The boat arrived as 5 sheets of "laser" cut ply. The idea being you buy the kit and plans off a supplier who then subcontracts the CNC cutting to a reputable local supplier. Makes a lot of sense, the only shipping is an emailed CNC (look it up) file. It has it's drawbacks however. The supplier, our mate Robert in Australia, has little or no control over the quality of the wood or laser cutting that goes on at the third party supplier. The result in our case being a sort of sooty, dull batch of ply that is best used mixing glue. While I am sure 6 coats of expensive varnish will tart it up, it is a bit disappointing. Robert (our mate in Australia) to his credit, sent us a whole new set of plywood planking, which remains wrapped in cardboard and cling-film.
Where was I ? Ply.
Anyway, we went to our man at City Timber, a great timber merchants who have given us a small rain forest in free wood, and bought a sheet of ply for our-tholes (I really can't believe we haven't had any feedback on that) and it was lovely, lots of fin grain, contrast, no soot, a really nice piece of wood. This piece of ply has subsequently been used to make a rudder and may end up as a foot stretcher.
Where was I ? Knees.
So, while I was sanding down our-tholes, Chris was looking at an off-cut and wondering how to make a knee. However he cut it, there would be a weakness in the grain that could have resulted in the seats parting company with the risers and the boat breaking open down the middle like a banana split.
The answer - the amazing sheet of ply that we are slowly working our way through - the grain goes both ways. You readers probably thought of this ages ago, in fact I can hear you screaming - "Make the knees out of ply you dummies!!!" So we glued two pieces of ply together - and after making a template out of cardboard, and some guidance down the phone from Chris, I made this.
 |
| That's a knee in the foreground. If you look closely, you may notice our new kitten in the background. |
