Broad Ambition - The Model

[grendel]

by the time I have finished we should literally have a step by step how to build the model record.

[grendel]

today, a chance find of a wooden slatted blind that  had been chucked in a skip and I have some nice flexible parts to make formers for the front section ribs. another glued on, another steamed, this time on the intermediate former.

[grendel]

My trip to the dentists today is complete, so I have the rest of the day to do things, first was refitting those strips to test them. then I had a brainwave, I have enough of these strips that they can form the basis of the ribs for the second model, the wood is a finer grain and no knots, and is more flexible than the wood I am currently using, plus there is enough strips that I can get the right number of ribs from just the two sides (outside the slots for the strings). this should give even better results than I have achieved on this hull (see I am learning all the time). I will strip some to size on the table saw and see how they perform in the steam bending. they are not long enough to plank the hull (though they would do a great job) I may be investigating how much these wooden blinds cost 

[grendel]

Well I had a nice walk into town (to get the bits I needed to sort out my cider) I called into some charity shops en route home and managed to pick up another wood slat blind for just £2, plenty of thin strip wood now.

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Grendel,

I recon you will need some chalking on those planks

Looking good by the way

Regards

Alan

[grendel]

Well here is my new collection of timber, just off into the garden in a minute to make it into useable rib thicknesses and planks, one lot is something like beech, the other is oak.

[Wildfuzz]

What a great idea, will they glue up ok looks like a very durable finish has been applied.

[grendel]

I will be testing things like that, I have already learned one thing, they are all the same wood - just stained a different colour, I am going to plump for lime, as the smell while cutting is quite lemony, this is a perfect hardwood for bending. anyway just under 2 hours later, I have a nice selection of strips to build with. next to test how well they bend with steam?

[grendel]

mind you, I wouldnt want you to think I had shelled out a furtune for this lot, just a couple of quid and a couple of hours produced this.

[grendel]

Well these bits seem to steam ok, I tried one of each and fitted them in the jig together, we will see when they come out tomorrow.

[BroadAmbition]

Blimey - proper enjoying this journey with you.  Great ideas you are having too

Griff

[LondonRascal]

You need to be careful doing this and filming it too - this is how people end up with a following I love the creative thinking of the blind - it really is looking something special and to think when done to have a record of how it was constructed. 

[grendel]

well the wood from the blinds was steamed and came out ok, it was roughed up with some sandpaper to give the glue a chance and fitted, now to see how the glue holds, another pair into the bending jig. it does seem to take the shape nicely.

[BroadAmbition]

Show off ! 

Griff

[JanetAnne]

We found two slats glued together make excellent sail battons for the enterprises!

I reckon some cut to half your planking width will make excellent spoiling boards for when you come to plank the fwd end?

Throughly enjoying your project

[grendel]

With all those extra ribs bent up I had a bit more I could get on with this morning, more ribs steamed (I have now moved to the former 2 jig as we are changing shape quite fast now, by making 2 ribs at once in the steamer I get one slightly bigger (to fit the stern side of the bulkhead) and one to fit nearer the bow, so if I steam 3 pairs, I can fit 3 bigger ribs, then fit the 3 smaller, I can then go to the next former down and repeat the process, after that its that awkward section where the curve changes from convex to concave between the bulkheads.

[MauriceMynah]

Looking at the third pic there Grendel, I'm a little curious... nay alarmed, as to what the BA's crew are doing on the shelf in the background. Please remind them that this is a family forum, and that some behaviour is not really acceptable.

[grendel]

I think they have been at my cider, they are just a bit tipsy and falling over

[grendel]

before I get ribbed too far I have to make up the formers for those front ribs, better to do it now than when I get to a point I need to backtrack, so formers have been added in the form of faux planking, then marked out so I can steam the ribs and bend them round the former and clamp to dry, I need 2 for each location, some will end up passing under the hog, others will be notched in to the side of the hog. once dry these will be numbered corresponding to the location, thus we will form the shape of the hull at the front end, to give that distinctive shape of Broad Ambition.

at the moment she looks a bit like a clamp hedgehog, I cant steam up any more ribs as I have run out of clamps, some holding the ribs I fitted earlier, others holding the formers in place.

[BroadAmbition]

Chuffin 'eck,  there are more clamps there than an NCP and you have ran out?  those photo's are looking proper busy

Griff

[Hockham Admiral]

I just ruddy marvel at your skill and patience, I truly do!          

[BroadAmbition]

I just ruddy marvel at your skill and patience, I truly do!          

Aye, and you ain't got the monopoly on that statement either HA

Griff

[grendel]

a busy day, from doing the boot fair this morning, fixing the mother in laws back door step,  half an hour diagnosing a problem with the car (abs / speedo sensor failed) then a trip out to my old viking friends training session (to drop off some arrows I had found - had a quick practice with bow and arrow, and back home, then I spent a little time, clamped up some more ribs for the front section.

[grendel]

some more front ribs steamed up tonight.

[BroadAmbition]

Quite right too, can't have your wooden tops workforce slacking.  Those clamps must be bigger then they are and twice the weight.  It's a wonder they manage them at all

Griff