Ribs, roves and rivets

Note: This post continues from earlier Building a Lighter for Norfolk Island's cargo

Work continues with John Christian Bailey and Dean Burrell of JCB Cabinets hammering in the ribs. There are 43 ribs, spaced 200 mm apart.  The ribs are fastened firmly to the hull using copper rivets and roves. A rove punch is made of heavy steel and is an essential tool for neat copper nail and rove work. Traditional copper cut nails used with matching copper roves to form a copper rivet. These nails are extremely robust, easy to drive and when the wood fibres become damp and swell, will never work loose.

   

 

 

 

Regular posts on the building of the lighter will be uploaded to this blog.

Building a Lighter for Norfolk Island's cargo

Note: This post continues from earlier Completion of the Lighter's hull
 

Work on the Lighter has now moved to the inside structure and Dean Burrell continues his painstaking handiwork.

Regular posts on the building of the lighter will be uploaded to this blog.

Building the hull

Note: This post continues from earlier Attaching the clamps to the clinker

Progress on the Lighter is clearly seen from the number of clinkers that have been added to the Lighter. The bow rises toward the keel and the shape of the hull is widening.

Inside the hull, beside the clamps, are some of the 4,000 copper nails which will be used.

When placed, the clinkers are staggered to allow distance between the joins.

A frontal view from bow to stern.

A left hand view from stern to bow.

 

 

 Regular posts on the building of the lighter will be uploaded to this blog.

Planking and Clamping

Note: This post continues from earlier Planing and Shaping Timber

Each plank is removed from the steamer (see Steaming and Malleability - 12 Nov)  and, whilst steaming hot, is shaped to the side of the lighter and held securely in place until clamps can be attached.

Dean Burrell holds steaming plank in place

 John Christian-Bailey secures the clamps

Each plank is held until the shape is confirmed to the lighter

Regular posts on the building of the lighter will be uploaded to this blog.