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MICKS FL12 BUILD

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:02 am
by mickmac
Hi all,
Thought i might document the build of my first boat project, the fl12, i'm gonna skip to where i'm at now, rather than right from the beginning, all went pretty good apart from the cold weather affecting the epoxy, but got over that with heat lamps.... (advice from this forum). anyway, i'll post a few trial pics in here to show where i'm at now, then as i progress i'll update, maybe my mistakes / lesson's learned will help others.....
so far though no major problems, plans are excellent, easy to work with for a novice.... and with the back up of this forum i would advise anyone who is teetering on the sidelines, wondering if they can do it themselves, GO FOR IT!, it is definately manageable to anyone who wants to do it!
and really good fun!! :lol:

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so, it's all cut out, and stitched / taped together, this is the stage that i sat there for an hour just looking with a stupid grin on my face!!
i'd like to point out that although i'm a carpenter by trade, you definately don't have to be, this is all totally achievable with basic d.i.y tools and a bit of determination..... i've never got the same satisfaction from anything i've built in the past!
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i only get a few hours here and there between jobs to work on it, but find myself thinking about it all the time! although this boat is far from completion i'm browsing the plans section for the next one! is this normal? is it taking over my life? :doh:

so, next stage is fillets and glass taping, waiting on woodflour to be delivered and hoping to get back on it at the weekend......
so, i'll keep you posted....... till next time........ 8O

Re: MICKS FL12 BUILD

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:53 am
by Doc_Dyer
mickmac wrote: i only get a few hours here and there between jobs to work on it, but find myself thinking about it all the time! although this boat is far from completion i'm browsing the plans section for the next one! is this normal? is it taking over my life? :doh:
this condition is known as BBV

or Boat Building Virus

and it is uncurable :D :D :D

so just enjoy it

Bradley

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 5:51 pm
by chicagoross
this is the stage that i sat there for an hour just looking with a stupid grin on my face!!
:D My favorite part of the build - probably so for most of us!
i've never got the same satisfaction from anything i've built in the past!
Yup, boats are big, fun, and sexy. A good design is a work of art as well as a functional item. I've built jeeps in the past, competitive shooting, etc., nothing takes hold like this.
i only get a few hours here and there between jobs to work on it, but find myself thinking about it all the time! although this boat is far from completion i'm browsing the plans section for the next one! is this normal?
It's only normal for boatbuilders...the rest of the world may not quite understand this problem. Don't worry about thinking about it during non-boatbuilding hours (we call this "pondering"); it is the best stress reliever you will ever find.
is it taking over my life?
By the time you get to this point, by the time you ask this question, it already has! :D

Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:39 pm
by mechdave
You might be infected with BBV if you drive home from work at lunch time so you can sand on your pride and joy for 30 minutes instead of eating lunch. You might also stand there for hours in the late evening after finishing wetting out a layer of glass watching the epoxy cure. At least most of our wives are glad we're home and not spending boat building funds at the local pub. :lol:

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:06 am
by mickmac
thanks for the reassurance guys, i was getting worried!
looking forward to getting back to it now, hoping to actually get a full day at the weekend!
woodfibres arrived yesterday, so all set for my first attempt at fillets and glass taping..... should be interesting....

thanks again for the replies, Mick

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:16 am
by wegcagle
i only get a few hours here and there between jobs to work on it, but find myself thinking about it all the time! although this boat is far from completion i'm browsing the plans section for the next one! is this normal? is it taking over my life?
If it makes you feel better I'm currently on call at the hospital, I've been up all night in the ICU, but I found 10minutes to down a cup of coffee, check the website, and even do a little replying :wink: The short answer is yes...it's already infected you. I am currently building the GV15 for a duck hunting boat, but I've already planned out my next build, LB26 8O It's bad when you realize that you check this website more often than your email, voicemail, answering machine, and the mail added together :help:
I tell my wife daily that a bad boat habit beats a bad drug habit any day :wink:

Will

Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 9:07 pm
by Biker B.O.B.
chicagoross wrote:
this is the stage that i sat there for an hour just looking with a stupid grin on my face!!
:D My favorite part of the build - probably so for most of us!
You said it, Ross.

Welcome, Mick - I think that this is one of the great things about stitch-n-glue construction. You really get to see the basic shape early one. From here on out, you are simply perfecting what you already know is a fine looking boat. Enjoy!

Oh! BBV is incurrable, so just get used to the idea. :wink: I'm buiding my second and debating which one will be next.

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 1:34 pm
by mickmac
Hi all,
well, had my first attempt at fillets and taping today, i thought it went ok (well, unless someone tells me different of course!)
is there anything else to use for cleaning after epoxy (brushes, containers, etc) other than the manufacturers own thinner? it's really expensive, and i seem to be using a lot of it!!
also, was wondering, if anyone else has used anything other than ply laminate (as per plans) for the rubrail? i have lots of 2" x 1/4" mahogany strips left over from a job, was thinking about laminating with these?

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my first ever fillet!
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and taped!
hoping to get all inside taping done this weekend, then rubrails, then flip it over!!!
till next time..... Mick

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 1:55 pm
by Cracker Larry
Looks good Mick 8)

White vinegar will clean uncured epoxy, as will acetone or MEK. I use white vinegar. Brushes, most of us use disposable and trash them after each use. If you mix in plastic containers, one the epoxy cures you can just flex the container and the epoxy will pop loose. Hope this helps.

I meant to add, your mahogany strips will be fine for laminating the rubrail.

Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 2:22 pm
by mickmac
Thanks Larry,
white vinegar, as in normal household vinegar?
i'm pleased about the mahogany, although this is only a small first effort boat, i would like to make it as nice as i can..... thanks for the comment, it means a lot when someone say's you're doing something ok! this project will hopefully help me to learn the skills required to tackle a bigger one next time....
"NEXT TIME"! listen to me.... hardly started and already talking next time!
many thanks, Mick