Small Projects

I wasn't able to get any work done on the boat over the past two weeks, because I was out of town for some work stuff. The good news is that the two week break got me amped up to start building hard again. I have decided to stop working on the hulls for a bit because I want it to get a little warmer out, and I'm also kind of burnt out on them for right now. This short time will also allow me to get some of the smaller parts done for later on. That way, when the hulls become complete, I can go sailing and not have to worry about making the tillers, tiller bar, gaff, beams, etc etc etc. Two finished hulls should mean ready to roll in my book. This week I'm working on the tillers, tiller bar, and gaff. I spent a laborious day ripping all of these pieces out of 2x6 Douglas Fir boards. Needless to say, the diabolical table saw and I had a few altercations that ended in it getting kicked a bunch and even thrust onto it's side. The problem is that the fence on  my circa 1991 table saw is a POS. It is old and rusty, and it moves because it doesn't clamp down properly. Today I had a revelation, however, and decided to use the 2x10x4' long piece of Mahogany as a fence. It clamped down so beautifully, and it held tight, not even trying to budge while board after board walked past. It was as if the mahogany was shouting thank you for bringing it out of the dim, dark closet and into the bright, warm sun outside. Needless to say, the mahogany will be my fence from now on until it has to itself be cut down into miscellaneous parts. Anyways, I ripped the tillers, tiller bars, gaff, and lumber for the beam compression struts, as well as making the spacers for the tillers. I will glue up the tillers and tiller bar tomorrow, and start working on the gaff. I am hoping to have all three complete (minus coating and shaping) by Friday night. After these are done, I'm going to jump into the beams and knock them out. Hopefully after that I will be refreshed and ready to knock out the hulls and fair and sand and paint and assemble and make trailer and rig and......................etc.

All the pieces clamped for rough idea. Tillers will be forced to curve ten inches when actually glued.