On The Straight & Narrow

[system 4-50]

Due to an oversight, when I ordered my sailaway I forgot to specify that all lines should be straight, all angles should be right-angles, and that the boat should be delivered to a hardstanding absolutely horizontal in both planes.

 

So spirit levels are useless and I don't have an easy datum line inside the boat.

 

Now B&Q and my local tool shop have laser gadgets that are supposed to help in this area. The B&Q stuff has inadequate descriptions making it difficult to understand what each gadget can do, and the tool shop will give me lots of helpful information all focused on selling me the most expensive device they stock.

 

I want to be able to:

1. Be able to mark off a straight line for the full length of the boat eg the centre line of the roof across multiple ribs.

2. Check surfaces for truth eg establish that all the floor stringers are to the same height.

3. Do the thing that I am going to discover I need to do that I haven't thought of yet.

 

Can you advise on the best laser gadgets to get and what they can do?

[RLWP]

Due to an oversight, when I ordered my sailaway I forgot to specify that all lines should be straight, all angles should be right-angles, and that the boat should be delivered to a hardstanding absolutely horizontal in both planes.

 

So spirit levels are useless and I don't have an easy datum line inside the boat.

 

Now B&Q and my local tool shop have laser gadgets that are supposed to help in this area. The B&Q stuff has inadequate descriptions making it difficult to understand what each gadget can do, and the tool shop will give me lots of helpful information all focused on selling me the most expensive device they stock.

 

I want to be able to:

1. Be able to mark off a straight line for the full length of the boat eg the centre line of the roof across multiple ribs.

2. Check surfaces for truth eg establish that all the floor stringers are to the same height.

3. Do the thing that I am going to discover I need to do that I haven't thought of yet.

 

Can you advise on the best laser gadgets to get and what they can do?

 

Have you considered using a builders chalk line?

 

Richard

[dove]

Have you considered using a builders chalk line?

 

Richard

 

And a 5,4,3 square

 

Andrew

[steelaway]

And a 5,4,3 square

 

Andrew

 

Pencil & ruler- like everyone else

[nb Innisfree]

And a 5,4,3 square

 

Andrew

 

I prefer a 3,4,5

[Keeping Up]

I prefer a 3,4,5

That guy Pythagoras, he really knew how to get to the (square) root of a problem.

[OldGoldy]

Due to an oversight, when I ordered my sailaway I forgot to specify that all lines should be straight, all angles should be right-angles, and that the boat should be delivered to a hardstanding absolutely horizontal in both planes.

 

I want to be able to:

1. Be able to mark off a straight line for the full length of the boat eg the centre line of the roof across multiple ribs.

2. Check surfaces for truth eg establish that all the floor stringers are to the same height.

3. Do the thing that I am going to discover I need to do that I haven't thought of yet.

 

Buy a bl**dy big jack, and level your boat, with strips of wood, in both planes, then consider whether your builder has welded everything with fine tolerances.

 

All horizontals may be out, all verticals may be out, 'cos it wasn't built on a plumb surface to start with.

 

Sorry, you need to spend the money you have allocated for a laser, on a decent steel rule, that 3,4,5 square, adhesive tape and twine/chalk and (possibly) a good eye. Sorry

 

This was a wind-up question wasn't it?

[blackrose]

Buy a bl**dy big jack, and level your boat, with strips of wood, in both planes, then consider whether your builder has welded everything with fine tolerances.

 

All horizontals may be out, all verticals may be out, 'cos it wasn't built on a plumb surface to start with.

 

Sorry, you need to spend the money you have allocated for a laser, on a decent steel rule, that 3,4,5 square, adhesive tape and twine/chalk and (possibly) a good eye. Sorry

 

This was a wind-up question wasn't it?

 

I think he may be correct... there are no straight lines or true horizontals on boats and all your laser gadgets will just reinforce this simple truth.

Edited February 17, 2010 by blackrose

[David Schweizer]

When I refitted our boat, I found a Builder's Framing Square invaluable for getting units and bulkeads at right angles to the floor, they are not expensive. here:- http://www.screwfix.com/prods/17926/Hand-T...-24-406-x-609mm.

[soldthehouse]

David is on the right track, me personally being a bar and shopfitter would say you have a datum... the floor, and use a homemade square of say 1200x800. if you need or use more accuracy than that your hired!!!!!!! after all it is a big steel skip you are fitting out you arnt building a thermo nuclear device. If you need further extension of the straight edge at some stage a long spirit level will help.

[system 4-50]

Have you considered using a builders chalk line?

 

Richard

Of course. Built my first pyramid with it and never looked back.

But that was some time ago. Since then this wheel thing has been invented, and I just wondered if anymore useful technology had appeared.

 

Is this guy Pythagoras on the forum? Can I speak to him?

 

after all it is a big steel skip you are fitting out you arnt building a thermo nuclear device.

You mean somebody has already done one? Damn, I shall have to think of something else!

[RLWP]

Of course. Built my first pyramid with it and never looked back.

But that was some time ago. Since then this wheel thing has been invented, and I just wondered if anymore useful technology had appeared.

 

Is this guy Pythagoras on the forum? Can I speak to him?

 

 

You mean somebody has already done one? Damn, I shall have to think of something else!

 

You may laugh, but you'll find your laser won't pass through the first hump in the floor. Simple, tight strings always work. Get a tape measure, a chalk line, a square and some imagination and get on with it.

 

It's a boat, not a precision machine

 

Richard

[soldthehouse]

You may laugh, but you'll find your laser won't pass through the first hump in the floor. Simple, tight strings always work. Get a tape measure, a chalk line, a square and some imagination and get on with it.

 

It's a boat, not a precision machine

 

Richard