Popular Mechanics 1962 PM38 Build [SPLASHED 2017]

W

Willyclay

Captain
Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
3,240
I liked it when I first saw it in PM during my senior year of high school and I am really enjoying your build now. Thanks for your great documentation and all the pix. I may have to build one for the grandkids to use!
 
Baylinerchuck

Baylinerchuck

Commander
Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Messages
2,726
Very cool...I remember as a boy tearing into those PM plans and dreaming of building a boat, or airplane, or hovercraft. Maybe someday I'll be able to find the time and space to do something like this. Very nice job!
 
pekstrom

pekstrom

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
490
No Title

The support and cheers from all of you is greatly appreciated. I am quite happy with the way she's turning out, if I may say so myself, given my lack of wood working experience. I have learned a lot during this project and tried several things for the first time. I may have to find another boat to build once I am done with this one. :lol:

As a kid back in Sweden many years ago I did come across the plans for the boat pictured in this post. It was called "flugan", the fly in English. I never did get to build it though. We didn't have any room for such a project back then. I have come across the plans for it again so who knows, maybe it will be my next project. :lol:
 

Attachments

  • photo250765.jpg
    photo250765.jpg
    21.6 KB · Views: 0
T

thomas15

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 13, 2014
Messages
43
pekstrom,

Bravo on your efforts! In about two years I'm going to have the time to start a boat project. In the past I've only considered a rehab project. This because as a kid we built two boats and it seemed like it took forever to complete them. But looking at your build thread I perhaps don't have the timeline in my memory correct. This to say you have given me food for thought and so I'm thinking why not a PM38?

One question, did you use the jpeg plans as is from the link you provided is or did you find plans from another source?

Allow me to say that I'm very impressed with your work and look forward to hearing about your splash!

ON EDIT: back in the 60s and 70s high quality homemade boats were rare but not unheard of. Today it's very rare to see even a wood hull never mind a homemade one. There is nothing quite like the feeling of pride you get on the water in a boat you built.

One of our boats we made my Dad let me drill, countersink and drive home all of the screws in port side floor, my brother did the other side. Used a bit and brace for the brass slot-headed screws. I would think about that every time we were out in that boat. Having a major part in the build was very heady stuff for a 11 year old boy. But of course I did exactly what my Dad told me to do which isn't the same as what your have created.
 
Last edited:
pekstrom

pekstrom

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
490
No Title

thomas15 said:
pekstrom,

Bravo on your efforts! In about two years I'm going to have the time to start a boat project. In the past I've only considered a rehab project. This because as a kid we built two boats and it seemed like it took forever to complete them. But looking at your build thread I perhaps don't have the timeline in my memory correct. This to say you have given me food for thought and so I'm thinking why not a PM38?

One question, did you use the jpeg plans as is from the link you provided is or did you find plans from another source?

Allow me to say that I'm very impressed with your work and look forward to hearing about your splash!

ON EDIT: back in the 60s and 70s high quality homemade boats were rare but not unheard of. Today it's very rare to see even a wood hull never mind a homemade one. There is nothing quite like the feeling of pride you get on the water in a boat you built.

One of our boats we made my Dad let me drill, countersink and drive home all of the screws in port side floor, my brother did the other side. Used a bit and brace for the brass slot-headed screws. I would think about that every time we were out in that boat. Having a major part in the build was very heady stuff for a 11 year old boy. But of course I did exactly what my Dad told me to do which isn't the same as what your have created.
Click to expand...

Hi thomas15 and thank you for the kind words. I think as a kid, everything seemed to take forever. And I have to admit it does feel a little bit like that now too. :happy:
So you are pondering building a PM38 as well? Very nice! I came across a PDF someone had put together with a lot more information and detail than the original article had. It cost $5 to download but has been well worth it. If you are interested, you can find it at the following link:

http://www.diy-wood-boat.com/PM-38-Club.html#Boat_Plans

I can't wait to take her out on our nearby lake. I'm still hoping I'll make it before the boating season is over. I did get her turned over yesterday with the help of a friend and a neighbor so now it is on to finishing the outside. I did notice that I did manage to get the stem band slightly off-center the last 6 inches or so underneath the bow. But I think I'll be able to fix that since it needs to be tapered quite a bit in that end. I also made it slightly longer than what the plans called for, so I can also take that section off and should still be ok. Oh, and I have tested the fit of the cloth I'll be using on the bottom and it reaches nicely from one spray rail to the other. And I'll have plenty left over for other parts I want/need to cover. More to come...
 

Attachments

  • photo251324.jpg
    photo251324.jpg
    68 KB · Views: 0
pekstrom

pekstrom

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
490
No Title

I've gotten her sanded nice and smooth below (above since she's upside down) the spray rails so moving on to the fiber cloth. I'm liking the wide cloth I got. No overlap in the center will hopefully lead to a nice and smooth bottom. I'll leave it like this overnight and am planning to do the first epoxy cover tomorrow. Should give it time to smooth out a bit more.
 

Attachments

  • photo251737.jpg
    photo251737.jpg
    64.2 KB · Views: 0
  • photo251738.jpg
    photo251738.jpg
    63.6 KB · Views: 0
  • photo251739.jpg
    photo251739.jpg
    54.1 KB · Views: 0
gm280

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,593
pekstrom said:
I've gotten her sanded nice and smooth below (above since she's upside down) the spray rails so moving on to the fiber cloth. I'm liking the wide cloth I got. No overlap in the center will hopefully lead to a nice and smooth bottom. I'll leave it like this overnight and am planning to do the first epoxy cover tomorrow. Should give it time to smooth out a bit more.
Click to expand...

WOW if you are going to epoxy that all at one time, you are in for some long work. But it sure would make it solid and waterproof for certain. I've been watching your efforts. Nice boat you've built. :thumb:
 
Woodonglass

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,924
from what i've seen on other similar builds you can use masking tape to hold the fabric in place and to obtain a tighter fit. It can be trimmed off later when the resin starts to "Kick" a little bit.
 
Ned L

Ned L

Commander
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
2,266
Looks good.
Have you thought about you plan, or pattern for the epoxying? I might suggest one side at a time, and working from the middle outwards. That way you will never be trying to move all the cloth in any given direction.
Don't mix a lot all at once (go with a number of small batches, starting with 2-3 cup size batches). If you want, you can even put the unmixed epoxy in the refrigerator for a bit before you start, that will give you more working time.
You don't want to fill the weave and make it all smooth and shiny on the first pass. Just enough to wet out the cloth and eliminate the air.
Good luck (and have fun)
 
pekstrom

pekstrom

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
490
No Title

So the first coat of epoxy over the cloth is complete. It took about 3.5 hours to do using the squeege method and turned out ok I think. I had to change a few details of my plan as I worked on it. The bow will need a bit of extra work as will the aft section. And I had planned to just keep one large section, but had to cut along the overlap on the bottom. I could not get the angles nice and sharp so I'll have to come back to that too. But that's ok. all in all I'm happy with the result.
 

Attachments

  • photo251792.jpg
    photo251792.jpg
    71.8 KB · Views: 0
  • photo251794.jpg
    photo251794.jpg
    69.3 KB · Views: 0
gm280

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,593
pekstrom, I say you done good. I have watch boat builders and when they are doing a large layup section, there are usually three or more working at the same time. So when you are the only worker bee, you have to do what you have to do. I think it will work out nicely. :thumb:
 
Woodonglass

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,924
Yup I'd say that's about as good as you can get!! Did you know you can Tint the epoxy? Pretty cheap and helps to see any imperfections.
 
pekstrom

pekstrom

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
490
Thanks all. It did turn out nice overall. But those edges on the overlap across the bottom, and some places along the chine edges turned out to be more difficult than I expected. The cloth kept moving for me and I ended up with some bubbles. I tried a few methods to hold it in place, including tape, but the cloth just tended to come apart and still move. I was looking around on the net and came across the method at the link below. Is that something that could work for edges like the chines and the overlap? I'm guessing the epoxy will hold things together?

http://epoxyworks.com/index.php/sharp-fiberglass-corners/
 
gm280

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,593
pekstrom said:
Thanks all. It did turn out nice overall. But those edges on the overlap across the bottom, and some places along the chine edges turned out to be more difficult than I expected. The cloth kept moving for me and I ended up with some bubbles. I tried a few methods to hold it in place, including tape, but the cloth just tended to come apart and still move. I was looking around on the net and came across the method at the link below. Is that something that could work for edges like the chines and the overlap? I'm guessing the epoxy will hold things together?

http://epoxyworks.com/index.php/sharp-fiberglass-corners/
Click to expand...

petstrom, I actually did some like that for my sharp corners and it seemed to come out okay. Because I could never ever get the fiberglass to lay down over 90 degree corners. But I rounded most all of my corners with either a 1/2" or 3/8" router round over bit. And Even doing that, it was iffy some times. I often wondered if you could use some cyanoacrylate glue (Crazy glue or Super Glue) to glue down the fiberglass material (just over the corners) and then poly or epoxy it. Not sure if that would work out or not. I don't have enough experience with fiberglass yet. JMHO
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top