Saturday, January 23, 2010

False start to ripping timber

Just got back from "Your Wood Works", and the chap there was so helpful - in fact, so helpful, he sent me packing, to do more homework on the cuts of timber I'd need. When faced with clear, simple questions like "how long is each piece, I went to water, unable to prove to myself where in the plan it was mentioned.
I have to learn how to make the smooth side, cut to width, then saw to length etc, and try to do this in the  most cost effective way when the timber is so expensive. So, back to the books, make a cutting list, and get more timber too so that I can get the most from the hourly rate at the tool shed.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Method 2 for not making progress: Rottnest Island


Spent a week at Rottnest Island, off the coast of Perth, WA. This is a beautiful place, and still not destroyed by over development. The famous pub "Quokka Arms" is a bit more like "McDonalds with Beer" these days, and there are security guards (groan), but the view is still there and the beer's cold.

Friday, January 1, 2010

Time to get ripping

I have this amazingly light but very expensive lump of Western Red Cedar that needs to be ripped into pieces to be used to make the foils. Waiting for "Your Woodwork" to reopen after Christmas.
Have finished cutting out the panels, and they are all planed down to the lines. Scary things ahead:
- first use of epoxy resin
- scarfing joints to create the chine logs

I've seen some nice techniques for scarfing joints, but the jigs they create look more complex than the scarf joint, and I don't have a router anyway, so perhaps I should do them by hand?