Date: Thu, 6 Aug 1998 09:53:35 -0400 (EDT)
From: Kirk Olsen <kolsen@imagelan.com>
To: baidarka <baidarka@lists.intelenet.net>
Subject: Re: [baidarka] Cutting the gunwales for ribs
In-Reply-To: <1.5.4.32.19980805215923.006b9748@eagle.ptialaska.net>
On Wed, 5 Aug 1998, DrDuktayp wrote:
> I went to the hardware store and bought lots of wood. I wussed out and
> bought it all pretty much ready to go. I see that I am going to have to
> 'notch' out the gunwale for each rib. None of the books I have read show
> this being done. I have went through the archives and don't see any mention
> of it either. Do I just mark where I want them and notch the gunwales with
> a wood chisel? Also, about what depth should I make them? I thought about
> just routering a groove for them on the inside of the gunwale like for a
> shiplap. But, I haven't seen it done so I am supposing that it isn't a good
> idea.
The final portion of this years northeast skin boat gathering was a visit to
Bill Lows shop, where he showed us some of his tricks for speeding up
the build process.
For the ribs he puts a slight V on the end of the rib. Then drills a
single hole part way through the gunwale and makes a quick angled cut,
with a chisel, toward the drilled hold from each side. The V end of the
rib then fits into the V notch he cut in the gunwale. Since the ribs
will be lashed in place Bill found that a full joint wasn't needed.
Cool trick. Just marking out a mortice and tenon takes me more time
than it takes Bill to do the whole process.