Patterns and Templates


The plans said not to cut out the full size patterns (I’m still not sure why) so I used carbon paper to trace them onto a roll of brown builders paper. Next I traced the paper patterns onto 1/4” MDF to use as router templates.

The reason I’m creating router templates is to make sure I can accurately make two identical copies of each part. It is much easier to sand 1/4” MDF to precise shape than it would be to sand two layers of 3/4” Mahogany. 

I could have traced the plans directly onto the MDF but having a separate paper pattern for each piece made it easier to lay out the pieces on the MDF sheets to minimize waste. 

I laid out the paper patterns for the frames on the floor to get a sense of how everything fits together and get my first glimpse of the shape of the hull. The frames show a cross section of the hull roughly every 26”.


A different view of the paper patterns showing all the pieces. The parts will be cut from 3/4” Sapele (frames), 3/4” marine plywood (floor timbers), and 1/4” marine plywood (gussets). 

I traced the paper templates onto the MDF and rough cut a template for every 3/4” Sapele part.

Then I used the band saw to cut the router templates to final size.


And sanded the patterns to smooth the templates right up to the lines.


I checked the router templates match the plans, making several trips to the garage and back to fine tune the templates with sandpaper and recheck as necessary. 


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