What If This Doesn't Work? - Episode 193 - Acorn to Arabella: Journey of a Wooden Boat
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- Опубликовано: 23 дек 2021
- What a payoff! Layers and layers of all sorts of foam, 'glass, epoxy, and fairing compound have come to this big reveal of how this refrigerated chest will look when it goes into the boat-covered in contrasting cherry wood. Before then, though, it did seem like perhaps our experiment might have cost us our hard work on the three-piece lid we've been making!
Between coats of this and that to get to the big reveal, we meet up with our new stainless steel fabricator friend, Evan Kelly, who comes to make three-dimensional patterns for the water tanks. He'll put those together sometime in the coming weeks at MS Fabrication, the business he owns in Dorchester, Massachusetts. See a few of his projects here: / msfabboston
You'll get a peek at some of the material for the cabin sole, which Steve and Aaron mill up from Victoria's deck planking. It'll be a very Arabella version of "teak and holly"... mahogany and cherry. Think it'll catch on?
Don't forget about Norna! She's for sale: / cxhdv4bghcw Check out last week's episode if you want to hear and see more about this well equipped cruising boat.
And yeah yeah yeah, Anne knows she needs to comb her hair. She's always been a puddle-jumping, hat-head having, drips-of-coffee-on-her-dress kind of gal.
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Acorn to Arabella is a boat building project taking place in Granby, Massachusetts. Steve and Alix started as amateur boat builders building a 38' wooden boat in Steve's backyard: designer William Atkin's Ingrid with a Stormy Petrel's gaff rig. These videos follow the journey from tree felling, to lumber milling, to lofting, to the lead keel pour and beyond-sharing details of the woodworking, carpentry, metal smithing, tool building, and tool maintenance that wooden boats command. This ultimate DIY project will continue well past launch, when they will travel and learn to cruise aboard the boat that they've built. Just kidding about all that, this channel is about a Siberian Laika named Akiva.
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What beautiful work, that frig is not only going to be functional but a beautiful addition to the aesthetics of the inside of the boat. Great craftsmanship.
Thank you, Bob! Happy Friday!
@@AcornToArabella Glass work may not be your favourite, but it's so so nice to have the skill! And it seems like you have found a good workflow.
@@AcornToArabella What is the thought behind the fridge box? where will the heat escape? Doesn't the condenser need to be outside of the box? Won't you need to make holes through the side for the fridge plumbing? :)
Another advantage to building it yourself, is the fact that it takes up a significant amount of visual space in the saloon, and your creation is much more aesthetically pleasing than an off the shelf model. You have created a functional art piece for the boat, and that is one of the things that makes a boat like Arabella so special.
Shucks, Mike. Thanks!
As a fellow Do-it-yourself designer and builder creating functional items with your own hands and with help from friends and others brings everyone involved feelings of pride, worth, achievement, teamwork, problem-solving, satisfaction, friendships which are priceless! You don't get those from buying. Well done.
Didn't think I would ever say "that's a gorgeous fridge". Nice work sir!
That fridge is gonna be a major subject of conversation aboard Arabella. Gorgeous work, Steve.
A to A is not just enjoyment to us, your captivated followers, it is a master class of design and build. Once again, you have combined function and art and shown us what people can achieve with vision and perseverence. Some day you will be able to remove a cold beverage from the reefer, as you are rocked by waves, warmed by a wood fire, remembering the dream, the process, the friendships gained as you look upon the beauty of Arabella, before going topside to watch the stars twinkling on the water. What a superb video. And Ben--incredible music!! Thank you all. And oh yeah, say hello to Alix. I am looking forward to hearing from him and seeing what he's been up to.
I have found cutting foam on the table saw is the most prone to kickback of anything I cut. One trick I use is to hot melt glue or clamp a batten on the underside edge at the point where it will ride on the edge of the table saw top. This gives a nice straight cut, and keeps it from skewing and flying across the room.
One advantage you didn't mention for the homemade fridge is that it is BEAUTIFUL. It will only improve as that cherry darkens up.
I might be tempted to turn the handles the other way.
When people build fuel tanks for race cars they use straps not tabs. The tabs take a lot of force and can brake after time. Setting the tank on a cradle with a wood or steel strap has less stress.
right on
I concur. A chocked and strapped tank offers a bit of flexibility since a boat is not a rigid structure.
I was thinking straps to, just like you say, fuel tanks in cars are mounted that way with some rubber in between.
Tabs if your unlucky can crack and the tank could leak.
Fully agree with this. If there is flex, the bracket/flange will break on one side or the other. Worse case it takes out the side of the tank where it is welded since that is going to be a stress riser.
Yup. And do the same for your batteries
Your refrigerator / freezer is a beast. Beautiful wood, solid design, and top notch construction. Simply brilliant.
Nothing is more satisfying that creating an excellent beautiful and functional item like this refrigerator, enjoy...
Very very happy... Finicky work... A boat... Working in a new material, and not messing up, pretty amazing. Your particular perfection allows you to make beautiful pieces that fit your world rather than fitting your boat to an outside world.
Well put!
What a beautiful piece of work that is, you should be very proud. Keep up the good work.
The music on these episodes is just wonderful! It's all good, but the music, hat's off for that!
The fridge turned out beautifully! A lot of work indeed, but special, just like the boat.
Good luck finding an off the shelf reefer as nice as that! Great job!
Enjoying reefer madness on Christmas day in Sydney. Happy holidays Arrabellas!
I second the recommendation to attach the water tanks with straps, plus the recommendation to add baffles to reduce sloshing. I suggest you have a cleanout port on the top of each tank, large enough to allow your full arm inside to be able to reach every part of the inside of each water tank. The long tank under the settee will probably require two cleanout ports to allow this. I suggest using clear lexan for the port covers. This will allow you to "see" the level of the water in the tank. There's also a possible additional benefit. When my boat was stopped and searched for drugs by the USCG one night while sailing in international waters between Haiti and Cuba in the 1980's, the coastie LT told me that I would have had to remove any non-transparent tank covers as part of their inspection. The clear covers on my three water tanks probably reduced the inspection time by 60-90 minutes.
Sound suggestions.
Another beautiful piece of custom work, well done! I don't think you really need to justify your decisions to create beautiful additions to Arabella, but I appreciate and learn from your clear, detailed examinations into what you are doing. Thank you, so much, for sharing!!
Beautiful craftsmanship on the making of the fridge. While obviously functional in terms of use and practical for maintenance/repair, the cabinetry is truly a work of art. Function, form, fit and finish - all thought out and well executed. Well done.
Dovetail joinery on the fridge top where butt joints with Kreg screws on the underside would have worked just as well is nothing short of inspirational to this wood butcher. You sir are a craftsman,'s craftsman. I tip my chapeau to your artistry, design, and execution! The fridge is a masterpiece, and Arabella deserves nothing less.
Those fridge doors are artwork. Absolutely astounding detail. You wouldn't think a home built boat would have time spent to do such nice detail work. I knew she was going to be a fine vessel, but to be honest I was thinking she would be more "cabin in the woods" type finish. Now however I can see she will be a well designed and well appointed vessel. And I don't mean that former statement as a disrespectful remark. She's going to be beautiful vessel with all the love you've poured into her.
I love the collaboration with the stainless fabricator and the refrigeration unit is epic. Well done.
Hearing you talk about build vs buy and watching you spend the time to make the cooler a beautiful piece of woodwork makes me happy. Dovetailed joints, excellent fitment, careful finish work... I hear my wife in the background asking "is all this really necessary? Can't you just be done with it?" No. Not really. This piece in front of me needs my attention. Making it the way I see it in my mind is what is important right now. When it is a part of a beautiful whole, it will all fit together, and if I phone this part in, it will stand out like a sore thumb. It's like a physical need to do the best work I can on this part here, right now.
Thank you for getting that need expressed in video. I don't expect my wife will understand, but it's nice to see someone else really groks it.
Good morning Akiva and Crew :-) Merry Christmas everyone :-)
When Steve hit the bottom of the lid with the dead blow after the fairing compound had cured and nothing moved, my heart sank right along with his.
I've been a carpenter and woodworker for the better part of 40 years, I've created some beautiful wood work and I've seen even more beautiful work created by many others. I gotta tell ya Steve, you sir can lay it down right up there with the best of them! Absolutely gorgeous work son! I mean top draw!
You 💯 % made the right decision making your own refer, you created a beautiful piece for your boat. As a refrigeration mechanic I can also say you made the right call, there will definitely be a day where you will need to replace equipment.
The fridge/freezer is another piece of functional art. So beautiful that you might be afraid to use it. Well done indeed!
Cheers from Alaska,
Greg Chaney
You have created a beautiful bespoke item that money could not buy. It is created from scratch and filled with the care and thoughts of a true craftsman!
You are a wood MASTER Ive never seen anything like the work that you do, Excelet I have watched you from the start of Arabella.
"I'm really happy," as you should be. The fitting and trim are spectacularly beautiful.
Your decision to build your own fridge box was a good one. You did an excellent job fabricating and fitting everything. It's not always about what's "most efficient" and even "most efficient" is a moving target depending on the needs. On smaller vessels, maximizing the space trumps saving a little time and money every time. I hope your compressor is engine driven. Past bad experiences taught me that running an engine is much preferred to needing new house batteries.
Tabs don't sound like a good way to secure the tanks. In every boat I've owned that had a water or fuel system, the tanks were held in place by straps. Over time, tabs will work back and forth with every wave from both the motion of the boat and the sloshing of the water internally. They'll eventually crack, emptying the tanks and possibly leaving them unsecured.
Having built a few boats I can understand your decision to build the refrigerator box yourself. There is a great deal of satisfaction in doing it yourself! You did a great job as usual.
While it may have been a pain to make, at the end of the day you have something that not only functions as it is intended or is easier to maintain but you have something that shows the pride and care you have put into the project as a whole. Every piece of the whole works together to make this a home and not just a mode of transportation.
And as always, love to see the dogs making a visit, Grandpa has a beautiful pup. Always puts a smile on my face to see the four legged helpers get some camera time.
You couldn't a piece of furniture anywhere as good as that. That will serve you well for many years. Just like everything on or in Arabella it is a work of beauty, form and function
Missed your last 4 episodes I'm a medical practitioner crontracted covid love love love you work watching since day 1 gives me the energy to fight on , love to you and Alex keep up the brilliant work and Hi to Akiva ❤
Steve, Steve, Steve,
Got to be the nicest looking fridge lids we've ever seen. Nice work there team. 👍
Not gonna lie, I’ve been thinking the fridge looked awful right up until this episode.
I gotta learn to trust the process. 😂
That thing is gorgeous!
😁
Frig looks beautiful and will be very functional. Well done Steve!
Your refrigerator/freezer is turning in to a beautiful work of art!!! Well done!
The way you matched the contours of the fridge top to the lids was fricking brilliant. Thanks for the videos.
You would not get a fridge that beautiful off the shelf. Wholly smokes it's nice, well done!
You could never purchased a more beautiful fridge. Nice work
One of the pros for making the fridge: it's absolutely stunning. Really inspiring work.
Thanks, Max!
I love the logic of a tailor made fridge - replaceable parts, efficient use of space and less energy to run, more importantly - it's a beautiful piece of work!👏
Our moto - “Making it is more fun than having it”. Love watching you make stuff.
Amazing job on the frig!! Very nicely done and thought out! Keep rolling Arabella crew!! 👍👍💪💪Bet you all can't wait to get her on the blue!!
One hundred years from now people will still marvel at the vision, determination and craftsmanship that have gone into the creation of Arabella.👍
Stunning reefer! In addition to the other arguments in favor is the end result and the fact that you know every bit of it!
That reefer truly is a thing of beauty. Wow.
Susan & Tony here, we really like the way it came out, no manufactured fridge will look that nice or be that strong . I am a builder and that is something I would cherish to have on my boat. It is a work of art for sure.
Another augument for making the refrigerator, you could never find a factory built as beautiful as yours !
I love the cabinet making rather than the glass fibre work. Look forward to seeing the new tanks. PS I suggest that you have a ‘storm strap’ to retain the lids of the fridge/freezer, you don’t want them and the contents flying in rough weather.
So do we, Bill!
Merry Christmas. The refrigerated chest is a fine piece of work. You have every right to be proud.
Never thought I'd say this about a darned fridge...but that thing is downright beautiful!
Absolutely stunning workmanship Steve. It was awesome to finally see ur vision emerge
I had my doubts about where this fridge build was going but, wow! What a fantastic piece of work, well done Stephen, it is awesome!
You have created a work of art for a refrigerator, just beautiful.
I thought you were overdoing it by building the fridge yourself and not just buying a commercial unit but seeing the final product completely changed my mind. That is a beautiful piece of first-class craftmanship and I expect the satisfaction of seeing it in your saloon over the years will more than make up for the extra time spent building it. Thanks for proving me wrong and merry Christmas!
Everyone seems to know "hot air rises" but don't realize cold air sinks, so your design with two top openings is perfect! The wood trim you applied just makes your product better than anything you could buy. Great job.
I can't understand how those aren't considered the same thing.
There are a bunch of kits you can buy for chest freezers that turn them into refrigerators for use for chilling homebrewed beer in mini kegs. They're incredibly efficient since when you open the lid all of the cold air doesn't "fall out" onto the floor
Once in awhile I think you’ve lost your way, but then it all comes together beautifully! Nice!
Fantastic result on the fridge!
That wood work on the fridge is just incredible. Brilliant craftsmanship!
Great work on the cold storage unit, in the end it fits and looks much better then anything you could buy. Thanks Mark Dutka Oakville Ontario Canada.
Steve, another excellent addition to your home (Arabella). Merry Christmas and cheers to splashing!!
So very nice to see the boss approved there at the end, it's gonna be a sick unit when you are done Steve, great work!
Brilliant, it has all been said in the previous comments, I agree with practically all of them. I just wish I was not so far away in the UK and could have given you a hand. Very, very well done and a Very Happy Christmas to you and all your family and all your team of helpers. Thank you for sharing.
Wow! Those lids really popped w/ the finish. Beautiful job and fun and inspiring to watch you move through all the skills & techniques on the reefer project.
WOW! It truly is a thing of beauty. I am so impressed with your ability to first imagine it and then bring it to reality. It has both form and function. I am an aircraft mechanic and I have been involved in some complex modifications to cabin interiors. I know how difficult it can be to make it work AND be pleasing to the eye.
Compressed air is always my go-to for encouraging something to come out of a mould like the lids of the fridge.
WOW......IS ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THE FRIG/FREEZER!!
No way anyone could buy one as well built, beautiful, & practical!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF THE "ACORNS"
The contrast in wood grain is amazing.
I was watching this, and thinking about the build vs bought thing, and thinking "yeah, but yours is kinda ugly?" then the wood comes out, and seeing how the natural lines and character of the wood are honored and utilized into the form and function, *it gave me chills!* amazingly beautiful
I really enjoyed the intro in the workshop of the ship. Kind of a 'whoa, they're that far!' moment.
@16:55 is such a lovely Christmas gift to see. Thanks Grandad!
That came out pretty darn nice, you guys do some amazing work, great to see you learning about the fiberglassing, foam and wood. Even gave me a few ideas for my T bucket. Lol
Merry Christmas Acorn to Arabella. You've made Fridays great for years now and it just keeps getting better.
It’s so good to see that young man into this project and you taking him under your wing!
You have every right to be happy with the way it came out.
Excellent work.
A true craft-work, by a genuine craftsman. The deliberate mix of modern and ancient, glass and wood, metal and epoxy was a joy to see emerge. You are blessed with a wonderfully positive attitude and a wide and active network of helpers. God bless the work and have a very Happy Christmas, from Ireland with best wishes.
Congratulations! Simply amazing idea and beautiful workmanship to compliment the boat. Not sure you've saved any money designing and building the frig. yourself but without question truly 'one-of-a-kind' and unique addition to Arabella. A perfect little project for your skills as a woodworker and boatwright!
For holes in foam core. Over drill the size of hole, back fill with epoxy, then drill for the hole you really need. The latches... hip gougers when the boat is moving... Gorgeous fridge...
When you build it yourself you know how to fix it. The value of that cannot be overestimated.
A very unique and beautiful fridge. Well done Stephen..well done.
That is what artistic craftmanship looks like.
Now that is the most beautiful refrigerator I have ever seen!
Impeccable workmanship. Beautiful too.
Great work on the fridge Steve. I love the way that gloss looks
Buying a fridge may have been more "efficient", but what you created looks gorgeous and fits as you need. Don't regret this decision.
"I think it will do just fine." - Robin
Applies to everything you build.
What a beautiful refrigerator. Built better than off the shelf.
Bonjour Stephen,
I never stop admiring your different skillness but today, I wish sharing with you : "Bonnes Fêtes",
Amicalement, Raphaël
Love watching the progress. I restore aircraft and your attention to detail and planning as you solve problems is much like what we do. It is encouraging. Plus 1 on strapping or cradling any tanks you put in which bridge across multiple frames. None of our tanks are rigidly mounted to allow them to float inside their straps or cradles avoiding working the tank as the structure moves around it. Look forward to watching your adventures for years to come. Merry Christmas!
Buying a fridge may have been easier and maybe even cheaper, but add the value of the experience, skills learned, and the satisfaction of making it yourself... and there really is no comparison.
Merry Christmas to you all! Morning chores finished. Ample wood for both kitchen stove and livingroom chimney. Wife cooking up a storm for this evening and tomorrow's meals; Traditional French Christmas in Normandy,....cheers...richard
Hello Richard! Happy Friday!
@@AcornToArabella Your refrigerator is a work of ART...Bravo!
The Rolls Royce of fridges! Beautiful work. Merry Christmas!
Yes, clever idea using the fairing compound to 'seat' the refer covers. Worked out well
The comments asking why you don't just buy a fridge are hilarious to me. Of course it would be faster (and maybe cheaper) to buy one. It also would have been cheaper and faster to just buy a boat instead of building one! Making it yourself and your own is the entire point of this project and channel. It looks great and I hope it does exactly what you want.
Wow! What an episode! Well done! And that moment at the end! Soo intimate. You two are amazing!
The fridge/freezer top is fantastic, very nicely done 👍
Knocked it out of the park!!!! Stunning!
A great bit of workmanship. It looks great.
Nice job Steve. Looks great.