ROWLOCKS!! Not another session of Dan's hole-boring chrome-plated rowing tedium?

[Greenheart]

Yep!

I finally got one of the sockets in place. Had to bore through 30mm of GRP and wood, using a 1950s hand-drill, turning a 17mm bit. That was tough.

Here's my achievement after 25 mins:

View attachment 33376

...and after another 20 mins:

View attachment 33381

Weird thing was, the flakes of wood coming up from this very solid, 40 year-old gunwale-section were decidedly damp. How old is that moisture?

Eventually, with a blistered left-hand and scratched right knuckles, I got through...

View attachment 33382

...and after sanding the hole, I got the socket in. Not all the way - it wants countersinking. And I'll need a 3mm bit for the machine-screws.

View attachment 33383

Nice to be nearly there, though.

 

[Croak]

Your posts, while appearing positive, are always spread with a thick layer of doom.

 

[Greenheart]

Your posts, while appearing positive, are always spread with a thick layer of doom.

Well, you're bringing a nice balance...a tad negative aren't you?

 

[Croak]

Realistic. I would love one of these wealthier forumites and just to buy you a suitable boat and rid us all of this angst.

I have looked at my fleet and if I had anything suitable, that I had no need of, I would give it to you.

Could I be more positive?

You pointed out that the ply on your boat is sodden, it is not me being negative.

 

[Greenheart]

Sorry mate! I was more fascinated than depressed about it. The gunwales feel very solid, I just wondered how long they'd been damp internally.

"All of this angst" isn't detectable, at this end. Respondents' gloomy comments are a bit of a downer, though!

 

[fergie_mac66]

get one of these when you see one at a carboot usually loads of them only about 5£

Same type of bit sharped kept sharp (with a file on the inside only ) goes through grp and wood v quickly

 

[Kelpie]

Is the plywood encased in grp? Or is it simply stuck to the underside of the deck?

 

[DanTribe]

You are going to rebate those plates, and make a proper flush job of it, I hope.

 

[Poignard]

get one of these when you see one at a carboot usually loads of them only about 5£

Same type of bit sharped kept sharp (with a file on the inside only ) goes through grp and wood v quickly

You took the words out of my mouth Fergie!

It's amazing how quickly these useful old tools seem have been almost forgotten.

One of these comes in handy when there isn't much room:-

http://www.oldtools.co.uk/tools/misc1100.l.jpg

 

[fergie_mac66]

yep I used to have one till it got nicked !

 

[Highndry]

Dan, whereabouts are you? I might have an old drill I can donate to the cause.

 

[Poignard]

How about one of these then ( http://oldtoolheaven.com/brace/braceimg/b7312.jpg )? Called a Whimble brace. I've never seen one but, according to the Millers Falls Tool Company catalogue, they were popular with shipbuilders and bridge builders.


I could have done with one of these ( http://www.greatplanestrading.com/EAIA13/EAIA13_020BC.jpg ) a few weeks ago. In the end I had to admit defeat and use a right-angled power drill!

 

[Greenheart]

Is the plywood encased in grp? Or is it simply stuck to the underside of the deck?

It's fully encapsulated - at least, externally. I suppose it may be open to the interior of the side-deck tanks, though a look inside with the camera didn't show any timber. That could be where the damp came from though. If so I suppose a month or two with the inspection hatches open would dry it out. It'll have to wait for winter. It really doesn't look or feel like a crisis-in-waiting. It's not dripping, it's just not as dusty-dry as I'd have expected.

You are going to rebate those plates, and make a proper flush job of it, I hope.

Well, of course I am! What a question! Umm...rebate? Plates?


Highndry, yours is a very kind offer, but another forumite lately posted this link: https://www.toolandfix.com/silverli...l-280mm.html?gclid=COfvtsKfmLgCFXLLtAodoVIAvw

...and I ordered one. Starting to regret it, now that I've done half the job with an even humbler bit of kit, but I'm very glad these tools are still being produced new. And so cheap! Years in France using cruddy cordless Chinese drill-drivers, when I didn't know I might have been self-reliant for drilling, at a slower pace.

http://www.greatplanestrading.com/EAIA13/EAIA13_020BC.jpg

What...why...how...? How would the downward pressure available from the top wooden knob, apply useful force when the bit-end is at an angle?

It's fascinating, but I don't get it.

 

[Poignard]

What...why...how...? How would the downward pressure available from the top wooden knob, apply useful force when the bit-end is at an angle?

It's fascinating, but I don't get it.

I don't know how well it works as I've never used one but, to answer your question, don't forget these braces are intended to be used with carpenters bits that draw themselves into the wood so little pressure is needed; once it gets started so you would only need enough pressure to hold it in place (I suppose).

They would have been used where you wanted to bore a hole in a bulkhead that was right up against the underside of the deck, for example.

If the doom-mongers are right, and we are going to run out of electricity, old tools like this might be needed again!

Remember the tool collectors motto: "He who dies with most tools wins"