Bella has been helping our newest apprentices with the fundamentals of woodworking. They have been getting acquainted with the use of power tool, sharpening their hand tools and hand-cutting dovetails for their personal tool totes. The goal in this initial phase of the two-year program is to have all new apprentices on the same page so that when they move to more advance projects later in the program, they have baseline fundamentals that the more advanced apprentices can rely on.
Most recently they have finished their personalized sea chests.
- Dovetailed sea chest with an aged finish.
- Chris’s sea chest
- Bubba at work on a pair of oars for the Susan skiffs.
The new apprentices are given ample time and encouragement to explore new wood-working skills. Chris is making a laminated skateboard.
Kirk carved the cross-tie underneath his sail-maker's bench so that it resembles spun three-strand rope.
Bridget is finishing up a strongback for her Susan skiff.
Bridget and Kirk have also started with their skiff.
Chris and Daniel have teamed up and started their Susan skiff
Kirk and Bridget are ready to fasten their chines
Chris and Daniel have fastened their chine
Chris and Daniel have a pair of garboards on.
Kirk's and Briget's have a massive garboard!! We are looking forward to seeing how the next two planks shape up!
Friday afternoon sewing circle.
Daniel and Chris are practicing the fine art of plank clamping.
Daniel and Chris are fitting their sheer.
Kirk is getting ready to hand plane the final edge of the sheer.
Both groups have decided to use rivets as opposed to clench nails.
Jared and Ryan are looking over the equipment for the sharpening class being held this weekend.
Silicon bronze screws are soft and can sheer off easily with modern power tools, so Kirk is using a brace so he has a better feel for the torque being applied. Here he is fastening the cedar bottom planking.
Chris and Dan have finished their bottom planking in cedar and have applied a coat of primer before attaching their skeg and keel.
Kirk and Bridget are not far behind.
Chris is giving a stump speech
Daniel is giddy over his clean skiff.
Daniel and Chris's boat looking clean from above.
Bridget is using a steam iron to swell the dings in the plank that resulted from riveting.
Kirk is cleaning out the all the edges so the oil can fully absorb into the wood.
Intern Otto is hard at work trying to fit his garboard.
Kirk and Bridget are finishing up fitting their frames and are almost ready to start fitting their inwales.
Chris and Daniel have their frames, quarter knees, breasthook and inwales in!!!
Chris and Daniel have prefitted their thwarts and are finishing up the oiling of the inside before they fasten them in.
Chris and Daniel have sewn the the leather on their oars and have oiled them up.
Nice curve on the thwart riser!!!
Bridget and Kirk are priming away and are getting ready to paint her.
Chris and Daniel are all painted up and ready for launch
The racing-red makes this skiff slightly faster than all of the rest!
Kirk is finishing up the stem
