Building the form Part 1.

Geez I wish I had a bandsaw....

I got a sliding 10'' mitre saw, a table saw, a jigsaw, 12'' planer, clamps, hand planer, dozens of new hand tools, screws, nails, and tacks. But boy would I like a bandsaw, and a router! They just aren't in the budget right now, and really, although a little more difficult and time consuming, a good jigsaw will do the job of the bandsaw, for now.

In starting this project I tried really hard to make sure I have all the "necessary" tools. But it's the little things that you don't think of. Things like carbon paper to trace the plans on to the plywood. The chalk reel to ensure that you're placing the form stations onto exactly the middle of the form backer.  The clinching iron to bend the tacks manually that are not in the range of the many strips of galvanized sheet metal on the form. And, let's not forget the many sawhorses. 2 for the form itself and at least 2 more sawhorses or benches for all the other cutting you need to do. Oh yes, and at least 2 sturdy benches or tables to catch the lumber after it comes out of the table saw or planer. Like I said before, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but alas it's good fun.

So off I go, I tack 2 sheets of paper on to the wall. The cross sections of the finished form and the canoe itself. A reference to always look upon in times of trouble. I look at them all the time, memorizing, fascinated by this whole process and only hoping that one day my boat will look even close to what this portrays.

I made the mistake of taping the carbon paper to the backs of the form patterns, hoping that this would keep them from slipping and sliding out from under the paper. Not only was this not needed, but it was silly. I could not get the carbon paper off without tearing at least part of the pattern paper. This ensured that if I ever want to make a second form, I will have to buy some more plans. Lesson learned. From this point on, I simply laid out the carbon paper, placed the pattern on top, and used some handy dandy hand clamps to hold it all in to place while I traced it. Simple.

While I was tracing the pattern for the stem mounts, I noticed it said that the stem mount should be 7/16'' away from the last form station. Just when I thought it figured out in my head how I was going to fasten it all together, they throw in a curve ball. It's ok, I got this....I've told myself I will not be calling Rollin at Northwoods Canoes every time I hit a stumbling block. It's just part of the process of learning....right? Right?