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Wooden Boat Building: Welcome
This guide provides information on characteristics of wood, wood-working tools, joinery, and wood materials and engineering. Special topics such as birdsmouth masts are also addressed.
The American Hardwood Information Center is the authoritative resource for consumers and professionals seeking information about American Hardwoods. With the goal of promoting the use of American Hardwood products ranging from flooring, cabinetry and furniture, to millwork and building materials in both residential and commercial applications, the Center offers advice from industry experts on design trends, more. (from the site)
This guide is intended to give a brief outline of the suitability of various timbers in common use today for the purpose of boat building and fitting out. (from the site) Robbins Timber
A wooden boat's beauty lies in its reflection of nature Whether consciously or not, a wooden-boat builder taps into of nature, relying on its inherent order to guide the builder to a thing of beauty. (from the article)
From Tools for Woodworking: A rasp is a piece of steel with little teeth cut in all over the surface of the tool. Rasps superficially resemble files, which have long teeth running the width of the file. (from the site) Good information along with advertising.
Written by Maurice Fraser. Editing and additional material on the history of sharpening was provided by Bob Mathison, Curator of The Museum of Woodworking Tools.
The American Hardwood Information Center is the authoritative resource for consumers and professionals seeking information about American Hardwoods. With the goal of promoting the use of American Hardwood products ranging from flooring, cabinetry and furniture, to millwork and building materials in both residential and commercial applications, the Center offers advice from industry experts on design trends, more. (from the site)
Another source of information for wood characteristics such as common name, scientific name, geographical source, tree size, dried weight, gravity, elasticity, shrinkage, and more.
"In mental terms, carpentry math is the hardest part of any rough framing carpenter's job. Many carpenter's never venture beyond simple addition and subtraction. Simply because they are intimidated by words, such as trigonometry, geometry, hypotenuse, or Pythagorean Theorem." from the site
NOTE: scroll below the advertising to see more of this article.
Seamless joinery is one of the hallmarks of a true craftsman. Learn how to do it with these articles from Popular Woodworking Magazine and blog posts from our editors about all things relating to wood joinery, whether you work with hand tools, power tools or both. (from the site)
Seamless joinery is one of the hallmarks of a true craftsman. Learn how to do it with these articles from Popular Woodworking Magazine and blog posts from our editors about all things relating to wood joinery, whether you work with hand tools, power tools or both. (from the site)
"Getting around the inside of a bare boat hull is like walking around in a big salad bowl, everything tends to slide to the center. In the center of the hull all of those carefully wrought floor timbers become the work of an evil genius with a thing for sprained ankles." (from the site) Woodboat Builder.com
1923 Sepia Photo of the original Silent Maid catboat
This page offers definitions of the most common wood joinery techniques. One or more of these wood joints will be found in virtually every carpentry project.
dovetail
lap joint
miter joint
rabbet joint
mortise & tenon
Understanding Hull Stresses - Part I and Part II
Understanding Hull Stresses - Part I by Ed McClave
"The first part of the paper presents a general overview of the different paint systems used in the marine industry. Different methods of surface preparation and paint application are summarised. In the second part, the attention is focused on antifouling systems. (from the site)
"ePaint Company is committed to "Green Boat Maintenance" by responsibly developing and marketing marine coatings that are non-toxic to humans and safe for the environment." (from the site)
"As resin infusion continues to infiltrate composites, fabricators across the market spectrum drive materials and process developments in pursuit of process control." (from article by G. Gardiner))
Definition of CORRODE 1: to eat away by degrees as if by gnawing; especially : to wear away gradually usually by chemical action (Merriam-Webster Online)
1a : any of various solid or semisolid amorphous fusible flammable natural organic substances that are usually transparent or translucent and yellowish to brown, are formed especially in plant secretions, are soluble in organic solvents (as ether) but not in water, are electrical nonconductors, and are used chiefly in varnishes, printing inks, plastics, and sizes and in medicine 2a : any of a large class of synthetic products that have some of the physical properties of natural resins but are different chemically and are used chiefly in plastics b : any of various products made from a natural resin or a natural polymer (Merriam-Webster Online)
: a flexible usually thermosetting resin made by copolymerization of an epoxide with another compound having two hydroxyl groups and used chiefly in coatings and adhesives —called also epoxy (Merriam-Webster Online)
1: of, relating to, or characterized by addition 2 : produced by addition 3 : characterized by, being, or producing effects (as drug responses or gene products) that when the causative factors act together are the sum of their individual effects (Merriam Webster Online)
1 : any of numerous synthetic resins that are used especially for protective coatings and in paint 2 : a paint in which the vehicle is an alkyd resin (Merriam Webster Online)
"This book (downloadable) has become an indispensable resource in workshops all over the country. 50 pages full of useful and interesting information on epoxy application techniques. Download the whole book or just the section you need." (from the site)
Color/Appearance: Heartwood can range from a lighter pale brown to a dark chocolate brown with darker brown streaks. Color can sometimes have a grey, purple, or reddish cast. Sapwood is pale yellow-gray to nearly white. Figured grain patterns such as curl, crotch, and burl are also seen. (from the site)
Color/Appearance: The heartwood is a light to medium brown color. Sapwood can be very wide, and tends to be a beige or light brown; not always clearly or sharply demarcated from heartwood. (from the site)
Architecture Technology 1 w/ Manuel Baez Handcrafted Japanese Joinery BY: Matteo Maneiro.
Tips from a Shipwright - Timber and the Saw Mill
"Shipwright Louis Sauzedde takes us for a trip to the local sawmill Thompsen Lumber to show how he selects and cuts timbers for wooden boat building." YouTube
The fundamental principles and practical methods described in detail. Written by Richard M. Van Gaasbeek; published by Frederick Drake & Company, 1919.
... a practical treatise on modern American wooden ship construction, with a supplement on laying off wooden vessels by H. Cole Estep. Published 1918 by The Penton publishing company in Cleveland, Ohio.
A complete manual for amateurs. Containing plain and comprehensive directions for the construction of canoes, rowing and sailing boats and hunting craft. Written by W.P. Stephens and published by Forest & Stream Publishing Company, 1880.
A book of complete building plans and instruction, which contains all necessary information for the amateur who wants to build his own boat. 2nd. ed. Published 1913 by The Motorboat Publishing Co. in New York.
A treatise on the natural and artificial processes employed in the preparation of lumber for manufacture, with detailed explanations of its uses, characteristics and properties by Joseph B. Wagner. Published 1917 by D. Van Nostrand company in New York.
Google scans the full text of many books (out of copyright protection) and stores them in its digital database. You can search this database using keywords and click on a result to view pages from the book. You will also find publisher's and bookseller information as well. There are limitations, but the Google Book Search may be just the tool you need to find a book related to your research topic. (April 2016) Google continues to win copyright lawsuits that affect the amount and type of published text they can offer in digitized format to the public. This amount will increase ... stay tuned.
Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction: Wood and West System Materials
dovetail
lap joint
miter joint
rabbet joint
mortise & tenon
