How to build a Currach
Plans, methods and mistakes in building a traditional Irish Currach or Naomhóg.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Excuses excuses...
Monday, May 27, 2013
Gunnel Bend Construction
These are the dimensions that I will be working to, and I will start building this form today or tomorrow more than likely.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Interlude before the main event
I ordered the wood for the gunnels from the sawmill today so will hopefully hear something on that next week. In the meantime I had another leak from the same spot on the copper cylinder but I have patched it again and ran another test and got to 97degrees celcius with no leaks at all so we're ready to go on that front.
While I am waiting for the wood to be milled I will start building the form that it will bent around, going to do a more thorough job this time as I have a feeling I will be using these forms more than once. Started drawing a dimensioned plan view of it in SketchUp tonight and will finish it on Monday more than likely. I will put up a picture of this to give you an idea of the shape I will be aiming for even though the finished product may not turn out to be those exact dimensions.
Expect another post after the weekend...
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Steambox, second trial
I actually tried to go get wood today to be ready for bending the sides but the sawmill wasn't open cos it's Saturday so that will have to wait til during the week, some day when I get off early from work and can make it out there or else I'll get one of the lads to pick it up for me.
Now I am basically ready to start the building proper, next on the list is the form that the gunwales will bend around and I will have to make some kind of boom/holder for the camera so I can video things properly. As I am building the forms I will discuss the sizes and the way to lay it out
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Steambox setup
Monday, May 13, 2013
....and we're back...
So the basic overview of the steps to building the naomhog is as follows.. (or at least the way I plan to build it)
1) Build the gunwales
2) Make the tachtaí and join top and bottom gunwale
3) Make the seats and join them to the gunwale
4) Bend the ribs and fit them to the lower gunnel
5) Put the stringers on
6) Cover the currach in fabric and waterproof it
7) Make the oars and and oarlocks and go rowing!
So as before when started Currach One, one of the first things we do is steam and bend the gunwales. So we need a steambox, I decided to build this one from insulation mostly, have never really seen anyone build a steambox quite like this before so I guess we'll soon see if there's a reason for that!
As you can see on the left I made corners out of 75mm rips of ply screwed together, The steam box is obviously going to be around about 2400mm or 8ft long.
Currach Two is going to be shorter than Currach One, going to go for a length of about 17ft/5200mm this time and it will be designed for two people to row I think.
<---- That's Poutine!!
I then ripped the insulation with a straight edge and my Hilti circular saw with the bigger blade. Hooked the Hilti up to the Mafell automatic vacuum I have and it worked a treat, normally cutting insulation like this is a an awful balls and results in dust everywhere, particularly down your ENT!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Current 'state' of affairs
So have been very busy lately, had a little restoration project with Jacqui. She's breathing new life into a old chair so there quite a bit of play in the old joints (somewhat like myself) so I'll be putting that back together hopefully tomorrow. You can see it on the bench there.
So this is the workshop that the currach will be built in. At the moment it's probably one of the messiest workshops in Ireland if not the world, quite different to the pristine workshops you normally see on the net!
Lots of tidying up to be done this weekend and next week before I start laying out the frame for bending and figure out some way of creating steam. Left my wallpaper steamer in Vancouver so the next one will probably consist of a large pot and a gas flame to generate more significant quantities of steam.
As you can see the loft is very well lit now, just finished that the other night cos it only ever had one bulb that worked off a 2 way switch. Lights were kindly donated by my buddy Rob. The mission today is to get some sockets going cos at the moment I pull power by dropping a lead down through a hole in the floor and plugging in downstairs in a different shed.
The wiring is a wee bit messed up in there as I seem to have 220v comin back on a neutral from somewhere.
Video of back feed
It's not something I'm overly worried about at the moment in terms of getting things workin but I will have to chase it down as its just not good practice. There does seem to be some leakage from the electric fence for the farm which is being pulled from the lighting circuit and should really be on a separate fuse with the sockets. Probably going to get hold of a little board and practice my wiring and see if I can organise the all a bit better, might go crazy and even label some stuff!
Will update in a couple of days...