Back yard building shop challenges

[jtv]

Hi all. I am just figuring out my building options - if there's any? I have this manual: How to build PocketShip, version 2.2 July 2016. On page 4 there is a chapter about ”Your boatbuilding shop”.

When working with slow epoxy, there have to be for 24h enought warmness for epoxy to cure. I understand this "needs of epoxy" clearly!

I have red an article of CLC website on safe and inexpensive ways to heat workspaces. Solutions: Let there be light and keeping the epoxy itself warm.

So.. my boatbuilding shop will situate on my back yard. And it can not be very much more than ”a sturdy tent”; roof, walls, and maybe wooden floor. No heating really (except lamps). Like John Harris is saying: In North America during boatbuilding season (winter) cool temperatures are more of a challenge than heat. So that suits surely in Finland too. Winters in southern Finland when mean daily temperature remains below 0 C (32 F) are usually about 100 days long. I do not have to build during those three coldest months, I can wait until the average temperature is higher and start to build like in the beginning of april and continue to build till the end of september. And use warm epoxy and especially during nights also warming lights.

CHALLENGE no 1 (Epoxy / temperatures)

What could be the lowest temperature during epoxy curing period (about 24h) when under it is not practical enought to try to cure epoxy with warming lights in shops like I mentioned above?

CHALLENGE no 2 (Life of plywood / structures and moisture / ventilation)

When the boat is under construction, not everything covered by epoxy and glass / paint, and lies without heating under that ”sturdy tent”, (not outside in the open) waiting for warmer weather .. how will the 1) plywood and 2) half-made structures survive?

When there is a non-protected surface of the plywood is there a risk that the plywood all itself or just outer surface of the plywood will suffer becouse lacking of heating which keeps the moisture away from the shop? Or is there a risk of suffering / torsion of the half-made structures of the boat?

Is it ok if there is not heating but just enought ventilation. And what kind of ventilation should be enought if we are talking about back yard shops like 10´x 20´ "sturdy tent" / ”car shelter”? (Where there is practically just thin plastic between outer and inner area of the shop).

CHALLENGE no 3 (Plywood storage)

The same question as no 2. suits for: How to store the plywood in "sturdy tent" - conditions "standing up"- position.

There is a lot of question. I am grateful If you can give me a short or longer advice / estimation any of my challenge. And if there is some of you to think it's not practical enought to start with this kind of limitations, please feel free to tell it! I just became a member of the PocketShip building blog, but in the beginning of searching information from here. So far I`ve found information about garage-shops, which is - I think anyway - a little different thing than a "sturdy tent"- or "car shelter"-shops. So, if you can show me topics of these issues in this blog or elsewhere in internet I would appreciate.

Yours Jouko

[Bflat]

I think your project can succeed, especially since you are asking the right questions with regard to temperature and epoxy. I'm about 90% done with my Pocketship and built it in an unheated garage in Northern Wisconsin where the winters are harsh (-20 F). I just did not do epoxy work from November to April. In October and May I used the light and plastic tent approach to keep things warm. When the temps outside were above about 35 F I could have 60 F under the tent with 75 watt bulbs. Halogen lamps create even more heat. This works as long as you are working on isolated areas of the boat (which is a lot of the time). It would not work well for glassing large expanses (I reserved those for summer). I worried plenty about fire, especially when leaving the lights on overnight, but I was careful and all went well.

My project did take longer due to my shorter building season (I'm in my 4th year of the build), but I actually kind of enjoyed taking a break from it each winter and liked the anticipation of starting again in the spring. Also, each winter I was able to work on smaller components of the boat inside the warmth of my house. The rudder, tiller, centerboard, spars, gallows, and instrument panel I completed over 3 winters.

One other thing - UV light. I blocked the windows of my garage to block out sunlight once I had fiberglass on the exterior of the boat. With my slow build time I didn't want the epoxy to degrade before I could get paint on it. That would be something to consider with your tent - I don't know how much, if any, it would block UV rays. As far as the bare wood goes, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I hope that helps,
Bob

[jtv]

Thanks Bob!  That helps with challege no 1.  Unheated garage in Northern Wisconsin sounds quite similar situation.  By the way - you seems to have wonderfull sailing area those big lakes.  It's really encouraging that you have succeeded.  It was also very important, that you picked up the fire risk with lamps and the UV-light, which will be now on my..

Challenge no 4.  ( UV-light and back yard building shops - how to deal with)

How could you say about plywood / boat structures - survival during those winter-months.  Any problems?

Jouko

[Bflat]

The extreme cold did not hurt my plywood or general boat structure at all. From what I understand, marine plywood is very durable. I've been told that it can be boiled in water and will not delaminate. Every time I had to blow snow from my driveway I'd stop and admire my Pocketship when I opened the garage door. Thoughts of it helped me through the long winters

You're right about our Great Lakes. They really are like inland seas, but without the corrosive properties of salt water. They're always pretty cold, though.

There is a sizable population of people with Finnish heritage in Northern Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan.