Nutshell Pram EXCUSE ME Quarter Knees

 15 Apr 22:

Time to shape the quarter knees for the Nutshell Pram, the knees reinforce the connection of the gunwale to the transom. We started by finding the angle between the transom and the gunwale with our pocket bevel, and cut out that angle on a piece of 1 inch thick (4/4) mahogany. Next we drew the curves of the inner knee shape, the part that faces the inside of the boat. This shape was constrained in one direction by the width of the board that we had, about 7 inches wide, but the side that ran along the gunwale could be as long as we wanted. We referenced the plans, drew out traditional knee curves in the inner face and cut the inner knee shape.

In this photo we have jumped ahead to the finished knee for the port side, bow transom knee. The bevels for the transom and gunwale have been cut so that the knee fits with a slight rise going up the face of the transom. Another option would be to run the knee straight across, parallel to the waterline, but we liked this look better.

This is the bevel for the gunwale.

This is the bevel for the transom. 

We found these bevels both by using the bevel gauge and marking a line to cut to, and also did some of the marking by using the boat as a reference. You might need to zoom in to see the pencil line that we marked to use as a cutting guide. A pro builder might have chosen to cut this these bevels with their bandsaw or jigsaw when they originally cut out the knee, but we wanted to sneak up on it.

We shaped the bevels with a Stanley #5 plane, making several trips back and forth to the boat to check the fit. 

This video may help explain the 3 bevels needs for the quarter knees: https://youtu.be/LPCFqfJTjl8

So let's look at the stern transom now, here is the first gunwale-transom bevel. We used the bow knee to get the same basic lengths along 2 edges.

We also copied the inner curve on each tip from the bow knee, then free handed the rest of the inner curve to make the stern knee shape.

We cut out the blank with a jigsaw, and then shaped the next transom face and gunwale face bevels with the hand plane.

Log of EXCUSE ME.

Nutshell Pram EXCUSE ME 08 Apr 22 Quarter Knees

 08 Apr 22:

Finished pondering the quarter knees and made the first cuts from mahogany. We used a cardboard template for the side plank to bow angle. 

Now we need to find the bevel for the side, and then the bevel for the bow. For those wondering, the quarter knees help tie the side planks to the bow and stern transoms.

Log of EXCUSE ME.

Nutshell Pram EXCUSE ME Quarter Knees

 24 Feb 22:

Contemplating quarter knees, there are three bevels to contend with, the plank/transom bevel, the transom bevel and the side plank bevel. One tip was to make cardboard templates to get the plank/transom bevel.

Started with the bow transom.

Another method is to use a bevel gauge and transfer the angle to the work piece, cut the piece a little big and then plane down to fit.

We'll stare at this for a few days, then make a cut or two or three.

Log of EXCUSE ME.

St. Jacques Log Rail Caps 18 May 17

18 May 17:

Cut out the rail cap blanks, planed them to 5/16th inch thickness.

Fastened the rail caps with Jamestown Distributors TotalBoat THIXO.

Click here for St. Jacques complete Log.

St. Jacques Log 08 May 17 Quarter Knees and Oarlock Pads

08 May 17:

Sanded the top of the transom parallel to the gunwale and gave it a gentle curve up to the sculling notch. Did the port side first and then sanded the starboard side as close as possible by eye.

Then I realized that I could make a pattern to transfer the curve from one side to the next.

Cut out the quarter knees, fastened with silicone bronze screws and sanded fair to the transom.

Cut out pieces to build up an oarlock pad, fastened them with Jamestown Distributors TotalBoat THIXO.

St. Jacques complete build log.