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Armchair Boatbuilding!

Polly

By Polly
in Restoration Projects

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Polly

Polly

Posted
Posted

Doug is undertaking a lot of work on Brilliant to get her frames and planks in best condition. We have bewildering conversations...... Timbo to the rescue! Like him, I have invested in Boatbuilding Manual (5th Edition). Unlike him, I wouldn't trust myself  with a saw on Brilliant's hull, Japanese or otherwise. So I am in training to be an armchair boatbuilder.:default_dunce: My aim is to make something approaching intelligent responses to Doug' s remarks!

 

Actually, this is a super book! I think we should have got a copy years ago, because the why and wherefore of Brilliant's construction is very much explained here and it adds so much to the experience of having our beautiful saily. I always knew this boatbuilding thing was a bit of a dark art, and the language is just as complicated as that related to actually sailing her, but I am persevering....after 4 or 5 attempts , I finally figured out what a 'rabbet' was and mentally located ours! 

Happy days!

Now just you watch Doug set a few hurdles!

 

 

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Timbo

Timbo

Posted
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The correct term is a rebate, linguistically speaking. Taken from Norse languages you get variations of rabat from Norway through Croatia France and Spain usually with a double 't' so we get rabatt. Now, for some reason, your American is easily confused between a rabatt, a rabat, a rabbet and a rabbit.

To make sure that you are using the correct form of rabatt in your woodworking or boat building you need to listen and measure. If your tools are making sharp cutting sounds and you end up with one area of wood lower than the other then you are correctly creating a rabatt or rebate. If your tools are making a dull, squidgy squelching sound then you are incorrectly using a rabbit. If your tools are making a grinding noise and your timber has a nibbled appearance then you are using a rabbit or beaver...in which case you call WildFuzz.

Timbo's guide to Douganese

Silence followed by "Hmm" means  'This is going to be expensive or take a long time'.
"You could"  means 'only a complete idiot would do this'.
"The way it's done is" means 'there are other ways but they are not the right way'.


 

 

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ChrisB

ChrisB

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Posted

You mention a Japanese saw, I watched a fasinating documentary on Japanese wood working. It seems many tools that we would push like a plane they would pull.

It showed a "Planing Competition" in fact it looked like they were working on masts as the wood was very long and round. The craftsman walked backwards dragging his plane which was two handed but much larger than our spokeshave and another held up the cigarette paper thin shaving that came off as one continuous piece more like the swarf off a lathe cutting mild steel when you have speed and feed spot on.

I wonder what the Japanese Craftmen who learn their skills over many many years and have a status like that of surgeons in their society would think of the De Walt and Makita power tool competitions so beloved in parts of the US.

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