Revisiting Traditional Tools

August 24, 2017

With the side panels joined to the transom, I now need to build up the chine of the boat with some lumber. A chine of a boat is the a change in angle on the hull of the vessel. This boat has a single chine that transitions the bottom to the sides. The chine logs will be ripped from 2x6 stock with appropriate bevels to match the side angles, but must be thinned down enough to facilitate bending to the curve or the sides.

I managed to cut the bevels during the rip of the 16' board and attempted to use a cheap power planer with no success. This planet took off very little wood if any and guaranteed a long process. Enter the bench plane.

I bought a 9" bench plane from the hardware store, the two handed kind used in traditional woodworking. This thing peeled off fat, uniform ribbons of wood along the entire length of the board. I had forgotten just how effective these planes were and made quick work of the first board. I have a feeling I'll be using this tool a lot in the future. Lots of work ahead, but it looks to be a wet weekend with hurricane Harvey coming in. Hopefully a little sun will come out on Saturday and we can get those chines installed and start on the bottom planking.