I’m proud to say that I’ve just had my second full length article published in Fine Homebuilding. This article is about the proper choice to flash a chimney with copper flashings in a typical asphalt shingle roof. I also have a Building Skills section in the issue specifically about bending and fabricating the copper. As I mentioned when I posted about the accompanying video, it’s tangentially interesting to woodworkers if they like mixed media pieces and think sheet metal would make a good accent.

Have chimney, will flash.

My first article was on the proper installation of an EPDM flat roof. If you didnt know, I’m a roofing project manager by day.

These two (2) articles have been very rewarding, as have the tips I’ve had published in Popular Woodworking and Fine Woodworking.

Marking copper is much like marking wood,
but with slightly less precise tools.

I mention all this, not just because I’m excited about it, and certainly not because I think it says anything about me. What I think it does say is that the magazines, in any field, are reachable, open to ideas and looking to support those who practice the respective craft. Try submitting something. You may be surprised by the response.The photos are from finehomebuilding.com

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With the keel finished, construction of the boat was done and it was time to waterproof. When Eric made his plywood boat on GardenFork.tv, he used liberal amounts of silicone caulking as waterproofing. As a professional roofer and waterproofer, this made me cringe. Contrary to popular marketing, silicone is not the be-all and end-all of caulking. When compared to commercially available urethane and moisture curing polyether sealants, silicone is crap for most applications. I used the best caulking Ive ever used, M-1, between the plywood panels & the battens. Then I sealed all of the exterior joints and the screw heads with the new M-1 Marine.

A little M-1 sealant here, a little M-1 sealant there . . .

Chem Link was kind enough to send me some M-1 Marine to try out. Its designed for applications in consistently damp marine environments. It can even be used in underwater applications (post curing). In application, the M-1 marine was just as easy to tool as standard M-1. While I cant describe my boat as consistently damp, the M-1 marine did an excellent job of sealing the joints and screws.

M-1 Marine is very good sealant.

At this point, with the boat constructed and the joints sealed, many would have called it done, put on a decorative coat of paint if desired and set out to sea.Alas, I am the few (not the many) and knowing what I do about waterproofing and having access to the waterproofing products that I do, I had to seal the boat more. Once the M-1 Marine was dry, I then coated the entire outside of the hull with BARR waterproofing, also by Chem Link.

The now empty original tube and new bucket filled with BARR.

BARR is a liquid waterproofing. It comes it what look like giant toothpaste tubes. To apply it, I squeezed the tubes out into a plastic cup and used a cheap, disposable paint brush. First I put a coat of BARR over the joints. Then I covered the entire exterior hull with BARR, right up to the underside of the batten.

The joints coated and beginning on the bow.

Once the boat was coated, I allowed the BARR to dry overnight before dropping it in the lake.

A close up of the stern and keel after being coated with BARR.

The finished boat, ready for the lake.

Coming up in Part V, well take here out on the open lake.

For more about the (Ply)Wooden boat, read these posts.

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The boys at Woodchat have been rocking their Telephone Game Design Experiment for a few weeks now. They were nice enough to invite me to participate.
Over the next few posts Ill discuss my design and how I arrived on it. In the mean time, check out last weeks Woodchat for our discussion of the design and the overall Telephone Game Design Experiment.

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Two days into a three day weekend and Im making progress. The decking is now well underchoice.

Dont forget about the +Modern Woodworkers Association Podcast. We talk woodworking with guests from around the world of woodworking every other week. Subscribe to the RSS feed or iTunes today.

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