It's driving me NUTZ!

[FlaMike]

I've got my Freedom 15 plan set and just bought the plywood to build it (and enough for the next build, as well!) But I'm in the North end of Pasco County, FL, and the wood is down in the next county South, and so far, nothing but RAIN in between me and it! :shock:

If the wood was here, the rain wouldn't matter, as I'll be building in my garage. But it isn't, so I'm not able to get started just yet.

I am so not liking this! :evil:

Good news is that I did locate a good source for my plywood! Had no luck looking for retailers on the web, so I found a distributor instead Gave them a call, found out what they had available, and they put me in touch with one of their retail outlets, not too far off. The distributor, if anyone in this area is looking for a supply source, is Quality Plywood Specialties, Inc. The retail store they directed me to is
Weiss Hardwoods (but don't expect to see any mention of marine ply on their web site.)

Matt, don't read this next part!

Like every other shop I talked to, they told me they would not be able to supply any 4mm marine ply until December! They do have another type of ply, supposed to be a marine ply, but cost less due to the fact that the inner veneer isn't the same wood as the outer veneers. They call it "Ozigo." It looks pretty good, and I would have bought that, but. . .

I have fallen in with a bad crowd and succumbed to their influences. I'm looking to build a light-weight boat. So, the ply I ordered is 1/8" Luan. I like it for it's lack of weight and the way it looks when finished. The way the little bit of the stuff looked that I used for the decking on my Pirogue really impressed me.

With all the epoxy and glass cloth, inside and out, on both the hull and the deck, I'm not at all concerned with it's strength. Made up my mind, gonna' do it my way, so there!

OK, Matt, you can start reading again!

Yup! I really want to get building and hate being held up by the rain! I'm anxious to get this one done, and the next, so I can have all that behind me before the Florida version of "winter" sets in. I know some places where the winter-time fishing is absolutely fan-freakin'-tastic!

Soon as I do get a start, I'll begin posting a build thread here and on the JEM Watercraft Forum.

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

 

[Jimmy W]

When I went to pick up my plywood, it rained on my way down. It looked like it would rain more on my way home, so I wrapped the plywood up in a big plastic tarp and secured it with a rope. It didn't rain on the way home, but I think the wood would have stayed dry if it had.

 

[JEM]

You can build with 1/8" [3mm].

It's just a little trickier to build with and the margin for error decreases. Biggest concern is the bottom panel flexing. Please report how that goes.

 

[FlaMike]

Matt,

I surely will!

I've talked with others who've used the thinner ply and know what I'll have to do, should there be any problems with the bottom flexing. But I'll not use any of the corrective measures until after the boat has been in the water. If there is no problem, then I'll not "fix" it.

Just checked the weather, I think I'm going to make a run for the ply right now, and see if I can dodge the rain!

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

 

[JEM]

gitty up!

 

[oldsparkey]

I like the title for this post .... It's driving me NUTZ!

With FlaMike ... Ya can bet anything , even your socks that it is a short drive for him. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Especially since we got him hooked on building wood boats , they are addictive and do drive folks nutz but in a pleasant way.

Chuck.

 

[hairymick]

I've talked with others who've used the thinner ply and know what I'll have to do, should there be any problems with the bottom flexing. But I'll not use any of the corrective measures until after the boat has been in the water. If there is no problem, then I'll not "fix" it.

What is the max width of the bottom panel?

 

[JEM]

19" [.48m]

 

[FlaMike]

With the bottom panel being only 19 in. at the widest point, I'm thinking that 1/8" ply, with 6 oz. fg cloth on both sides will be plenty strong. Should it "oil can" (flex) very much at all, then I can glass in some re-enforcement strips, after the build. (Inside, on the bottom.)

For now, I doubt I'll need to do that.

Couldn't get on the 'Net last night, but I wasn't able to get the wood yesterday. Got too late a start, would have gotten there just in time to fight the heavy afternoon "go-home" traffic.

So now it's 06:20 and I'm getting ready to make that run. Rain or shine, I'll get the plywood today.

As for being somewhat "nutz," I'm really fine! The only thing is, sometimes it's hard to tell just which one of those voices to listen too. :lol:

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

 

[islandpiper]

FlaMike, try the HEAVY DUTY REYNOLDS WRAP next time you make a hat. It helps with the voices more than the bargain stuff.

good luck with the new boat. We will all enjoy lots of pictures (hint).

I keep wanting to build the Okwata.....right after the kitchen, and the carport, and the new deck in the backyard........

Piper

 

[FlaMike]

I keep wanting to build the Okwata.....right after the kitchen, and the carport, and the new deck in the backyard........

Building the Okwata is a much smaller job than those others. I suggest you do that one FIRST, just to get it out of the way. . . :lol:

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

 

[FlaMike]

Got IT!

Made the hour-down, hour-back trip through so-called "civilization," traffic, idiots and on-going road construction. Flat HATED it! :x

I was wanting to keep a close eye on the ten sheets of ply in the back of the truck, but when I adjusted my rear-view mirror, it came off in my hand. :roll:

Stopped and got one of those mirror glue kits, sat for a half-hour like the instructions said, put the mirror back on and adjusted it, again, it came off in my hand.

Guess the person at the parts counter was right, letting it sit over night would have been a better idea. So, I drove on, occasionally holding the rear-view mirror up in my hand to make sure everything was staying put in the back of the truck. (I did get a second glue kit, and now I'm letting that dry over night before putting the mirror back on the little button.)

The wood looks mostly nice, some sheets looking as if they have two "A" sides. After working with that 1/4" exterior stuff, the 1/8" seems "wispy," but the light weight made unloading the stuff the easiest "wood moving" job I've ever had.

I do believe I'll make the mold frames out of the 1/4" ply I have left over. Something in this pile of wood had got to have some strength to it, before the glass cloth and epoxy works it's magic. . .

This evening and tomorrow, I'll finish up getting the build space ready and start drawing out the parts & pieces. Maybe even get some of it cut out. When that happens, I'll start my build thread. :mrgreen:

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

 

[oldsparkey]

I made mine out of the 1/8th inch wood and glassed inside and outside , it does not oil can on me at all. The cockpit is nice and solid.

The bulkheads are from 1/4 inch wood because of the support they give the boat. Nice and solid even with the front one cut out in the center as a pass threw and the rear one turned into a door way (hatch) for the aft section and secure storage.

As Matt told you , building one with 1/8th inch is a shade harder but since you know the basics of wood boat building you should not have any problems , after all it is nothing more then some wood , epoxy and fiberglass.

Just measure three times and cut one time. Less tolerance for error with the thinner wood.

Chuck.

 

[bearridge]

I was wanting to keep a close eye on the ten sheets of ply in the back of the truck, but when I adjusted my rear-view mirror, it came off in my hand. :roll:

Stopped and got one of those mirror glue kits, sat for a half-hour like the instructions said, put the mirror back on and adjusted it, again, it came off in my hand.

Friend Mike,

So yer singin' the High Sheriff Blues? An unfaithful rear view mirror iz a common thread in blues music. :wink:

driftin' & driftin' like a ship out on the sea
bearridge

I gave you a brand new Ford
But you said: I want a Cadillac
I bought you a ten dollar dinner
and you said: thanks for the snack
I let you live in my pent house
You said it just a shack
I gave seven children
And now you wanna give them back
Riley B. King

 

[dangermouse01]

Yep, you might be a redneck if you......

drove on, occasionally holding the rear-view mirror up in my hand to make sure everything was staying put in the back of the truck.

The picture that sentence conjures up in my mind is just to funny. :lol:
Cant wait for the build page.

DM

 

[Jimmy W]

The late Townes Van Zandt once said "There are two kinds of songs: blues and zippity do dah."

I'll be danged if Bear didn't bring up both kinds in one day. :wink:


It takes booze and blues, Lord, to carry me through
Takes booze and blues, Lord, to carry me through.
Charley Patton "High Sheriff Blues"