My wooden boatbuilding projects.

fergal.b

This is my first build before I built this I had very basic woodworking skills and even less money the plans are from Glen-l and the engine is an old blueband I rebuilt.

http://s753.photobucket.com/albums/xx179/fergalbutler/

These are little video of the build and her first run. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd6vkPjEy4U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uDVzcVpdhc

The one I am building now is a 1954 V8 crackerbox also from Glen-l if you click on each photo it will tell you a bit about what is going on.

http://s753.photobucket.com/albums/xx179/fergalbutler/crackerbox/

If anyone has any questions feel free I'm here to help.

slowburner

1st question.
Where do you machine the timber?

fergal.b

slowburner wrote: »

1st question.
Where do you machine the timber?

The only bit's I got machined were the strip planks for the crackerbox as my toy bandsaw is too small:D and I got them done by http://www.mcnallyjoinery.ie/ a great bunch of guy's and very helpful.

slowburner

Astonishing work.
It just goes to show that you don't need every machine under the sun to achieve great results.
It looks like a nice space to work in over the summer - must be hard going in the winter though.
The finish is amazing. Would that finish work on a table top i.e. resistant to water marks etc.?

fergal.b

The deck is about 3 coats of epoxy and 7 of varnish with a light sanding between each coat then on the last coat sand smooth with 400, 800,1500,2000 wet sandpaper then use rubbing compound and wax the same for the black on the sides, It's a lot of work and you end up with no fingerprints but you end up with a piano black finnish and a deck thats looks like it was sprayed with lacquer.

Yep not the best work shop in the world and it is a bit cold in the winter alright

slowburner

:eek:

slowburner

fergal.b wrote: »

The deck is about 3 coats of epoxy and 7 of varnish

Yacht/polyurethane varnish?
Roughly how long do you let each coat dry before sanding?

fergal.b

Depending on the weather 3-4 days if it's sunny it can be like a oven under the cover as I close up the sides to stop dust and insects landing on it so it hardens up quite quick and I try to leave the epoxy and varnish till the summer time " i'm still waiting" on a good day I can get one coat on let it set for a bit and then add another so it will have a chemical bond but if it's too wet you end up with orange peel effect and if it's too dry and smooth it won't get a good bond.

dnme

Love the videos Fergal.
Did you do the deck inlay yourself? or is it inlay?

fergal.b

I cheated a bit on the first boat it's just 6mm car pinstripe on dyed ply wood coated in schooner varnish to tint the white stripes yellow.
On the second boat I'm using epoxy mixed with graphite power in between the mahogany planks to give black stripes.

jack of all

Fair play to you Fergal, I really enjoyed looking at your pics and video! You've done a great job and it's all the more impressive considering the workshop set up you have. It must be very satisfying and rewarding personally to have built such a beautiful craft.

Marc

dnme

fergal.b wrote: »

I cheated a bit on the first boat it's just 6mm car pinstripe on dyed ply wood coated in schooner varnish to tint the white stripes yellow.
On the second boat I'm using epoxy mixed with graphite power in between the mahogany planks to give black stripes.

You mean you have made two? Are you going to sell them? Also is your workshop area a sort of leanto at the back of the house?

fergal.b

Hi dnme, still working on the second one and yes everything is for sale for a price My wife has MS and my son has cerebral palsy so I had to build the lean to as close to the house as possible so I can keep an eye on things and just pop out and do a bit whenever i get a quite moment, the engine is at a friends house and I tend to work on that on the odd friday when my son goes to restbite. The lean to is very tight at the sides and I am limited to building 16 foot boats but we make do with what we have. I am living on carer's allowance so to fund my projects I buy old boats clean them up and pass them on, although the market for this like everything else is dead now.
Before

After

I also use a lot of scrap wood any bits of hardwood I find in skips local machine shops and building sites are reclaimed and go into the build like here can you spot the oak skirting board

dnme

Class Fergal, pure class.

fergal.b

The planking on the hull is finished, now for a few weeks of sanding to get it as smooth as possible. I only used the mahogany up to what I think will be the water line as bellow that will be painted and mahogany aint cheep. looks like I have to do a bit of a clean up too:D If anyones knows of a supplier of 1/4" by 4" mahogany planks could you let me know as by the time I have them cut them out I loose a lot in expensive sawdust :eek:

Fanintheattic

fergal.b wrote: »

The planking on the hull is finished, now for a few weeks of sanding to get it as smooth as possible. I only used the mahogany up to what I think will be the water line as bellow that will be painted and mahogany aint cheep. looks like I have to do a bit of a clean up too:D If anyones knows of a supplier of 1/4" by 4" mahogany planks could you let me know as by the time I have them cut them out I loose a lot in expensive sawdust :eek:

Wow amazing stuff Fergal I'd love to do something like this my self keep up the good work.

sausages79

Beautiful boats - great to see that somebody can get results like this with no formal training - keep it up :-)

fergal.b

Thanks. you can follow my build here if you like.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055963665

Fanintheattic

fergal.b wrote: »

Thanks. you can follow my build here if you like.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055963665

I'll be following from now on. Thanks for the link I had ordered plans about 2 years ago and canceled the project due to lack of time, that's no issue now but cash flow is. I must take a look again I think it was only 80 or 90 quid for the plans. Might be just the thing to keep me busy this winter luckily I've a good size shed at the home house to work in. I'd still be interested in any advice on materials ie resins epoxy and all that finishing if I get one up and running I'll post it here