Hi folks,
I'm currently building a Whitby coble from birch ply. Obviously the real ones had ribs installed last but I am breaking convention by pre notching the ribs (made from 4mm birch ply), first so they act as a jig/strong back and become an integral part of the build from the start. The planks will be 2mm birch ply, all sourced from SLEC ltd. The ribs were previously water jetted out from CAD drawings but were slightly incorrect. I am now in the process of renotching the ribs and form new planks as I go.
Now this is where my problem lies, the first plank off the stem is perfectly straight, the second is slightly bent and the third more so and so on... Now the planks are differing widths and my issue is how to cut the ply perfectly to the desired thickness. I don't have a band saw and my usual method is to roughly cut the planks out with a knife and then file to shape.
I need a better way of doing things as the odd 0.5mm here and there seems to exaggerate itself later on. The issue is the old question - do you cut before, on or after the black line. I do have a pair of digital calipers which I though I could set the width and score the sharp bit along the wood to be cut. I'm dead set on accuracy as I'm trying to eventually produce proper plans and possibly a kit.
And help and tips would be gratefully accepted.
Dan