Mississippi River Skiff update: seats

Today we did the glue-ups for the seats.

Some figured walnut boards are used for the seats and they are edged with black oak to match the gunwales.

The hull exterior will end up with an Interlux Perfection Oyster White paint job.  This will set off the varnished walnut.

The hull is getting stiffer with the gunwales in place, and will get very stiff with the seats installed.

The weather has cooled a lot so we are heating when needed.

The laminations each get a turn in front of the kerosene heater.

Winter !

Rough glue-up of the transom seat.  It will get edging and the profile will get some curves.

Chalks are laminated into the floor to accept and hold in place this great old tank we got.
It will get a refurbishment and a new lease on life.

MRS update: gunwales / seats

Yesterday we laminated the second layer of black oak to the gunwales.  Instead of epoxy, we used Titebond 3.  I am a big fan of 3.

It has a formulation that has more body to it when it is set.  It also has a dark brown color which disappears in joints.

After the the clamps were removed we went to work with the power planer to bring the gunwale into proper form.

It took about 15 minutes.  According to J Henry, you can't beat power tools.

Later we will dress the top with a sanding block and drill holes for the oar locks.

Tomorrow we will prepare to glass the interior's sides.  Before we start that we just had to see the boat with the seats in, so we cut walnut for the rowing stations.  They were set in and we had a short imaginary boat ride.

Before the seats are installed, both the leading and trailing edge of the rowing station seats will get a black oak trim piece.  The light color of the oak will look great framing the dark walnut.

Gunwale without exterior trim

After a little block sanding it will be ready for a round-over bit.

Walnut seat with oak trim piece

Mmmm, smells like Walnut ! and the MRS transom

Today I visited Lumber John to get some Ash for the missing oar as well as some Hickory for a non-boat job, and dang it all, he had a beautiful stack of fresh cut Walnut.

Walnut has a weird smell that might be a hallucinogen. Before I realized it, I had a pile of it in my truck.

Here is the transom after it is cut to size.  The sculling hole is marked and faintly visible.  It is a doweled glue up of inch thick cherry.  The sculling hole is offset to starboard to allow for a motor.  The transom is not curvy, but I think it looks nice.


Here is a boatload of hardwood that's too heavy for building boats, but it will make some nice trim pieces.

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Mississippi River Skiff update:
The boat is formed.  The glass and one set of oar locks arrived.  The hull will have a laminate of 9 oz glass with Kevlar below the waterline.  The interior will have 6 oz glass all set in Raka epoxy.  http://www.raka.com/    The transom will be installed tonight.

Paddle forming

We are making a set of paddles for a new retailer.
Out of a chunk of walnut and some steel we made a new display.  It holds seven paddles so we are delivering fourteen in a stair-step of sizes.

Here are some photos of the process after we have the basic glue-up ready...

The blade is marked on thirds.

A batten is used to scribe an nice curve on the blade.  It is pulled to the edge of the blade on the bottom third.  C-clamps are used as the pinion points.  After the curved cuts are made the bottom of the blade is finished with a cross cut.

Next we use the power hand planner to start taking the blade down to thickness. 

This particular paddle is made of Basswood, Walnut and Cherry.