Build from plans versus kit, looking for advice

The place to discuss SCAMP (Small Craft Advisor Magazine Project), our 11' 11" micro minicruiser.

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Dryboater
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Build from plans versus kit, looking for advice

Post by Dryboater »

Hi - I am a newbie to this group looking to build a SCAMP. I am hesitant on whether to buy only the plans (I am a competent woodworker but have never built a boat before) or just go ahead and order the full kit. Questions (all assuming that I use the same quality of wood as the kit would contain):
1. how much time would I save kit versus plans, roughly?
2. again roughly, estimated savings in cost (if any) of lumber and plywood if I source it myself in New England versus the same as provided in the kit?

I am recently retired, so time is not the main issue for me and I am intrigued by the challenge of cutting all the bits myself, but I am not the most patient person so if the time savings is significant by using the kit and the cost difference not so significant I might be tempted by that alone.

I would be grateful for any opinions on which way to go.

Regards, Chris
kenjamin
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Re: Build from plans versus kit, looking for advice

Post by kenjamin »

I looked into buying the kit but at the time shipping the kit across to the East coast was about $500. I was too cheap to spend that so worked from plans only. There's no doubt that you save a lot of time and figuring with the kit but $500 buys a lot of plywood. You just have to decide if you have more time than money or more money than time. Good luck with your build – it's a great little boat!
ahilde
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Re: Build from plans versus kit, looking for advice

Post by ahilde »

I am building from plans. I will be starting a topic on my build, with pictures, in this forum. Right now I am cutting plywood. The shipping cost was more than I wanted to spend. I found a great supplier of meranti plywood in NH. Picked it up when I was returning from a trip.

Some tips:
You will need metric measuring tools. At least a meter (yard stick), a short ruler, a tape measure. I bought a large t-square and stick on metric ruler tape. For me, the adjustment to metric has been time consuming. A big help is a straight edge more than the length of a sheet of plywood. I have one with built in clamps.

You will want to set up a drawing/cutting station at a comfortable height, that can be up to twelve feet long. I am using an egg crate style grid with stand offs. I lay the plywood on the grid for drawing and then put standoffs under for cutting.

Much of my cutting is done with a regular sabre saw. My band saw gets used when it's convenient. A great help for many cuts is a muti-tool.

When I start my posts on my build I'll post a notice here.

Art in Hudson, Maine.
ahildeb68(at)gmail.com
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ElHeffe
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Re: Build from plans versus kit, looking for advice

Post by ElHeffe »

All that measuring and cutting lines that are not straight really makes me wig out.
CNC mills cut perfectly every time.

Maybe you can figure out a way to get the cut files to a local CNC mill where they will cut the kit for you. Saves delivery fees and you get good parts.
PTPuffin #284
Aug 2014 SCAMP Camp
http://building284.blogspot.com
kenjamin
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Re: Build from plans versus kit, looking for advice

Post by kenjamin »

There was talk at one time of employing an Eastern company to cut the CNC files to make shipping cost less for those of us in the eastern U.S. but I don't know what ever became of that.

There are a few little tricks you can use to save a little time when working from plans only. For instance, when cutting out the bulkheads, you can use the waste cut out of one half of one side of a bulkhead as a template for cutting out the other side of a bulkhead. That doesn't save you a lot of time but every little bit helps. After initial adjustments I found working in metric measurements very exact and not much of a problem.

I did have a bit of a problem with splicing the side planks and bottom because my bevel splices did not equate at all with the puzzle joints found in the plans. One has to be aware that splicing with a 8 to 1 bevel splice will lose length in the overall finished piece you are trying to make. Other than that, I found the plans to be very accurate and not much of a problem to plot out the parts.
Peter E
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Re: Build from plans versus kit, looking for advice

Post by Peter E »

Nothing wrong with the kits but I see you are a competent woodworker so no problem there. I built from plans and enjoyed every minute. One source I used for epoxy and hardware was duckworks and was well satisfied. There are of course others.

I think it was mentioned about a metric pocket rule and a meter stick. I would look for a pocket rule that has all metric on it. Mine has metic on one side and English on the other. Of course it is always facing the wrong way. Ten minutes after working with metric you will never go back it is just that much simpler.

Any head scratching you might do, use the forum. Also go back in the forum and practically all problems have multiple solutions. There are also a lot of good tips for doing things.

Good luck which ever way you go. Pete owner of Max
Mon Amie
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Re: Build from plans versus kit, looking for advice

Post by Mon Amie »

Hi Chris,
last spring I have finished building SCAMP #73 from plans using local suppliers for plywood, lumber and aluminum tubing for mast.It took me two summers and ,while building from a kit would have saved me a lot of time ,doing it from scratch added another dimension to the whole experience and also allowed me to spread the cost over time. I used New England winters to create templates, layout pieces ,plan the order of cuts to maximize the materials so when the weather allowed building was relatively smooth.The boat is located on north of Boston, if you wish to see it contact me and we will arrange a meet...Hrabren
miguelito
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Re: Build from plans versus kit, looking for advice

Post by miguelito »

Here's another vote for the kit! I built my scamp four years ago, and one of the pleasures of "assembly" was the knowledge that the tolerances were .005", and that the pieces fit like legos. When things "clicked" together, it was proof that all was well with the alignment and fit, and it felt safe to make the seam permanent with fillets. If you have access to a scamp camp, that's another level of precision and efficiency and sharing of the experience, and you get to build the boat with the designer and a blue water scamper! However you do it, it is really fun, but I think the kit offers a very precise outcome that would be difficult to get with one's own saws and tools.
Good luck and have fun!
Mike Moore, TOR #170
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ram
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Re: Build from plans versus kit, looking for advice

Post by ram »

I am building from the plans. My boat is not finished yet, but all the parts have cut out and the infrastructure and hull are complete (I'm in the process of painting the interior before closing up the watertight compartments). Frankly, I found laying out and cutting the parts to be a relatively small part of the assembly, and I quite enjoy the process of translating the plans to wood - much more so than actually gluing things together. I was also able to purchase really high-grade marine ply and am saving myself the time and expense of coating everything on the boat with epoxy. A few considerations if you go this route:

- The manual that SCA provides is very much geared toward the kit assembly. A lot of things that you would need to know if building from plans are not covered. I've been able to figure these out on my own, mostly by looking at build photos others have posted (thanks) and scanning this forum.

- Make sure you have good tools. I built my first John Welsford boat with nothing but a jig saw and a block plane. But a few things have really helped me on this one:
- A battery-powered Makita jig saw (boy it is nice not to have that cord following you around on all the curves)
- Tons of clamps of all shapes and sizes, especially bar clamps that can be reversed easily to push out (I've hardly used any screws or wires to hold things together)
- Really good rasps, including a Shinto rasp (suggested on the forum)
- A good orbital sander (probably obvious to everyone else)
- A 4' T-square like they use for drywall - really useful for the layouts to mark the 30 cm intervals
- Tons of chip brushes and mixing sticks - I use tongue depressors myself, just cut the ends off if I need a square or slant application. They work fine for filleting and are cheap and readily available.

I'm sure the kits are fine, but if you have any woodworking skills at all I'd go with the plans.
HappyDog
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Re: Build from plans versus kit, looking for advice

Post by HappyDog »

Just wondering what is the lead time for ordering a kit and picking it up?
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