D12 from a kit

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jacquesmm
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D12 from a kit

Post by jacquesmm »

Posted for Fred H.
12 Foot Dory Building Log

Hello to anyone who wants to read about my experience with the 12 Foot Dory. I will be posting my progress, and I will try to express a reasonable sequence of steps for others who are about to start.

I ordered the CNC kit, the epoxy resin kit, the sail, and the plans. All these come at different times, and the CNC kit needed to be picked up at a depot run by the freight company. I was able to place the kit on top of my Subaru Forester over two 2x4s lashed to the top rails. I tied it down with bunji cords. The freight company (Old Dominion in my case) lifted the kit onto my car with a forklift, but if I had to, I could have lifted it up there by myself. Jacques mentions the pack of drawings included with the kit. I could not find mine. Perhaps it got torn off in transit. At any rate, when you get the kit you should check for it, and if it is not there request it by email. I drove slowly so as to avoid wind getting under the package and sailing it.

Step 1 Unpacking the CNC Kit

Tools:
Dremel or fine-toothed keyhole saw
Sanding block and sandpaper (used is OK, grit is not that important)
Moist rag
Respirator if you are sensitive to sawdust

I was feeling like it was Christmas morning, and I really wanted to just get going on the kit. So I just opened up the kit, put the cardboard aside for use as floor covering, because I have an uneven concrete floor in my workspace, and I think the large sheets of cardboard will help me, and I removed the sheets of marine grade plywood that have been routed with the parts. In my case there was one thick sheet and two thin sheets. I carefully cut the tabs that hold the pieces in the sheets. I used a Dremel, and I had to adjust the speed so that I didn't cut too fast and make a cut into someplace I don't want to cut. I cut out each piece, and I piled them or stood them in a safe place. Then I went over the edge of each piece lightly with the sandpaper to get the splinters off and smooth the parts where the tabs had been, and I wiped them with the moist cloth to get the dust off.

Step 2 Reading and Understanding the Drawings

My Drawings came together with the Resin Kit in a separate shipment. It took me a while to understand what was what. Important things to remember are that:
a) the parts of the CNC Kit are slightly different from the parts described in the main set of drawings for the Dory. So it is very important to have the CNC Drawings together with the Main Drawings. You can get the CNC Drawings bay asking by email if you can't find yours;
b) the Main Drawings describe more than one option of the boat;
c) some parts are not provided in the CNC kit – I will need to procure some materials to make these parts, but the cost is minimal. I'm going to go with Douglas fir lumber (Jacques, please tell me if I'm wrong!)

In my case, after reading the drawings and emailing with Jacques, I have learned the following regarding my CNC parts (again Jaques, if I am wrong, please comment):
The bottom of the boat is comprised of 3 pieces: 1) the bow and most of the rest of the bottom, 2) the stern portion of the bottom, and 3) a butt board to attach 1) and 2).
Each side of the boat ("frame") is also comprised of 3 pieces: 2 lengths and 1 butt board each, and the butt board is 14 1/2 in. by 6 in. This size is not described anywhere in the drawings.
The mast partner and aft thwart cut from the thick plywood are not cut to the exact size (these are trapezoidal pieces of identical dimensions).

Before starting the connecting of the frame sides and the bottom, I am going to mark each piece to be certain I understand where it is supposed to be used. I cannot emphasize how important it was to read the drawings, and envision the boat that I want to make, and what steps I will do it in.
Jacques Mertens - Designer
http://boatbuildercentral.com

jacquesmm
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Re: D12 from a kit

Post by jacquesmm »

Fred will post more but he had a problem with "invalid characters".
Fred, do not use quotes, reverse quotes, parenthesis and other stuff in your text.
These are characters used by hackers to inject code and take over web sites.
You must have used one somewhere.
Try to reply to this message with a short sentence.
Jacques Mertens - Designer
http://boatbuildercentral.com

jacquesmm
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Posts: 28215
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2002 1:00 am
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Re: D12 from a kit

Post by jacquesmm »

About the technical points:
The kit is slightly different from the plans and that is explained in the notes that were lost or throw away. We emailed a set of notes.
There are 3 sheets of plywood. The plans shows the nesting only for the side and bottom panels. The other sheet is not critical.
The side panels are cut exactly as on the plans.
The bottom panel looks very much like on the plans except that we move the tip of the bottom to the side of the sheet.
You can't go wrong during the assembly: parts match only one way.
The plans do not show the butt blocks: you don't need any dimensions for those, they fit on top of the panels.
The kit includes the butt blocks and that is why it may look like the bottom is made from 3 parts: two parts plus the butt block.
The plans show a rowing version and two sailing rigs.
You can build either version from the kit, row or sail.
Parts like the mast thwart have a pilot hole for the mast, that way, if you build the rowing version, you don't have an unnecessary hole in the middle. Same for the daggerboard holes: we drill small holes in the corners. You cut only if you need it.
Some small parts are cut with a safety margin.
There is more but the goal is to allow the builder to choose which version he builds.
The hull is defined clearly but the builder has some leeway with the small parts.

It may be confusing to try to match parts with the plans by dimensions. It is much easier to cut the tabs and assemble the long panels. They can only be assembled one way. Once that is done, drop the butt blocks on the seams, those too will fit only one way.
If you try to measure, you may confuse a butt block with a partner.

Once the long panels are assembled, there isn't much left to identify.

Once the hull is built from the sides and bottom around the frame, all the other parts will be easy to identify.
There is enough wood left for some customization: doubling the partner, adding to the rear thwart etc.
Jacques Mertens - Designer
http://boatbuildercentral.com

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