- Wood bit set
- Combination drill/countersink/driver kit for screws
- Bits for your drill to drive Robertson (square) and those cursed Phillips screws. Get them long enough.
- Random orbital sander (Get one that takes stick-on sandpaper discs. The Velcro ones are useless.)
- 80 grit sandpaper discs for above
- Angle grinder with rubber sanding attachment (You’ll become an artist with this tool. It’s wonderful.)
- 40 grit and 80 grit discs for above
- Dust mask
- Goggles
- Safety glasses
- Chalk line
- Carpenter’s apron
- Two sawhorses
- Portable, folding, clamping work bench (Workmate)
- Extension cord
Doubtless I missed some, but that’s most of it. Notice they’re all hand tools.
Building Sequence
No strongback, frames, moulds, or jigs. Not much different from building a small cabin, except for the glass/epoxy work, and the need to flip the partially built hull. You’re going to drip paint and epoxy all over, so bear that in mind when you select a work place. If you’ll be working over a lawn or gravel or dirt, then you might set up a couple of 8 foot 4x4s on blocks or posts. Get them parallel and level, about 8 feet apart. You can assemble the hull on them. Most everything on “Lisa B. Good” is square, so once you get the hull straight with the world, you can use a carpenter’s level to frame up the cabin, which is a great time saver.
- Glue up and cut out the four hull longitudinals.
- Get them up side down, spaced right and level.
- Install the bottom frame cross pieces.
- Install the bottom plywood. It should take the bend.
- Fill any gaps and screw holes on bottom and sides with epoxy/microspheres mixture.
- Round the bottom edges with angle sander.
- Sand bottom and sides with orbital sander-80 grit.
- Glass bottom and sides.
- Fill weave with epoxy/microsphere mixture.
- Orbital sand 80 grit.
- Paint bottom. Roll it on.
- Flip work over and level it up.
- Install the beams, the hull ends, and the hatch framing.
- Now’s your chance to paint the inside, if you’re going to do it. Use epoxy paint.
- Deck it over.
- Install 2X6 plates and fillet the outside corners.
- Fill any gaps and screw holes with epoxy/microspheres mixture.
- Round the hull edges with angle sander.
- Orbital sand 80 grit.
- Mask and tarp lower part of hull sides.
- Glass decks and outsides of plates.
- Frame and sheath cabin.
- Install cabin roof beams.
- Install facias both sides.
- Install beams for overhangs.
- Screw on upper decking, don’t glue.
- Fill any gaps and screw holes with epoxy/microspheres mixture
- Round the roof edges with angle sander.
- Sand with orbital sander-80 grit.
- Mask and tarp off cabin and hull.
- Glass roof down to bottom of facias and end beams.
- Fill weave on decks and roof with epoxy/microsphere mixture.
- Orbital sand 80 grit.
- Paint. Roll it on. Apply grit for non-slip.
That’s the heavy stuff. The rest is straightforward finish carpentry, plumbing, painting, and fitting.
Paul Browne, CC&BW
Geezer Boatworks www.oocities.org/geezerboat
paul@browne.net