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Tools:
Before starting building a certain number of basic tools are needed these
are pretty normal DIY tools that most handy people will already have.
- Electric Jig Saw: This is
probably the most important item for cutting the panels. Get a good one
preferably with adjustable pendulum action and robust construction. I also
used a cheap panel saw for ripping the panels down to smaller sizes.
- Wood plane, spoke-shave and files: I found
these useful for shaping the panels after cutting to shape. An old
fashioned spoke-shave is very useful for shaping small arcs.
- Measuring: A 5 metre tape is useful as well
as a steel straight edge for marking out. A piece of bendy plastic curtain
rail makes striking the curves an easier task when marking from the plans.
- Benches: I have a trusty old "Black and
Decker" "Workmate". As well as acting as a small bench, the clamping action
of the top is ideal for holding the panels together whilst shaping them
up. To make a building platform, I used the 2 sections of an extending
aluminium ladder laid across 2 trestles and covered with 1/2 inch plywood
panels. This was ideal to use in my garage to keep everything off the
concrete floor and save my back from too much bending!
- Electric drill: Used for drilling the small
holes to take the stitching wires and any other holes needed. This is a
matter of personal preference, I use on old 3/8 Black and Decker mains
model, a battery drill would be just as good but I always find the battery
is flat just when I need to drill a hole. Maybe it is just me!
- Spirit level: This is not necessary but I
like to line everything up using my trusty 3 foot long level!
- Clamps: I found plenty of "G" clamps are
useful in various sizes from small to large, some of the many uses are:
holding pieces together for shaping, holding temporary jigs in place and
holding sections down whilst glue sets.
- Sander: The plywood needs a good smoothing
before painting, there seems an awful lot of wood to sand and a small
orbital electric sander makes the task much easier and quicker.
Materials:
- Marine Plywood or Exterior Grade? I
pondered over this problem and looked at a number of different grades. I
chose Far Eastern Exterior Grade Plywood 3.6mm thick. I was careful to
examine the sheets to ensure that the panels were of good finish and free
form voids in the internal layer. The life of this material will be
sufficient for the envisaged life of the boat so I couldn't justify treble
the price for marine plywood.
- The various softwood gunwales and runners
seemed to be non-standard size sections so my local timber shop prepared these to the
correct sizes on their planing machine.
Resin and Glue:
- I used SP systems epoxy resin throughout
the construction and was very satisfied with the results.
This is a typical 1Kg pack of SP resin. Mix ratio is 5:1, the largest
portion being resin. Be absolutely accurate and use a syringe to measure the
ratio, too little or
too much will affect the hardening speed. (Too much caused a paper cup to
smoulder!) I used a fast hardener with a
working time of about 10 to 15 minutes and mixed no more than about 30ml at a time
when taping.

Make special note of these Health and Safety
Warnings!
Always wear disposable protective gloves
when handling these materials, hardener on bare skin can cause an allergic
reaction which, once started will always return, future use of resin is
almost impossible.
You have been warned!
Now everything was ready to make the kayak. I
found it useful to carefully go through all the drawings and read the
instructions before starting.
Now to the Building! |
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