This was a productive weekend for my Penobscot 14 wood boat project - despite a late start on Saturday caused by an extended middle-of-the-night power outage. Work began around noon – more planks were fitted and glued, putting me ahead of my unwritten schedule. Sunday arrived with another semi-late start, but I was motivated. I felt like the momentum was really picking up then, the setback. While whittling away on an overhanging plank near the transom I heard something fall off the boat and hit the ground. There was a sound of brittle metal hitting concrete – I could feel tragedy in the air. Hoping it was a chisel, I peer around the corner to see what produced the unhappy sound. My poor little rabbet plane, the one I had ordered over 5 years ago for specifically for this venture, lay there on the garage floor in two pieces. It’s supposed to be only one. Damn thee gods of the boatbuilders!!! It’s the one tool that is (was) unique to this entire project – of all the things to break…
After dimissing thoughts of glueing, clamping and the always dependable J.B. Weld, I tried using it as-is. It sort of worked in a monkey-humps-a-football kind of way, but it will need replacing. Not such a big deal – then why write this post? Because sometimes I swear there’s a mischievous force that enjoys testing us - to see who will quit, who will perservere and who will reach for the rum while trying to blame anyone but themselves. Don’t they test these tools? What the hell does “drop forged” mean anyhow?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
$25 at most welding shops will put it back together in 10mins with a tab over the weak spot. Won’t be pretty to look at but if it’s stronger than the orig you’d be better off. Just a thought.
You probably already have your new one don’t you. The internet, a cc and overnight UPS…..almost magic. Now get back to work.
Mike
My Dad wants to fix it with his Hungarian know-how. I did “win” one on ebay yesterday. There were a lot to choose from and I’m hoping the one I got might even be better than this one was prior to the wrecking
J B Weld, and duct tape, nuff said.