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Fast Stripping

Clamping improvisation

 

(to start of project)

Put on 24 strips in seven hours today, which is pretty good, cooking right along in a groove. Then I hit a curve, came to a stop, and decided it was a good time to quit for the day.

Cedar strips bend very easily in one direction – back and forth – which is what makes them so wobbly. But they don’t bend much at all in the other direction. Add a twist and it really gets fun. The first twelve strips up the hull are pretty much flat runs, bending in the easy direction, so these went up quick.

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Planking

 First strip planks in place

 

(to start of project)

 After two months of careful preparation, it’s crazy how fast the planking goes up, and how quickly what was only abstract art becomes a physical boat.

An extra set of hands, like those of a daughter home from college, really help. When those hands have to go back to school, you have to improvise. These snug fitting “fingers” hold the gluey strips in place as you work your way back with the staple gun.

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Measure Twice, Cut Once

Hey! Remember me?

 

(to start of project)

Notes to self:

  1. Check measurements twice, again.
  2. Pay attention to wife.

Some things bear mentioning over and over again.

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Ice

Ice Storm

 

First mark of Winter.

In just a week or so, a flock of robins will be here, and will spend a few days stripping the Holly tree of berries. They’ll start at the top and slowly work their way down, leaving no berries behind. Then they’ll leave.

But for now, the berries are glazed with ice.

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Transoms and Then Some

Inner Transom 

 

(to start of project)

 Yellow Pine smells like Georgia.

And Sandalwood incense.

And the rosin in my grandfather’s fiddle case.

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Weather

Cattails in winter twilight 

 

(to start of project)

It’s been really cold lately. On Saturday, when I went down to the shop, it was 4 below. I don’t remember it being that cold here. In other parts of the country, New England and the Midwest, it dipped into the -30’s. My folks marveled it was snowing at the beach in South Carolina.

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Transoms

Planing Pine 

 

(to start of project)

There really are great people in this world. It constantly amazes me.

I don’t have a planer. I’ve never needed one before, and don’t expect to need one again, so it doesn’t make sense to buy one, though I’ll need one several times off and on for this project. Couldn’t even find a used one locally. But a perfect stranger has come to my rescue. I posted a query on our local Freecycle bulletin board and, only hours later, Kim in Ivy offered to let me borrow theirs. Very cool. (Thanks Kim!)

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