tools for the job

[rogerroger]

I'm building some wooden lockers on my boat shortly - a former cabinet-maker mate is going to help me and wonders if any special tools will be needed other than the obvious (jig saw, drill, screw drivers etc.

Any advice appreciated as we've got to get it all done in a weekend.

cheers

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[David2452]

Stiff card for patterns, One of those plastic thingies with a wire centre for transferring curves to the card for initial pattern.

David

 

[rogerroger]

any chance of being more specific about the "plastic thingy" which sounds quite helpful!!

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[oldsaltoz]

Hi Rogerroger
Have you included an angle finder and spirit level, a batten to bend around curves to give you a smoother line to cut to, how do you plan to fix this to the hull? Will you glass it or glue it? Will you need large clamps, copper or other material nails, stainless screws, marine glue? And heaven forbid…..gap filler.

Avaniceweekend it’s going to be full on Old Salt Oz……

 

[rogerroger]

Thanks - you clearly understand the challenges!!

Spirit level is on the list - although I'm only assuming that the boat (ashore) is actually dead on vertical ? guess she must be. Have passed on angle finder to my mate and he's going to get screws & suitable marine glue.

Don't think we'll need to fix anything to the hull - all should be supportable between bulk heads.

Can you explain a little more about this batten ?

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[David2452]

I think it is called a snake it is very flexible square plastic rod about 8mm in section, down the centre is a wire which keeps its shape when bent to contours.

 

[brian_neale]

Sounds like a flexicurve, used by draughtsmen in pre-CAD days, and available from good stationers/office suppliers. I would have thought them a bit short for this kind of job, though (typically about 12"). Maybe the post was referring to something else? I have seen man-sized versions consisting of short lengths of timber (3" or so) joined with bolts and butterfly nuts and used for (for example) taking off the curve of a hull for fitting bulkheads.

 

[oldsaltoz]

G’Day Rogerroger
The batten is used to smooth the curve ensuring a good fit as follows. Best if boat is on the hard as all measurements are taken off a spirit level. Mark off lines on a batten at regular intervals, say 100mm (4 inches) then make sure the batten is upright using the spirit level, It must be exactly opposite the point the you plan to install the bulkhead or fitting, I tape the batten to a tool box and wedge it till level. Using the spirit level measure the distance from each mark to the curved hull section, transfer these measurements to a sheet of thin ply or cardboard; now take the batten and bend it so that it meets each mark and make your cutting line mark.
I hope this explains how the batten is used, note this system can be used in reverse to produce a nice curve on the outside of fittings also, it looks better than a radius from the bottom of a paint can.

 

[David2452]

Brian, correct, the "snake" is a metre "flexicurve"

David