SOBX Solo Flats Skiff SK14

[BrianC]

Starting a Solo Flats Skiff SK14 build here on the coast of NC - just at the southern end of the outer banks.

Built a quick jig to hold the hull during zipping - mirror image of frames D & B

[BrianC]

I started a few days ago - a quick catch up, part 1:

laying it all out - getting started:



I used a couple of 4'x8' foam sheets under the plywood (as others recommended) - this make cutting easier:


I found that not all the dimensions are from baseline:


Here is the detail - the dimension is 199 mm(179+20) from baseline, not 179mm:


Using the 199 mm dimension, it is nice and fair (would bow in using 179):


Here it is all marked out:

[BrianC]

continuing the catch up, part 2 -

Cutting using a small circular trim saw - any time there were two mirror image parts, I stacked the plywood and pinned with a few finishing nails so they'd be the same shape:


I made a small fixture to mark out equal spaced zip tie holes:




I did the splicing in two stages - first the epoxy 'glue' then the 6 oz. cloth after the glue set:


Here it is loosely stitched:


Beginning the tightening:


I couldn't get it into proper shape when it was in the improvised jig - moved it to the floor, shimming to get it aligned, and all was good:


A view from the bow, all epoxy fillet tacks in place:


Back near the transom, there really wasn't much of a gap for the fillet/glue so I used small fiberglass tabs:


Tomorrow the zip ties come off and full fillets will be applied.

[Jeff]

Brian, really nice progress!! Keep the photos coming!! Jeff

[bateau-webmaster]

Very nice Jigsaw Work, almost looks like a CNC Kit!

[BrianC]

The saw is a Rockwell RK3440K VersaCut Circular Saw - it has a 3 3/8" dia. blade and can make cuts up to 1 1/8" deep. If I had it to do over again, I'd get the Rockwell RK3441K Compact Circular Saw - it has a 4 1/2" dia. blade. The down side of the VersaCut is that it is a bit hard to see where it is cutting - the other one is more open around the front edge of the blade. The VersaCut is also designed for plunge cutting - the blade can be slowly lowered down into the wood. I found this to make cutting harder so I removed one of the guide bearings on each side and replaced them with a stack of lock washers - this allows the saw to be locked to a particular depth. The small diameter of the blade made following the curves quite easy although I had to cut twice when cutting the arc on the transom (23.5" radius).

[BrianC]

Today was the start of filleting - 68°F mid-day so it was a great day to do this for the first time. First got all the zip ties off and taped the underside of all the seams. Then I moved the hull back to the saw horses so that it was at a better working height. Next, I painted all the surfaces that will get fillets with neat epoxy.

I donned a dust mask and made my own fillet mix by premixed 1 part fumed silica (aka Cabosil) to 2 parts wood flour (both by volume). I mixed up 6 oz. batches of epoxy, added the fillet mix to peanut butter consistency, scooped it into a freezer ziplock bag (tip reinforced with packing tape - another good tip from this board!), cut the tip and then piped it along the hull seams, stringers, and frames.

I used a piece of PVC pipe with ~1" diameter to form the fillet and used an oversized wood popsicle stick to scrape off the overage. Also filled any unfilled stitch holes. I only got the back 1/3 done - this is going to take a few days! (or maybe I'll get faster!)

A couple of pictures:

[peter-curacao]

Looking good , don't forget to clean or sand the already epoxy painted surfaces next time your at it, unless you have blush free epoxy that is.

[BrianC]

Thanks Peter - it is low blush but just in case I've gone ahead and given it a quick sanding before each layer.

Yesterday was day 2 of the inside filleting - here are a few pictures.

The first one show the piping bag (just a freezer ziplock with tip reinforced with packing tap), PVC pipe fillet forming 'tool', and a wooden mixing stick AKA tongue depressor used to scrap up the overages. As others have recommended, I quickly piped out the epoxy fillet putty so that it wouldn't kick off in the bag:


The next photo is the fillets after smoothing and scraping up the excess:


I hope to finish up the filleting today and get started on the inside fiberglass tape. The plans call for tap just on the keel, bow, and around the transom. I may go ahead and do the chines as well.

[Cracker Larry]

Nice looking fillets