Roberta's Torpedo

[Roberta]

I started a new topic to post all my progress on the Torpedo. I got all the cleaning done and now, between laundry loads (Monday and Friday are laundry days), I made some Torpedo parts today. The pattern sheets are 96" by 42" so they are a bit bigger and more difficult to use than the Zip patterns. I used transfer paper on the Zip, but decided to use the pin hole method to transfer the patterns to the wood. It worked out nicely and saves the patterns from being cut and folded.

After trasnsferring the patterns to the wood, I connected the dots with a pencil. Once I had all the parts for the stem, breasthook and transom knee drawn in I rough cut them off my 4X8 sheet of plywood. I needed to be somewhat careful in my planning as the 9 floor timbers need to come out of that board and they are pretty big.

Once they were free of the big board, I cut them out on the band saw. Then they were shaped up to very close to pattern size on my drum/belt sander. My new bandsaw really does a nice job and there was very little sanding needed. I'll glue up the knee and the stem tomorrow and finish shaping them after they are laminated. Golf tomorrow afternoon and Wednesday we're getting a new front door. Things will sit 'til Thursday or maybe Wednesday afternoon.

Roberta

[Roberta]

More progress pics

Roberta

[slug]

Bet you're enjoying getting in to another build
Did you loft the plans in order to find the frame discrepencies?
When I lofted my 34' sailboat plans (Ted Brewer) I found a frame out 1 1/4'.
A lot easier to correct on the lofting floor.
Doug

[Roberta]

It is nice getting back into a project. I'm pretty sure this will be my last really big project, though. My arthritis let's me know when it's time to take a break.

I checked the patterns against the plans and loft lines. They're only 12th scale drawings in the plans, while the patterns are full size, so I have to be somewhat lenient with tolerances. I haven't found anything really off except some set points and the width of frame 3. All easily corrected. But I will proceed cautiously and measure everything before nailing anything home. I'll note things I change or correct along the way in my posts.

Roberta

[trisailor]

Oh, this is gonna be fun!

[Old aussie]

Roberta are you making all your frames out of ply. I made my deck frames and carlings out of 25 mm ply , I got it all out of 1 sheet
off ply .when I build my next boat every thing will be made out of ply...


Old Aussie Peter...

[Roberta]

The frames will be Sapele mahogany with Okoume timbers and gussets. The motor stringers are 4/4 white oak with 9mm Okoume laminated on both sides. The keel will be either Sapele or white oak. Chines, shears and battens will be white oak.

Roberta

[Roberta]

Just got done laminating the stem and transom knee. I used screws when I built the Zip, but this time I thought I'd try the ringshank nails. I really like them. Besides the cost saving, they do go in very fast and the heads will bury themselves in the wood making a flush fit. I did drill two holes in each part to locate the halves and used screws there. I also pre-drilled the nail holes. After spreading Gel Magic over both halves, they were screwd together, clamped to my table top, and the nails installed. My nice, flat table will insure the parts are flat once cured.

Time to go golf!!!!

Roberta

[rbrandenstein]

I knew you got that new bandsaw for a reason.
Looking forward to following your build since you always do a great job of documenting the process.

[Roberta]

Just finished ripping some 4/4 sapele, Bob. I love that saw!!!! It is so quiet and user friendly. Never ripped boards that big with such ease and super safe. Worth every penny we paid for it.

Today I sanded the stem, knee, and breasthook and cut the harpins from 3/8" Okoume plywood and sanded then down together for a nice matched set. The sapele we ripped this evening will be cut into segments to laminate to the curved harpins. Glen has you do that rather than try to cut them from a really wide, long plank or use a full shear. The conventional shear joins the harpin back aft of frame 6. Tomorrow I will cut the segments and laminate the harpins.

Roberta

[Roberta]

The boards we ripped last night were about 4 1/2" wide and worked well for the harpin shape. I layed the boards out on one plywood harpin, cut nice long joints, and shaped the sapele to cover the plywood. I used a bisquit cutter and bisquits to join the segments. These were epoxied and the segments clamped to my table top to cure nice and flat. Wash day, so I only had time and energy to do one today. Two 5 foot by 4 1/2" boards were enough to laminate one harpin. Once cured, I'll run it through my planer to clean it up and make sure the gluing surface is flat. When that is laminated to the plywood, I'll trim the edges flush and plane the sapele side to the finished thickness of the harpin assembly.

Roberta

[mrintense]

Great to see you back into building mode Roberta. My hat is off to you. How you have the energy to keep doing this amazes me. I will definitely be following your build thread. Looks good so far.

[cusoak]

Roberta. I am following you new build posts. I was looking for the plans for the boat, on the plans section but could not find them. where do I need to look.
Jeff

[Roberta]

There were a few issues with the plans and patterns, so Gayle pulled the Torpedo from the lineup until they are resolved. I am working with Gayle and another builder to sort things out so the plans and patterns can be revised to everyone's satisfaction. As I build my Torpedo, I will be noting any changes necessary and relaying them to Gayle. Hopefully the Torpedo will be back in the lineup soon.

Roberta

[polarisman14]

For those of us who didn't see it, what does this boat look like? Looking forward to seeing your work as it's always awesome.