Coronet1885

Posted By Tom Daniels on August 30, 2010

The guys have been using the lofting this month to continue making parts.

In particular, they’ve been working out the details for making futtocks.  One of the great things about the level of detail in these drawings is that both the front and back shapes of the futtocks are drawn in.

One face is drawn in green, the other in red.  This allows the guys to work out the bevels for each piece of wood very accurately.

Here’s a tracing from the lofting that can be taken downstairs and placed directly on the stock.

This is the best way to match the shapes that you need to your available stock.  It also allows you to find stock that has grown into the shapes that you need.  Curved parts are strongest when the grain of the wood follows the part’s shape.  That’s why knees (the look like giant shelf angle brackets) are usually sawn from the crooks of trees.  It’s also why builders will laminate thin pieces of wood into a curve; the thin pieces bend and allow the grain to follow the curve.

There’s lots of wood laid out, ready for this process.

And a lot more, waiting to be sorted.

The end result:

When they’re not working on futtocks, they’ve been assembling the forward section of the keel.

Getting all these parts to line up just right and stay together requires some serious  clamping.

Category: Construction & Methods
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