Hybird MF14

To help other builders, please list the boat you are building in the Thread Subject -- and to conserve space, please limit your posting to one thread per boat.

Please feel free to use the gallery to display multiple images of your progress.
Fuzz
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 8920
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:23 am
Location: Kasilof, Alaska

Re: Hybird MF14

Post by Fuzz »

Seeing this stuff is just plain neat! I am really happy you are taking the time to show us your work.

User avatar
Netpackrat
Very Active Poster
Very Active Poster
Posts: 1017
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2017 1:35 am
Location: Anchorage, AK

Re: Hybird MF14

Post by Netpackrat »

That's awesome, although it looks like something that would be excruciating to do with a non quick change tool post. I am mostly using insert tooling at this point although I have ground a couple HSS tools for special tasks. I'm mainly using the inserts because I am trying to keep grinding dust out of my shop to the extent possible. Something like you are doing, I would probably just try to get as close as possible with my parting tool, and then go at it with a file to try to smooth off the ridges. But your way is a lot more elegant.

Chenier
Active Poster
Active Poster
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 5:46 am
Location: Annapolis, Maryland

Re: Hybird MF14

Post by Chenier »

Varnishing the wooden spars presented a bit of a problem: How to apply the varnish evenly to these cylinders. Because varnishing requires a wet edge while you work I couldn't varnish one side, flip them over, then varnish the other. That would leave a seam on each side - times seven coats would be fourteen seams on each spar. The millions of wooden spars on boats throughout history suggest this problem has been solved before, but I didn't know how.

Fishing fly tyers have a solution, though. For about $75 you can get a gizmo that will slowly rotate flies with epoxy heads while the epoxy hardens - so the epoxy doesn't all sag to one side. The pricing seemed a bit steep, especially as I'd need three.

Amazon to the rescue: They were happy to sell me three disco ball motors for $15 each.

Image

A simple nail in a V-block held up the other end of the spars. I ended up cutting off the nail heads.

Image

Anyone remember disco? Time for a spar varnish party!

Image

The setup worked well. The motors turn at 6 RPM, which is a nice speed for this application. I turned the motors off for hand sanding, turning them back on again for vacuuming, wiping down the spars & varnishing. At 10 seconds per rotation keeping a wet edge was a snap. If I got the varnish a little heavy in spots it couldn't sag or run as there was no "down".

Here are the varnished spars:

Image

User avatar
OrangeQuest
Very Active Poster
Very Active Poster
Posts: 3944
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2018 1:14 pm
Location: Houston, Texas

Re: Hybird MF14

Post by OrangeQuest »

That is one slick idea and the results are amazing!
"that it isn't just an ordinary sort of boat. Sometimes it's a Boat, and sometimes it's more of an Accident. It all depends." "Depends on what?" "On whether I'm on the top of it or underneath it."
A. A. Milne

Chenier
Active Poster
Active Poster
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 5:46 am
Location: Annapolis, Maryland

Re: Hybird MF14

Post by Chenier »

Finished varnishing "parts" today. Most of them had holes near one end so I could hang them up and get both sides at the same time.

Image

From near to far, these are the two pieces of the splash coaming, the rudder, the tiller extension and the tiller. The daggerboard is furthest from the camera, standing on edge.

Rudder, tiller and extension are stock Sunfish parts, store-bought. They had a very light varnish on them so I put on more coats while varnishing everything else.

The "hang 'em up by their thumbs" technique worked OK, but not perfectly. I was able to coat both sides, but with flaws. Seems I always missed a spot here or there. So the last coat on the bigger pieces went on with them laying down flat.

Image

I flipped them after 36 hours and coated the other side.

Note to self: in the future, resist the urge to varnish in the dead of winter. I'm able to keep the shop around 60º, but at that temp the varnish took 48 hours to harden enough to apply the next coat. Frustratingly slow!

User avatar
cape man
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 8267
Joined: Sun Jan 20, 2008 12:02 pm
Location: Lithia, Florida

Re: Hybird MF14

Post by cape man »

Great work...again!
The world always seems brighter when you've just made something that wasn't there before - Neil Gaiman

Jeff
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 8435
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2016 12:17 pm
Location: Vero Beach

Re: Hybird MF14

Post by Jeff »

Very, very nice work!!!! Jeff

Chenier
Active Poster
Active Poster
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 5:46 am
Location: Annapolis, Maryland

Re: Hybird MF14

Post by Chenier »

Thanks guys.

Varnishing the ends of the spars now. Watching varnish dry is worse than watching grass grow!

pee wee
Very Active Poster
Very Active Poster
Posts: 2276
Joined: Sun May 01, 2011 8:29 am
Location: Georgia

Re: Hybird MF14

Post by pee wee »

Patience, grasshopper! :lol:

Things do dry slowly in cold weather, but isn't it nice to know that when things warm up, you'll be ready to go? Your build is coming together beautifully. I know you'll be glad to see it complete, but I'll be a little sad when it's over. Please continue to post about your boat once it's in use, I'd like to see it in action and as it matures.
Hank

Chenier
Active Poster
Active Poster
Posts: 219
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2018 5:46 am
Location: Annapolis, Maryland

Re: Hybird MF14

Post by Chenier »

LOL!

Will do.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 11 guests