June 6 - We Have (Some Partial) Ribs!

The test rib is complete, and the material to make the production ribs is on hand.  We ordered the 1/4" x 1-5/8" white oak strips from Connecticut River Lumber in Old Saybrook, CT.

Connecticut River Lumber is a specialty wood supplier carrying solids and plywoods in many species such as white and red oak, walnut, birch, maple, cherry, sapele, various cedar varieties, pine, teak, etc.  They have slabs, boules and burls available, mostly locally sourced.  For instance, I recall seeing some walnut boards that had to be 10/4 thick by 24"  wide in 12' lengths.  These boards made me lust for a project to use them!

N.B. "Boules" are whole logs that have typically been sawn into 8/4 thick slabs.  "Burls" are sections of a tree that grow in a bulbous form, often to a couple of feet in diameter.  Burls are often used to turn bowls, but make very interesting boards with mottled grain when sawn flat.

They also have a selection of "reclaimed" lumber, and a "short sale" on sapele and some African Mahogany.  Shorts are the ends of boards cut off by the mill.  Some of their shorts are, as I recall, up to 12/4, widths usually 10-12" and lengths up to 4'.  I'm still trying to figure out how to work some of this into the teardrop ... Every time I go there I just stare and and fondle this pile of wood, wanting desperately to leave with some of it.

John Stangel is the proprietor, and I can't say that I've ever met a more personable, accommodating and responsive supplier of any material.  If you are anywhere near this location and have a need for exotic woods or plywoods, please stop in and tell him Emmitt sent you.  You won't be disappointed.

The Ribs

 

Our learnings from the test rib suggested that we should build the production ribs in two sections - front (the longer) and rear - and that all plys be one piece.  The length of the two sections was a balancing act between the available stock, the curves themselves, and the desired location of the partition between the cabin and galley, since this could be used as a point to join the rib sections.  Once this was understood, we examined the strips supplied and determined that a panel which will be positioned in front of the partition separating cabin from galley, and which will create some storage space, would serve as the meeting place of the two sections.  We also determined that an additional piece of white oak long enough for the front section was required, and that we needed to saw 6 additional strips.

As part of this equation we further determined that the test rib would be used in production.  Had we not done this, we would have needed an additional 8 strips for the longest (front) section.

To review:  The outer ribs are 8-ply while the inner ribs are 6-ply.  The inner rib sections will be layed up as 1-1/2" wide and split into two 3/4" rib sections.

Three days ago Sean and I, with the assistance of his son Garrett, layed up the one required 8-ply front rib, and yesterday, with the help of Norm Brody, another long-standing friend and associate, the first of two 6-ply front ribs.  We have one 6-ply front, one 8-ply rear and two 6-ply rear assemblies to complete.


At this point we have been dancing with the weather.  Since the glue spreading is being done outdoors, we have to dodge the rain showers and thunderstorms that have plagued us recently.