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Article Title: Professional Tips for Lofting the 3 Most Common

Elements

Author Name: Morten Olesen

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Word Count: 639

Category: Recreation and Sports: Boating

Copyright Date: 2012

Web Address: http://www.boatplans.dk/

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Professional Tips for Lofting the 3 Most Common Elements

By Morten Olesen ? 2012, All Rights Reserved

Building your own boat could be the culmination of a lifelong

dream, or an impulsive project if you're the avid woodworker. In

either case, the amount of learning that goes into following a

boat design and crafting the panels can look daunting.

Lofting, in particular, is a drafting technique that takes a

keen eye for shape, a good head for mathematics, and confidence

in your woodworking talent. Don't fret. becoming a lofter is

easier than you think once you master the 3 most common elements.

Plus, learning this new skill will open up a world of design

options for your building projects.

Getting Started

Assembling your lofting tools in advance will help you go

through the steps with more ease. Most of the materials are

common household tools, like a pencil (ink from a pen may soak

into the wood grain), measuring tape and carpenter squares.

You'll also want to buy some lumber filler to construct your

curves and arcs.

Reading the Boat Plans

Each of your boat plans is based on a set of drawing files.

You'll see top-down and profile perspectives, dimension of the

elements like offsets, diagonals and buttock lines; assembly

details and more. If you purchased 3D boat plans, you'll also

have the added advantage of being able to slice, dice and rotate

the plans via computer to see every possible angle.

Curve Lofting

Curves in panels can be challenging if you're a new lofter, but

like all elements of the boat plans, are based in scale numbers.

Take a close look at the panel plates; on some boat plans the

dimensions are depicted in both U.S. standard and metric units.

Be careful not to mix the dimensions as you make your cuts!

Curve panel lofting begins with a grid, drawn with vertical

lines using a carpenter's square. Once you've finished marking

your grid on the plywood, it will resemble a football field. Set

out the dimensions of the panels, marking with a pencil along the

long edge of the plywood.

With that done, make the curvature of the panel. One of the most

recommended ways is to hammer in small nails at the cross-points,

then fit the lumber fillets to the nails. Hold the fillet in

place with some extra nails or weights. Repeat the procedure on

the other side of the panel, then use your circular or saber saw

to cut the curve out of the panel.

Symmetrical Lofting

You may find lofting symmetrical elements, such as the nesting,

easier than the curved panels. A file based on symmetrical pieces

will show each piece as part of the overall boat plans. Some

symmetrical elements have dimensions set from the centerline,

which makes the centerline part of the symmetry line.

A carpenter's square will be your tool to set the centerline on

the plywood. You'll mark the dimensions on the wood from the

horizontal distances. Afterward, you can draw the out-line of the

element by connecting the points you marked with straight lines.

Finally, you'll draw the inside of the element, starting with the

vertical sideline

Perpendicular Lofting

Your boat plans will include perpendicular elements that are

relatively easy to configure. Create a straight line (12 inches

long, for example). Then, with your measuring tape, make a mark

approximately perpendicular to your line, in this case about 16

inches from the first line.

From the other end of your first line, mark 20 inches in the

direction of the mark you made from the first end of the first

line. Mark the distance where it crosses the first mark, and you

will have a triangular-looking figure. Where the points cross,

the lines are perpendicular.

While you hear a lot of talk about the challenges lofting

presents, once you've learned the right way to do it, you'll do

it more quickly and confidently.

Morten Olesen is a master boat builder and Naval Architect.

Visit http://www.boatplans.dk to get his exclusive line of boat

plans that includes 3D computer models plus a free Boat Builder

Master Course with your order.

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Source: http://businessshownet.blogspot.com/2012/07/aabusiness-professional-tips-for.html

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