voice didn’t just break, it smashed! At one point on Saturday I realised that I was belting along with Jethro Tull, doors and windows were open, and neighbours were on their patio. Sorry. The tile saw probably sounded better.

 

Anyway, that’s yer lot for now, but other Calcutts in the area were mentioned above.

This longer one lives in Swindon:

 

 

And this one (almost identical to ours) moors at Stourton.

This was taken last December, and looks in need of some attention.

 

Well guess what, she’s now in Ashwood Marina with new anodes and freshly blacked, but this gives a better idea of the unusual deep-hulled, low-topped build (that I particularly like).

 

Oh, and the nameplates have only advanced slightly, I’ve cut a couple more templates, but other things have been more important. Note dining room timber store and garlic to keep vampires out of my cellar.

Still to be planed and sanded, but my new thicknesser will make short work of that

Two Short Planks:

[stuart]

Two Short Planks:

 

I can see 3 !

[Stephen Fulcher]

Are you planning to just remove wood with the router to form the letters and then attach the planks to the side of the boat?

[wrigglefingers]

Ade, how did you persuade Mrs Mole to let you have the thicknesser?

[Moley]

Stuart: Surely you mean 4.

 

Stephen: I'm planning to sand, seal and varnish the boards, rout out the lettering to a depth of 3 or 4mm, rout a border, gold paint or possibly gold leaf that lettering, and attach the panels to the sides somehow. Once I've cut all the templates I can make, fairly quickly, as many panels as I want (one for each side, one for the front, one for the pontoon, whatever).

 

Jill: I always do exactly as Mrs. Mole tells me, just as she obeys me and panders to my every whim.

 

Jon: We still need a ‘tongue-in-cheek’, ‘I'm-taking-the-p**s’ smiley

[Wobbly Dick]

Hi Moley, or should it be Ade?

 

I have just read through this topic and all its threads. It is really good stuff, lots of information that makes sense and for me, a newbie, you have been a great inspiration!

 

I look forward to reading more!

[Moley]

I look forward to reading more!

Well thanks for that Wobbly (or should it be Richard?) Here you are then:

 

The bathroom should not have taken this long, but as I said before, with sloping sides and tiling partly on the diagonal there have been plenty to cut.

 

However, I have reached two decisions:

Firstly; whoever it was that suggested tiling and grouting with sealant, I’ve gone right off ‘em. Grouting is a horrible job, and it’s hard to know whether to do it the cleaner-but-long-winded way by using masking tape, or the quicker-but-Christ-it’s-messy way of injecting the stuff and smoothing, and then trying to remove the excess.

 

Secondly; although I can do it, fairly well, tiling is most definitely not what Moleys like best.

 

But, apart from a few odd gaps that still need filling, sealing strips between bath and walls, and tiling below the bath, (and doors, cabinets etc.), we almost have a functional bathroom.

 

Incidentally, we thought it would add variety to tile differently above and below gunwhale. That then made me ponder what to do on the transition to the bulkheads. The dividing line you can see is a bullnosed timber strip. Our collection from father-in-law's garage included two sticks of Kerouin. I don't know how long he had it, or what he had it for, and I've never heard of this before. Neither has Google (“do you mean Kerouac?”). It found a few links to the same story about a 1940's American cattle truck but little else. Apparently this stuff was favoured for cattle truck flooring as it's “hard as nails, oily and waterproof”. So I'm using it for bathroom door frames, and some of the offcuts for divider strips. But it is the most noxious timber I've ever encountered. One cut of this stuff without a decent dust mask and you know about it! Perhaps that's why no-one seems to touch it anymore.

 

I’ve continued into the galley area with floor tiles, and stocked up with beer.

 

The worktops are still at home, have been rough sanded but still need going over with a finer grit and well oiling but, as expected, have cleaned up nicely. Anyone who can chuck out timber like that needs their head examining. More money than sense. So does that imply I have more sense than money? I suppose that's not too difficult.

 

I guess the next delight will be the wairter’ole, and how I’m looking forward to that one

 

 

 

Other than that, not a lot to report, except that a gleaming, freshly repainted smart boat has arrived to put us to shame (though his front woodwork needs some attention and there’s room for improvement in his engine’ole too ).

[Sir Nibble]

and stocked up with beer.

Ahem, do I need to say it?

Getting back to your instruments, I used to have panels made up. You know those signs made of laminated plastis that you see (usually in the shoe repair and key cutting type of shop), well you can get those made to order and if you supply the artwork you should be able to get one made up with your "talpidea" lettering on, not to mention any labels or cautions you may fancy. Just a thought.

[alan_fincher]

Our collection from father-in-law's garage included two sticks of Kerouin. I don't know how long he had it, or what he had it for, and I've never heard of this before. Neither has Google (“do you mean Kerouac?”). It found a few links to the same story about a 1940's American cattle truck but little else. Apparently this stuff was favoured for cattle truck flooring as it's “hard as nails, oily and waterproof”. So I'm using it for bathroom door frames, and some of the offcuts for divider strips. But it is the most noxious timber I've ever encountered. One cut of this stuff without a decent dust mask and you know about it! Perhaps that's why no-one seems to touch it anymore.

Ade,

 

If you are having trouble Googling, I think the problem is spelling...

 

Try

 

Keruing

 

 

Best Wishes

 

Alan

Edited May 8, 2006 by alan_fincher

[TeeELL]

Drat Moley,

I was going to offer you a thicknesser (well a multi function machine actually) !!! Great work, it has been a pleasure to read through your 'Blog' and see the amazing progress you have made in such a short time - Well done. I must pluck up the courage to create a Blog for 'ELEMIAH' although I would be shamed if compared to yours.

[Moley]

Snibble: sorry, it's only la. la. lag, no, can't bring myself to say it.

It was Stuart asking about instruments, I only digressed to ask about rev. counter, don't need anything else. Thanks all the same.

 

Alan, thanx4that. F-in-L's fault. Still sounds appropriate for bathrooms, and still say it's vile stuff to machine.

 

TeeELL: Thanks for the kind words, curses re. woodworking machine but I think I've got just about everything I need (apart from a good cast-iron-tabled belt-driven table saw, but I'd never get one down my cellar

Come on though, tell us about Elemiah.

[Moley]

Well what a fun weekend

Saturday started out fine but went downhill rapidly.

 

I got down to the boat and did a couple of hours, tidying and clipping up all my centre-line electrics, before wife and kids were up and about, then went home, picked them up and tootled off to Limekiln for some bits and bobs (minor electrics items, brass grilles, chimney sealant).

 

This was to be a minor shopping trip, expected change out of £50. Came back with a fridge. (see Cool Decisions)

Also called at Mother’s and loaded up cooker (which has been stored in garage there). Drove back to boat (parked towpath side of canal on furniture store’s carpark) and had a bit of a tidy-up to clear access from front doors and space for fridge and cooker.

 

I thought I might try and start her up and motor across.

Confession: when we brought her up from Worcester she was very reluctant to start, I’ve not really braved the injin’ole or done much to the mechanicals, and she’s not been run since September. I have, however, noticed a loose wire held across a glow plug by a rusty crocodile clip, which I’ve been meaning to check.

 

 

Ignition switch: vertical - off; position 1 - electrics on; position 2 (red wire) - glow plugs; position 3 - starter motor, then key returns to position 1. Loose wire is red. Set multimeter for resistance, got Lynn to hold one probe on ignition terminal 2 while I tried to reach loose red wire with other probe. Bingo. Same wire. That probably explains why she was a pig to start.

 

However, early afternoon on Saturday it was grey and dull and drizzly and I really didn’t feel remotely inclined to start messing to rectify that connection, so I pulled and Lynn punted the boat across the cut (so now sideways across and blocking canal, with stern loosely tied to mooring, kids on towpath holding bowline).

 

The drizzle got worse. Got fridge out of car and lowered onto front deck. Now raining gently. Got fridge through doorway and into boat and returned to car for cooker. This is obviously significantly heavier than a fridge, but Lynn and I carried it to side of boat and balanced it on front gunwhales. By now we’re all being peed on from a great height, kids are still holding the rope, and if they let her drift out and cooker goes to join the shopping trolleys we will NOT be amused. Got cooker safely lowered to front deck, box won’t fit through door, remove box, then have a few minutes fun trying to get 440mm wide cooker through 445mm doorway and stowed onboard before kids can release ropes and get back to car while we rope and punt back onto pontoon.

 

Result: 4 drowned rats, appliances safely onboard, seriously doubting that line about nothing being so wonderful as messing about in boats (and at the same time feeling deep sympathy for Janet S).

 

Lynn and kids departed, I stripped off and tried to get dry, fortunately had some tatty clothes onboard, did a bit more then thought “sod it”, cancelled the evening shift and went home to watch Dr. Who and get a well-earned beer or 5.

 

Sunday was never going to be too productive. Lynn was on call Sunday morning, but by the time she got up the kitchen had become a paint shop once more. These are deckhead centre panels and screw-covering finishing strips.

 

 

By the time she’d been in to work and returned home I’d done some boaty stuff and a little bit of housy stuff.

While offloading the cooker in the p***ing rain I noticed I’d picked up a cable staple and nail in the corner of one tyre, so after a trip to the local tyre fitters I didn’t get to the boat ‘til noon, and then had 3hrs max, and spent half of that chatting with new neighbour Colin.

 

But it was fine and dry, and I did get into the injin’ole, and removed the nut holding the other connections onto one of the glow plugs (which was only finger-tight anyway), and crimped a ring terminal on the loose wire, and cleaned and remade the connections, and tightened the other connections, and checked the oil and stuff, then I put the key in the key’ole, turned to position 1, on to position 2, held for 15 seconds then over to position 3 and the starter motor turned, and I remembered something about opening the throttle so I turned off again.

 

I checked she was in neutral, half opened the throttle, key to 1, hold at 2, advance to 3.

Whirr, whirr; cough, cough; chug, chug; VROOM!!!

 

Sorry, Jon can chastise me about language, but I was like a dog with two d**ks.

Oh you good girl!!!

[Paul Evans]

I checked she was in neutral, half opened the throttle, key to 1, hold at 2, advance to 3.

Whirr, whirr; cough, cough; chug, chug; VROOM!!!

Trouble is, now you know she goes, you'll just want to go. It'll play havoc with the fit-out schedule!

[Cafnod]

Hi Ade

Keruing was mainly used for flatbed lorry bodies in the UK. If you know of anywhere scrapping old army trucks the beds have been of it on these since at least the early 50's, Bedford RL and MK, Commer Q4 etc. In a few of the yards I used to go to they burned it on a regular basis.

Very dusticntive smell. It is a sod to machine I agree, it had the advantage of being cheaper than other durable hardwoods.

[Bones]

Ah that sweet sweet sound of the Vroom!

Well done! an excellent way to end the weekend!!!! Theres an ardbeg in the bar for you!

[wrigglefingers]

Well done Moley, I bet you wished you'd tried that now before poling across to the loading area!

 

I remember the feeling I had when I turned the key on mine for the first time and how surprised I was when it started. Now I can go anywhere there's no time!

 

Have the kids recovered yet?

 

Regards, Jill

[Moley]

Trouble is, now you know she goes, you'll just want to go. It'll play havoc with the fit-out schedule!

Paul: I'm just aiming to get her back into some sort of service. Electrics, plumbing and gas pipes are mostly in place but nothing is connected. If I can get all that hooked up this coming weekend then we can go off for a local chugabout over Whit. The folding aluminium table, camp beds for the kids and other camping gear can come out of the shed, if I can get the bathroom and galley functional we can rough it for a few days, and I reckon the satisfaction of having got that far will spur me on to finish off the niceties.

(Mrs. Mole: Can it! Before she adds her two-pennorth, I have this reputation for never quite finishing anything )

 

I bet you wished you'd tried that now before poling across to the loading area!

Have the kids recovered yet?

Should have done it before, I admit, but we've punted across a few times now, it's no bother, just sod's law that the Heavens should open when we're loading.

 

And yes, everyone dried out quite quickly.

 

Ah that sweet sweet sound of the Vroom! There's an ardbeg in the bar for you!

Yes, both very satisfying, thanks.

Edited May 16, 2006 by Moley

[DHutch]

... but we've punted across a few times now, it's no bother...

Its really not is it.

- We poll emilyanne all over the place, only last month i polled her from traval reign marina to anderton, for the floating drydock. Then all the way back 2hours later when she wouldnt fit!

[Moley]

Managed to do more bits and pieces, but getting frustrated again. Things are falling into place, but slowly, and I really would like to go out for a few days. Time’s running out.

 

She’s definitely getting shorter now, would like another foot or two at the front end, but don’t see that I could have saved space anywhere else.

 

Weather this weekend was vile, and I know it shouldn’t matter if you’re working inside, and I know it’s purely psychological, but it’s depressing and I really didn’t want to be there or do much. Also spent quite a bit of time talking to Janet S on Friday, Colin on Saturday and new neighbours on Sunday (more of that later).

 

No chance whatsoever of cleaning out, repainting or attending to the wairter’ole (and therefore finalising the plumbing). Couldn’t finish sanding, oil, or cut sink’ole out of worktops (still at home, need doing outdoors), and I really do now need worktops and kitchen sink onboard.

 

When I get around to ripping the wiring loom apart to try to find where the two disconnected thick red wires go to and what connects to the ammeter, I will replace the main red and black wires from batteries to 12v board with something beefier. A bit more tidying and a few more clips required, not to mention a splash of Vactan and a dab of paint, but for now all lectrix are connected and work.

 

 

Found Aquapanels and another type of nouvelle-pseudo-asbestos board at B&Q, so surround for stove and backing for Morco in place and tiled. We’ve nearly got a galley and nearly got a hearth. All tiles were reduced to clear at B&Q, thirty odd quid's worth for £6

 

 

Oh, Colin and his posh boat have moved on. No, it wasn’t anything I or the residents said to him but BW at their most efficient He’s been trying to get into Stourport for years, but Stourport’s full, and I think there’s now a waiting list to get onto Stourport’s waiting list. So Colin was offered this mooring at Roundhill. A week after bringing his boat over, he gets a ‘phone call - “Are you still interested in a mooring at Stourport, ‘cos we’ve got a space?”

 

But he’s gone and we’ve gained another older-but-more-interesting boat, younger couple own her, not properly acquainted yet but first impressions are good. In any case, they’re boaters, so by definition are OK.

 

[Trev The Rev]

Hi Moley / Ade

 

I've been quietly following your blog for a while now. Amazing how much you have achieved in such a short time, it will more than pay off and you should be proud of your achievement.

 

We have today become a new (boating) neighbour of yours - we have meet a couple of times before but only very briefly. I look forward to seeing you again, properly. Our boat is 'Bronwyn' - smart but in need of a little TLC.

 

Trev the Rev

[Moley]

We have today become a new (boating) neighbour of yours

EXCELLENT!

 

And welcome to the forum.

 

I'm down there for an hour or so most evenings, and every weekend, so see you soon.

 

[TeeELL]

Well I have to say that having seen nb 'Talpidae' in the flesh today I am more impressed than ever. You are doing a great job Moley (mind you, with that threat of a heatwave in the offing you will need to get a fridge for the beers!!!).

 

Just to put other forum readers in the picture, I did my Helmsman's course and passed 'Talpidae' - having done the 3 point turn in Kidderminster we returned and hi-jacked part of the private mooring adjacent to Moley for lunch. I was able to spend 20 mins or so with Moley on 'Talpidae'. When 'Elemiah' is collected from Kinver Boat Services in Sep I will be cruising down to Stourport so will again meet Moley.

 

Moley - I look forward to your next installment - keep up the excellent work and I will see you for a couple of beers in September. Remember, now the engine works, completion will become inversely proportional to the time you spend at the boat!!!

[DHutch]

The great work contunues at speed as usauall....!!

[Guest]

Moley - engin - great, well done.