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.

Steady progression of work on the Lighter

Note: This post continues from earlier Norfolk Island Lighter

Work steadily progresses on the building of the Norfolk Island Administration’s new lighter. The lighters carry cargo from ship to shore and are an important part of Norfolk Island’s infrastructure. Building commenced in late August.

Right hand profile - bow to stern

Left hand profile - bow to stern

Left hand profile - stern to bow

Carvel planking, the traditional method where planks are affixed edge to edge, is clearly shown

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

Norfolk Island Lighter

Note: This post continues from earlier Salvage and Restoration

A visit to the Lighterage Depot sees Dean Burrell fitting the second carvel, the fastening of planks edge to edge, gaining support from the frame and forming a smooth surface.

                                    
 The keel is again chiseled by hand to ensure an accurate fit of the plank.

                                    

 Chiselling, planing, sanding - each step is meticulously carried out.

Once the plank is removed from the steamer and moulded to the frame, Dean then completes the laborious task of fitting it to the lighter.

When the carvel is secured in place, it is again inspected to ensure absolute accuracy.

These steps will be repeated again and again, as the lighter project progresses.

 

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