Making plank templates

Описание: Overview of the skill:
A template is a gauge or pattern, cut out in wood, metal or other suitable material, used to help shape something accurately.

Looking at a well planked wooden vessel, it does not matter whether it is a clinker or carvel construction, but all the planks will look 'right'. However, if you could peel off a single plank from the boat, the resulting shape of the plank may be a total surprise. In the process of planking, the boat builder is taking a flat object (the plank) and wrapping it around a 3D structure (the hull), and in doing so an oddly shaped plank will be required.

In this case, the template being taken is for the garboard plank on a Fowey river sailing dinghy. For larger vessels see the other section covering making patterns.

Materials:
Plywood plus scrape wood for glue sticks

Equipment:
Plywood template
Clamps
Glue gun
Glue sticks

Technique:
The conversation with the boat builder, in this case Marcus Lewis, is unscripted, he will cover the following areas:

· Introduction to the centreline timbers of this vessel (stem, deadwood, keel) and the rebate
· Plywood template - how to position it
· Using the glue gun to stick the glue sticks in place
· Remove the template