Another new toy.
Thank you Mr Makita,
Makita SK102 Laser cross level.
I’m setting up the frames for SEI. That’s usually a slow job
with a level, stringlines and a plumb bob, but I’ve borrowed a carpenters laser
level. This is about palm sized, comes in a nice little padded bag that looks a
little like a camera bag, and has a padded wrapper around it inside to further
protect it in what would usually be a very “robust” environment inside a house
builders van.
The Makita SK102 Laser cross level. To give you something by which to judge its scale thats a 500ml paint can its sitting on ( about a pint or so) . Is about 100mm ( 4 in) high. Runs on three AA sized drycells.
To set up the boats frames, first of all I had to establish
a straight base line, that was easy in this case as I’ve just laid a plywood
floor and the line where the sheets meet made a perfect straight line.
Next, measure out and
mark the frame spacings using a carpenters roofing square to put lines across
at right angles at the correct distances along that line.
Then I set the laser level at the right height down past
where the bow will be, and began lining the frames up.
I’ve marked the frames with a vertical center line as well
as the waterline across, so setting up is just a matter of getting the cross lasers vertical red line on the
centreline, and lining the frame up on that, then rocking it until the waterline
is congruent with the lasers cross line.
So easy.
Its hard to show just how clear the laser light line is, so I've taken one with the flash off ( top) and one with it on to show more clearly what I am doing. Its bright, the laser itself is about 3metres away in this pic, no problem at all seeing where the line is even on a bright day!
Why did I not think of this before?
Well, to be honest these things have not been around for
very long, the LED laser technology is fairly new and the manufacturing
tolerances very exacting, so in the past they were both very hungry on batteries,
and more than a bit expensive.
These cost about a days pay, and I think that the payback
would be about two small boats in terms of hourly rate v/s time saved.
To save me wittering on about it forever, here is a link to
a YouTube video review of the little laser level which shows it in action.
As a “by the way”. I see that some rental places have these
or similar for hire, a days hire is a lot cheaper than having to own one for
just one project.
SEI is making progress, between another visit to the clinic
with the usual two days to recover, looking after my wife who has been down
with the flu which kept me away from the boatshed (its about 2 hours drive each
way from her place to mine) and catching up with machinery repair work I’d not
done much for a couple of weeks so its good to be back on the job and feeling
up to making progress.
Watching the frames line up, and the shape appearing is great,
one of the best parts of building a boat is that moment when you walk out to
the end and sight along the framework and the shape of the hull magically
appears.
I hope to have the rest of the frames and the bow stem set up tomorrow morning so will put up some pics so show the progress so far.
On the machinery repair work, I’ve done the job on the big
bandsaw at the Maori Kings master carvers workshop, but no pics I’m
afraid. Protocol requires that the work
be finished and blessed before it is seen, so no cameras in the shop where
these works are being created.
But I know where two of them are to be erected, they will be
the spiritual guardians of a new bridge to be built over the Waikato River and
I can watch for that then get a pic or two.
I’ve just looked into my cup and its somehow become empty, so its time to
get back to work.
J
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