Workshop Stuff and Details

Folding Kayak Design Procedure

 

 

Well, the procedure goes like this:

  • Make Gunwales, put them together and spread them apart in the middle.
  • Make frames by interpolating them in between the Gunwales and a temporary keel batten.
  • Don't forget to install a good pump
  • Imagine a skin over the frames and try to take the boat apart.

That was actually step one.

 

  • Find out that the boat will not disassemble.
  • Repeat step one until it does

That was actually step two.

 

  • Now put a real skin on the frame.
  • Find out it will not fit without wrinkles.
  • Repeat step two until it does.

 

That was actually step three.

  • Now try to disassemble the boat within the skin.
  • Find out you will have to cut through parts to do it.
  • Repeat step three until you get the boat apart without cutting parts or your fingers.
  • Check for bloody thumbs.

 

That was actually step four. Now we have a boat that can be disassembled.

  • Assemble it
  • Find out you can't really do it in less than eight hours.
  • Repeat until you can.
  • Try to pack the disassembled boat in a suitable bag.

Find out you can't. Throw the whole thing outta the window and goto step one :-)

 

Still reading? Then this page is for you:

 

The work bench clamp The work bench clamp


In 1999 I have moved from a 12 foot high, 30'x20' workspace with four rows of lights and three large double windows facing west, into a basement 20'x12', what a change, the workbench alone occupied the room... it is a nineteen feet bench, the longitutinals of 4"x4" construction wood, full length. Loved it. But just way too large, it obstructed  the exit door, no way to get the baidarka in and out except clearing up the whole bench and lifting the kayak over it... so finally I had to decide to go and cut that bench.  What a SAD DAY  I just hate to cut the wood that was a hassle to transport into the first workspace (in the second floor!) and then into this basement... anyway, it had to be done. I ripped the thing apart, trimmed the plate and beams and put one half of it back together.

And then, LIGHTBULB went on, I could just fetch some big metric construction screws, rearrange the parts and the third, now useless support frame, and bolt the stuff back together. Now it is a matter of minutes to get that third frame out under the bench, the  plate being supported by new assembly (no heavy loads admitted without support  though, but what is _heavy_ for 4x4s), and roll the kayak out _under_ the bench; for the purpose I now have made a storage jig with wheels under it!

So, in the end, that bench is as strong as ever, and can be disassembled when the exit doorway is needed. If you are interested, take a look at http://dragonflycanoe.com /stephens/ the book is what I have used as a plan. I just took thicker and longer beams, so bulky when seated on the edge, they just don't tip over :)