> About your advice on laminating frames or using plywood for frames
> on a skin boat, have you done it? That advice sounds funky to me,
> and I can't believe you are talking from experience.

> Next!

Am I in line?

Plywood for frames I've done. It works well. I have also make up frames from board stock cut into strips, and secured by gussets at the corners. This may be sleeker and stronger, but cutting frames with a jig saw is much faster for me.

Plywood for ribs, or steam bending ribs I have not done. The 1/8 inch plywood I bought seems like it is flexible enough to bend into a rib, but I'm not sure it would then be stiff enough to work right. Now, bending 1 layer of 1/8 inch ply over a from, and then laminating a 2nd layer to it would give me a pretty stiff 1/4 inch thick part. Since both pieces were bent over the form when they were laminated, the shape should hold. I suppose it is possible, but it sounds a lot more time consuming.

I just located a source near me for good wood for steam bending and may give it a try one of these days. I have to have a few projects lined up before I can justify putting together a steamer. In the meantime I've been making curved parts for the cockpit and coaming from thin, laminated, slices rather than steamed solid stock.

Paul Jacobson