Makeshift Shop in Basement

This is the place for information on various types of permanent and temporary boat shops and other project shelters.
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tartan30cirrus
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Location: Casco Bay-Portland, Maine

Makeshift Shop in Basement

Post by tartan30cirrus »

Folks,

Well, while I am off to boatbuilding school in a week, I still wish to set up a small, makeshift shop in my basement to build a Nutshell Pram that we now need for next season. "Our" beautiful Dyer dinghy -- that was not ours -- is no longer with us...the damn owner wanted it back. A Nutshell is a pretty easy project and I want to get started before school gets very busy in spring. So, I would LOVE some feedback on setting up the following in my basement for this pram and perhaps another next winter (if i get the commission I might get).

1) Workbench: 2x8' 1/2" ply set on a frame made out of 2x4"s to make it stiff. This will be fastened to a pair of sawhorses. I will have the 2x4 frame flush on one end to mount a vise or two for holding planks to trim/plane; the other side the plywood overlaps the frame to allow things to be clamped to bench top. A 4' fluorescent shop light over head. Bench put in middle-ish of room so I could wak around it.

2) Pair of sawhorses with building jig and another light unit above.

3) a small table for doing messy epoxy work, holding tools somewhere inbetween bench and jig but off to side with an air filtration unit hanging over it (the one I am getting has a light to shine down on this table).

4) A benchtop sander on the small table for working wood. Tools store underneath bench and table and jig.

I have a lot of hand tools, but am considering adding an excellent jig saw and sander (see post in "tools"). Any tips tricks or gaps come to mind for building 8-12 foot dinghies?

Thanks much,
Clint
Clinton B. Chase
Tartan 30 #388 Cirrus
Portland, Maine
CharlieJ
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Post by CharlieJ »

add a couple of quartz work lights on stands so you can move them around to where needed. I have a double one, but I keep a 250 watt bulb in one and a 500 in the other side, so I can vary the light as I need it. Even with good overhead lights I find there's ALWAYS some corner of the boat you can't see into :)

Also see my answers under "tools"
tartan30cirrus
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Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2005 9:15 pm
Location: Casco Bay-Portland, Maine

Post by tartan30cirrus »

thanks!
Clinton B. Chase
Tartan 30 #388 Cirrus
Portland, Maine
grampianman
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This is not a rain on your parade question, but...

Post by grampianman »

Have you ascertained whether you can extricate the finished dinghy out of your basement when ready? I only ask as I have read numbers of stories of boat builders being unable to get their finished product out of the house without removing doors, walls, etc. Otherwise you seem to have a good idea on what you need/have on hand to get started.
Good luck with the project and with boatbuilding school,
Cheers,
Ian
tartan30cirrus
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Post by tartan30cirrus »

Always good to ask! Yes, it will fit no prob...but the 9'6" Nutshell is the question! I would like to build that one since I am 6'6" long myself but that will take up more basement room and may not fit out!

Cheers,
Clint
Clinton B. Chase
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Portland, Maine
Figment
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Post by Figment »

I'd make the workbench deeper than 24" if you have the space. Personally, I've found that 30" for workspace plus another 6" for "stuff" works for most tasks.

I also think that MDF (rubbed with a coat of polyurethane, of course) makes a better workbench than plywood.

The building jig on sawhorses thing.... Unless you REALLY need to be able to get the work-in-progress out of the middle of the floor for other uses of the room, I'd really reccommend that you build a proper strongback for the building jig. I still have the 14' strongback from my canoe. come'n get it.
tartan30cirrus
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Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2005 9:15 pm
Location: Casco Bay-Portland, Maine

Post by tartan30cirrus »

It is sounding like a 3' x 8' or longer is the way to go, but I want to know what people mean when they refer to a "planking bench". What is a planking bench/how different from any other bench?

I have a building jig on a ladder frame which is fastened to the top of the sawhorses and the sawhorses are heavily weighed down by lead shot bags. This allows me to keep the shop truly makeshift and move things if necessary (like pumping out the basement if/when it floods in spring!).

Would like to know what a planking bench is and whether or not you would suggest making a bench as long as my longest planks (8' for this project) or longer (like for the 12' I'd like to do next). One thought has me building two 3' x 6' benches that I can put end to end.

TX
Clint
Clinton B. Chase
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Portland, Maine
Figment
Damned Because It's All Connected
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Post by Figment »

The only bench I've ever seen that was referred to as "the planking bench" was indeed a very long bench, but I think what made it the Planking Bench was the fact that it had the ability to clamp the plank on edge in multiple locations along the plank's length. A handy thing when planing down to a line, or planing a bevel.

A dandy thing when building a big carvel boat, but for a lapstrake pram, I think your 8' bench will be fine.

Buy clamps. lots and lots of clamps.
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