JEM Watercraft

I've read in several places about cutting out one panel and using it as a template for cutting out it's mirror, but I'm wondering if anyone has tried clamping to sheets of ply together and cutting them both at once, to produce a panel and it's mirror at the same time?

Too much trouble to keep it all lined up straight?

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

In a factory setting it would be easier. I think home builders have to take it a step or three slower. (After you try it out, let us all know?)

I kind of thought the idea was to learn from the mistakes of others! But, I suppose it could be that no one has made that particular mistake before. . .

I did end up with more than enough ply to experiment a little, so I guess I'll try it and post the results. I regret that I have only one. . . uh, I mean, it's a far better thing I do than. . . er, never mind.

It's just epoxy and wood!

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

Mike
You can stack and cut like you talked about just screw the sheets together but if you screw up there goes several sheeta of ply.
Another thing is I like to cut my sides out of the same sheets grain and color match a lot better.
Ron
PS
The same thing apply to the decks

It can be done likes Jack says in an ideal setting.

But I'd rough cut, then stack like panels, then sand edges to clean up.

For matching the grain, I'll be doing what you (Ron) said, as well as using a sheet or two more than needed for my wife's boat, as she saw one piece of ply with a right nice swirly grain pattern and said she wanted her whole boat to "look just like that!"

I ended up sorting through two large stacks of ply just to find enough (I hope!) wood with that grain pattern, to keep her happy.

For my boat, I've got a bunch of ply that's all rather bland-looking. Kind of boring, with no real "pattern" showing. For that, I'm thinking to spice it up a little with maybe some kind of stain, before any epoxy goes on.

Wonder how a Southwind would look in Cherry?

Mike S.
Spring Hill, FL

I would drive a few small brads thru the pieces instead of clamps. Spring clamps will still let things slide a bit.

It seems that one side of the wood will most likely have a better grain pattern than the other. So pay attention to what side is going to be the most visible side of both panels before cutting and stack the panels accordingly. You are making mirrored panels, stack so the "visible" sides are face to face, or facing away from each other, so that when you are finished you have a "left side" and a "right side" and not two "right sides". Might want to stick a piece of blue tape on the panel when done with the word "left" or "right" written on it, so that you can keep track of them.

DM

Excellent suggestions!

And do label those panels, especially on a multi-panel hull.

Reviewing comments, we seem to say:

1. If you do venture to try it, screw or nail the pieces together to ensure no slippage.
2. Still, cut wide with the saw and trim back carefully to the line
3. Select grain very carefully, and then "mirror" them to make sure the pretty part shows where you want it to
4. MARK & LABEL each piece to minimize confusion

Yep what Mouse and Jack said!

I am too slack to bother much about matching grain and such up. I try to get the less desireable side of the panel where it won't bee seen so much.
sometimes I even succeed!

If you have a router, do yourself a favour and invest in a flush trim, or pattern bit like this



Screw your mirrored panels together and down onto your bench and runn around them wth it. very quick, very accurate, but be very carefull'

It is possible to do a complete, multi panel boat in a day using this method.