Hollow Biscuit

[spork]

mentioned this project on another thread but decided to put the build here for all to see. The kit will arrive shortly and in the meantime I'v been collecting tools and equipment and building the rocker bed. The board will be 6'2" and made from a Grain kit sourced from Capeboatworks in the Illawarra. The shape is a copy of the Al Merrick biscuit, a board I am familiar with having owned one for a yr or so.
The rocker table cost about $100 to set it up, but as you can see I will not need to buy bar/sash clamps ($30 each) as I'v used threaded rods and wingnuts to enable me to control the sideways and up and down clamping pressure. The sideways clamping is for the boards used for the deck and bottom which have to be glued together before the shape is cut out. I have cut another set of slatts with the ends drilled to match the rocker bed, then i'll use the same threaded rod and wingnuts to create a sandwich clamp.
While I've been waiting for the kit to arrive i spent a few hours cutting out a Manta ray logo using various veneers, here a pic of the rough cut.
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[Beanpole]

Nice veneer work there spork. Thats a good little set up youv'e made as well.
Really like to see how it goes.

[spork]

Thanks Beany, I'v done a couple more veneers (pic below) and I'm still undecided which will make the cut. The kit will arrive next week, pawlonia and cedar planking is included and I have a heap of balsa here already. I will post pics along the way including the kit laid out on the floor of the workshop and all the building processes. My students are going to be watching the whole project coming together and I will do a design and completion diary for future referance

[spork]

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Bought this vacuum bag from the liquidators for $7, so I thought i'd try a bit of veneering practice with it.

[spork]

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Here's the finished practice veneer inlay, just in time for mothers day.

[alakaboo]

Nice.
Reminds me why I pay people to do practical things for me.
Meant as a compliment, as in, I could never do something that looked that good.
Not as in, don't give up your day job.

[spork]

Here's a few pics of the kit which arrived today.

[tiger]

Cool Spork, look's like you got some fun times ahead.

Be great to see the progress.

[spork]

Spent a few hours tidying up the CNC cut spars and keel with my dremel. Then layed the bottom boards on the table to find the best match. Some of the edges where the boards join, especially the cedar, are a bit wonky so I'm making a 3mtr long sanding board to ensure a perfect fit.

[spork]

It took the best part of an hour to get the edges sanded, worth it tho as the boards fit perfectly now. The top and bottom are now glued up. Pics to follow later when I'v finished putting in the inlays.

[spork]

The 3mtr long edge snding jig!

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Clamping and gluing the boards for the deck and bottom went smoothly

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The inlay cut outs ready for glue and vacuum bagging

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A few little fills here and there should finish the inlay work

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The centre spine laying on the bottom boards ready for the outline cutting

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Layed up on the rocker table ready for the adhesive

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The cedar centre strip was unable to stand the stress of bending to the concave v in the tail

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[dUg]

beautiful work spork, following with great interest.

[spork]

Thanks Dug, its nice to know someones watching.

My caulking broke just after I started gluing, hence i got quite a messy job but it will hold.

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Now the bottom is glued on, its time for the nose blocks

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And the tail block

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I'v pinned the chine rail on, this dictates the outline.

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A bead of glue and a lot of clamping later the chine log is attached.

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[gabsouy]

just a query re the vacumm bagging, are you using a normal vac cleaner for the bagging ? is there a concern with the volatile vapours being drawn thru a normal vac electric motor ?????? most industrial vac extraction set ups use a flame proof electrical motor ? just a thought.......any one know, any explosive risks using a standard vac cleaner..

[spork]

Good call Gabsouy. I use an el cheapo shop vac from Bunnings. Its just one of those wet/dry things with plastic bin in the bottom. Also, it only takes about 3 or 4 seconds to suck the air out. And i used water based PVA glue to put the inlay in. So, I recon the risk is pretty low.
I have found out that I suck at steaming wood! It took me hours to get the chine log to bend to the shape of the rail and thats not the worst of it. I have to bend all the rail strips tha same way. here's hoping i improve. I have to say that the supplied manual is pretty comprehensive, but a little but generic and the appendix that pertains to the biscuit is lacking in detail. A few more pics would be helpful and the tail/nose blocking section says (quote) ' devise a block that suits your needs' or something similar. I'm lucky enough to be a wood tech teacher, I'm not so sure that a layman would find it as easy as i do. Also, I have a comprehensive workshop which is imperitive if you are going to have a go at one of these things imho.

[Quangers]

beautiful work spork, following with great interest.

Same here Spork - looks great so far

[spork]

Thanks for the support Quangers. I'v put the first rail strip on and I'm in the process of fitting blocks inside for the fin plugs. I'll take some detailed pics of the rail strips, they have a clever cove on the bottom that fits over the strip below to make a seemless curve. kind of hard to explain, but the pix will show you what I mean. I'm getting better at steaming and the last one fitted perfect, thankfully! I will need to steam the deck board to match the profile and the rocker, so that will test me I'm thinking. I have to say, I'v never had so much fun building a board in my life and I built a dozen or so in the past. It just seems like a more intricate and satisfying process than ploughing foam.

[Beanpole]

Spork I remember seeing at the Wood Show a couple of years ago they had a pipe that they used for steaming the timber for clingker boat building. It appeared to be just a length of iron piping with a kettle providing the steam at one end. What do you use?