Bomb Ketch Salamandre 1:48

[BradNSW]

The shipyard moved across Ontario on the Trans-Canadian Highway. The frames from 6, to the stern are complete.

The wide flat-bottomed area for the mortars is beginning to take shape!

The last forward 5 frames should be complete by the time the shipyard crosses into the UP of Michigan!



Everything is dry fit and some rough sanding was done to the interior lines.

The familiar piles of sawdust began to appear under the space between frames.



The last stern frame is very unique and took a full day to complete.
1. The bottom half of the frame was cut away. An extra thick solid block was then inserted. It was rough tapered using an oscillating spindle sander:


2. The thick solid block then had to be sanded to mate with the curved keel piece:

3. Finally, two complex, curved, stern cant frames have to be cut. They will extend into the frame and nest on the top of the flat ledge. This intersection will be very interesting and tricky to construct!

 

[Namabiiru]

The top photo looked at first glance like you were rigging her as a galley with about a hundred oars.

 

[CLB]

Looking great Brad !!!!

 

[dockattner]

Great progress my friend!

 

[Corsair]

Wow, she is going together real fast and she looks great !!

 

[GrantTyler]

Good afternoon Brad . You certainly know what you are doing….lovely progress. Cheers Grant.

 

[BradNSW]

Hope followers were able to keep up with the shipyard as it crossed back into the US. We spent last week visiting friends in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and touring Mackinac Island (pictures at the end).

Workers did manage to begin cutting notches in the top of the frames for the keelson to fit securely in. This was accurately accomplished using a scalpel blade, two blanks (the width of the keelson) and a sharp chisel. See photos below:

1. The blanks were squared up parallel to the keel and the scalpel blade scribed a reference line:


2 . The frame was reversed and a second line was scribed:


3. The chisel was then used to cut to the keelson notch to the correct depth, with the resulting curled shavings:


4. After reaching Wisconsin, workers completed 16 of 42 notches! As the stern/bow begin to curve up, extra measurements and care will be needed to get this rising wood correct. Templates have been made to help check this curve:


Workers relaxing on Mackinac Island:

 

[GrantTyler]

Hope followers were able to keep up with the shipyard as it crossed back into the US. We spent last week visiting friends in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and touring Mackinac Island (pictures at the end).

Workers did manage to begin cutting notches in the top of the frames for the keelson to fit securely in. This was accurately accomplished using a scalpel blade, two blanks (the width of the keelson) and a sharp chisel. See photos below:

1. The blanks were squared up parallel to the keel and the scalpel blade scribed a reference line:
View attachment 536879

2 . The frame was reversed and a second line was scribed:
View attachment 536881

3. The chisel was then used to cut to the keelson notch to the correct depth, with the resulting curled shavings:
View attachment 536880

4. After reaching Wisconsin, workers completed 16 of 42 notches! As the stern/bow begin to curve up, extra measurements and care will be needed to get this rising wood correct. Templates have been made to help check this curve:
View attachment 536878

Workers relaxing on Mackinac Island:
View attachment 536882View attachment 536883View attachment 536885

Good morning Brad. That is quite the job cutting the keelson notches by hand. I am impressed, my notches would look more like your travels crisscrossing Canada and US.
Cheers Grant

 

[Peter Voogt]

Hope followers were able to keep up with the shipyard as it crossed back into the US. We spent last week visiting friends in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and touring Mackinac Island (pictures at the end).

Workers did manage to begin cutting notches in the top of the frames for the keelson to fit securely in. This was accurately accomplished using a scalpel blade, two blanks (the width of the keelson) and a sharp chisel. See photos below:

1. The blanks were squared up parallel to the keel and the scalpel blade scribed a reference line:
View attachment 536879

2 . The frame was reversed and a second line was scribed:
View attachment 536881

3. The chisel was then used to cut to the keelson notch to the correct depth, with the resulting curled shavings:
View attachment 536880

4. After reaching Wisconsin, workers completed 16 of 42 notches! As the stern/bow begin to curve up, extra measurements and care will be needed to get this rising wood correct. Templates have been made to help check this curve:
View attachment 536878

Workers relaxing on Mackinac Island:
View attachment 536882View attachment 536883View attachment 536885

Nice clean handmade notches and travel pictures, Brad.
Regards, Peter

 

[dockattner]

No cars (or truck trailers!) allowed on Mackinac Island - where did you leave the rig?

 

[BradNSW]

No cars (or truck trailers!) allowed on Mackinac Island - where did you leave the rig?

I have a retired teammate who lives on 80 acres several miles south of the ferry. Great times on the island., with its relaxing and stress free pace of life!!

Also spent a few evenings reminiscing around his firepit, watching deer, turkey and wonderful sunsets.

 

[BradNSW]

Two weeks since the last post:

-Sanding, sanding, sanding, sanding and more...sanding.
-The false keel was fashioned.
-A first attempt at a cant frame.

The shipyard rolled through North Dakota, South Dakota, a comer of Nebraska and into Wyoming today. Some ttravel photos at the end.

The current status of fairing:

1. Outside, above the 10ft waterline.


2. Inside fairing, which also shows the keelson. (Frames are alder and keel and keelson are pear). Nothing is glued or fixed in place yet.

I've yet to fair near the rubber bands. That will be done when all frames are glued to the keel and some reinforcement is added to the top of the frames for rigidity.
8

3. Photos of first cant frame:

Bottom is before fairing.
Middle is after fairing close to the guidelines.
Top is after tapering the oblique face.

4. The oblique face was done by gluing the frame to a jig.
-This was then "canted" to the correct angle.
-This was then run through a thickness sander until the cant taper was completed.


Finally, a small piece was fashioned and faired. All the cant frames will rest on this piece.



Below are a few pictures of what the travelling shipyard workers have been enjoying:

1. Passing through Amish Country...this driver has been passed by a semi-truck before (note hand on hat)!


2. One of the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota, at a good friend's home



3. Workshop boondocking on the edge of the Badlands in South Dakota. Powered only by solar for several days!


4. Workers stopped for the first time ever at Wall Drugstore and had a Root beer Float and an old-fashioned Malted Milkshake!


5. Workers also stopped in Lemmon SD, a small town (population: 1,160), where my late father was born.


Tomorrow the shipyard arrives back in Loveland and moves to its basement location.

Thanks to all who kept up following the shipyard around this beautiful country!

The 30-day archery Elk season starts 1 September, so progress will halt as the workers go deep into the Rocky Mountains! More to follow in October.

 

[Corsair]

Your ship is looking mighty fine !
On my trip from Aurora up to Custer State Park (what a beautiful place) we came through the west end of Nebraska because there is a little town called Potter. No relation, but that is my last name.

 

[BradNSW]

Your ship is looking mighty fine !
On my trip from Aurora up to Custer State Park (what a beautiful place) we came through the west end of Nebraska because there is a little town called Potter. No relation, but that is my last name.

Beautiful area there. Most of the last day was driving through spectacular vistas. Gotta love it!

That's neat to have a city "with your name on it"! Almost as good as a Cheers..."where everyone knows you name"!

 

[shota70]

Dear Brad
your work looking marvelous, the frames creating beautiful hull of the ship
enjoy from the vacation!
That's neat to have a city "with your name on it

 

[GrantTyler]

Two weeks since the last post:

-Sanding, sanding, sanding, sanding and more...sanding.
-The false keel was fashioned.
-A first attempt at a cant frame.

The shipyard rolled through North Dakota, South Dakota, a comer of Nebraska and into Wyoming today. Some ttravel photos at the end.

The current status of fairing:

1. Outside, above the 10ft waterline.
View attachment 539869

2. Inside fairing, which also shows the keelson. (Frames are alder and keel and keelson are pear). Nothing is glued or fixed in place yet.

I've yet to fair near the rubber bands. That will be done when all frames are glued to the keel and some reinforcement is added to the top of the frames for rigidity.
8View attachment 539868View attachment 539870

3. Photos of first cant frame:
View attachment 539874
Bottom is before fairing.
Middle is after fairing close to the guidelines.
Top is after tapering the oblique face.

4. The oblique face was done by gluing the frame to a jig.
-This was then "canted" to the correct angle.
-This was then run through a thickness sander until the cant taper was completed.
View attachment 539872View attachment 539901

Finally, a small piece was fashioned and faired. All the cant frames will rest on this piece.
View attachment 539877View attachment 539879


Below are a few pictures of what the travelling shipyard workers have been enjoying:

1. Passing through Amish Country...this driver has been passed by a semi-truck before (note hand on hat)!
View attachment 539884

2. One of the 10,000 lakes of Minnesota, at a good friend's home

View attachment 539880

3. Workshop boondocking on the edge of the Badlands in South Dakota. Powered only by solar for several days!
View attachment 539882View attachment 539883

4. Workers stopped for the first time ever at Wall Drugstore and had a Root beer Float and an old-fashioned Malted Milkshake!
View attachment 539881

5. Workers also stopped in Lemmon SD, a small town (population: 1,160), where my late father was born.
View attachment 539900

Tomorrow the shipyard arrives back in Loveland and moves to its basement location.

Thanks to all who kept up following the shipyard around this beautiful country!

The 30-day archery Elk season starts 1 September, so progress will halt as the workers go deep into the Rocky Mountains! More to follow in October.

Wow Brad. You guys have been on quite the adventure on your "Road Trip" - stunning. Cheers Grant

 

[dockattner]

Hi Brad,

That hull is turning into something spectacular! Great job!

Happy hunting!

 

[AllanKP69]

assing through Amish Country...this driver has been passed by a semi-truck before (note hand on hat)!

Off topic, sort of, but this brought back a memory that made me smile. When we still lived in Pennsylvania I went to a remote fishing spot I had been told about. I found it and had a good catch, but it was way off the beaten path and when I was trying to find my way back home I was completely lost. This was about 1974, long before GPS was around. I spotted an Amish fellow with his horse and buggy and pulled my car alongside him. I told him I was lost and was trying to find my way to the interstate to get towards home. He said, Interstate, what kind of road is that? He then smiled and said I could follow him for about five miles if I wasn't in a rush. He then laughed and gave me clear directions. I gave him a couple northern pike from my cooler and he was very happy. Very nice, and funny, guy.

Allan