You might be right, Edwin. I believe we are going to be doing some wedge splitting later on. But as of now this new method of using the bone adze and chiseling away at the wood actually removes a significant amount of material.
Mesolithic Boat Build and Enclosure
- Thread starter THOaken
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Combine the two methods. Bone chisel down the sides then chip out the middle in bigger chunks.
More work on the boat. As I said earlier, we've decided to go for the more labour intensive approach, so today we mostly used bone tools to carve away at the wood. We are also gouging out the wood too. We tried hammering with the mallets and bone adzes, however not surprisingly the bone doesn't hold up well, so we switched to making large oak wedges instead. We have also decided, however, as we have yet to receive the stone tools which were ordered a while ago, we are once again using the bronze adzes as a main component. I'm not happy with this and a few others aren't, but it has to be done. The deadline is the end of this month. My complaint, although I deeply appreciate being able to work on this project, is that one would think we should be using the stone adzes at the start of the project. It has been a bit organized to say the least. Great fun, but there has been a few problems. I'm all for authenticity, but we do need to get this done. At least we aren't chainsawing the thing. We've spent many many days working ourselves crazy in the heat, lighting fires, working with antler, shells, bone and bronze adzes. Yes, it won't be a fully mesolithic boat, but we have tried mesolithic tools. The bronze is just to speed things up a bit.
Using the bone adze. It takes a lot of work to remove material and it's very easy to chip.
We've been using mallets to drive the bone into the wood, which does work, but we don't want to risk breaking the tool again, so we moved on to more reliable oak wedges.
Splitting the wedges. After we split them we either used an axe or a draw knife to think them.
And at the end of the day we just decided it was best to switch to the bronze adzes and one axe for now.
I do hope you're all enjoying reading these.
Thanks.
Using the bone adze. It takes a lot of work to remove material and it's very easy to chip.
We've been using mallets to drive the bone into the wood, which does work, but we don't want to risk breaking the tool again, so we moved on to more reliable oak wedges.
Splitting the wedges. After we split them we either used an axe or a draw knife to think them.
And at the end of the day we just decided it was best to switch to the bronze adzes and one axe for now.
I do hope you're all enjoying reading these.
Thanks.
Two new blog posts:
http://www.theeurybiaproject.blogspot.co.uk/
And new pictures of me from a couple of days ago, one using the bone adze and the other holding it for use with the mallet (David Freeman's "Hammer of the Gods")
http://www.theeurybiaproject.blogspot.co.uk/
And new pictures of me from a couple of days ago, one using the bone adze and the other holding it for use with the mallet (David Freeman's "Hammer of the Gods")
Work continues on the boat, using steel tools for now.
Had a stomach bug over the weekend and into the first half of the new week, so I came back to see a lot of progress on the hollowing out of the Eurybia.
Measuring material removed from the other boat, the Epimetheus.
Had a stomach bug over the weekend and into the first half of the new week, so I came back to see a lot of progress on the hollowing out of the Eurybia.
Measuring material removed from the other boat, the Epimetheus.
The boat is almost complete. The hollowing out is almost done and we're getting on to shaping the front. Unfortunately we've not got the flint tools yet, but we'll definitely be getting them in the next couple of days. I know, I know, it's almost the end of the project and we haven't had ANY stone tools. It's not ideal, but it's just the way it is. We should've had the flint tools from the start. 100% of the work is now using steel tools. I returned to the farm to see they had chainsawed two sections off, front and back. It's still a long boat, though, despite its being chainsawed. One of these sections will be used for flint experimentation soon. A fairly standard day, just removing material with the steel adzes, axes, wooden mallets, etc. I'm a bit saddended that it's turned into a modern boat project, but I have to remind myself that we have used fire, antler, shells, bronze and steel. Although it's not a mesolithic boat at all now, it's still nice to have used a range of tools from different eras.
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I can fully understand your feelings.
My thoughts, less than 2cents worth.
Hollowing by firing I can see working (I've seen trees hollowed out by fire in Australia). If I were doing it I'd place the log on a slant so that fire was running up it, and lay other smaller logs nearby to create a 'chimney' effect. I'd also keep it going 24hrs a day. Use clay slapped on the wood to prevent wood charring when enough material was removed from an area.
The firing will have hardened the wood greatly so working that area would be very difficult.
Stability - are you going to have outriggers?
My thoughts, less than 2cents worth.
Hollowing by firing I can see working (I've seen trees hollowed out by fire in Australia). If I were doing it I'd place the log on a slant so that fire was running up it, and lay other smaller logs nearby to create a 'chimney' effect. I'd also keep it going 24hrs a day. Use clay slapped on the wood to prevent wood charring when enough material was removed from an area.
The firing will have hardened the wood greatly so working that area would be very difficult.
Stability - are you going to have outriggers?
Dreadhead
Bushcrafter through and through
fantastic project looks like it's coming along nicely, I would second mrcharly, will it have outriggers?
It's really coming along and taking shape.
I can understand your frustrations but needs must I suppose. I'm really interested to see the bone adze - never seen one before and it's a lovely looking tool.
The "Hammer of the Gods" is a serious looking tool, can imagine a drunk and slightly miffed dwarf wielding that in a melee with a crowd backing away from him.
Keep up the progress reports, I'm really enjoying seeing how the project progresses.
ATB,
GB.
I can understand your frustrations but needs must I suppose. I'm really interested to see the bone adze - never seen one before and it's a lovely looking tool.
The "Hammer of the Gods" is a serious looking tool, can imagine a drunk and slightly miffed dwarf wielding that in a melee with a crowd backing away from him.
Keep up the progress reports, I'm really enjoying seeing how the project progresses.
ATB,
GB.
Thanks everyone.
As far as I know it won't have outriggers. The stability comes mainly from the flattened bottom side which we done at the start of the project with the bronze adzes. Upon completion the boat will look just as it does now, except neatened up and the front end made circular, if that makes any sense. We've had a lot of concerns about stability, but the flattened bottom should do it. I really don't know much about boats or boat terminology, but Ryan Watts assures me it's fine. I believe the last boat build he did was the using the same method, so it should work again. People have wondered if it's too narrow, but they often think you sit in it in a full sitting position, but it's just a case of kneeling in it and rowing, nothing too complicated as far as I'm aware. No matter that it's not entirely Mesolithic, it's still generated a lot of interest and I've been talking to a lot of the public about it. I don't know if I mentioned it before, but on the 30th-31st August there is an event called Secrets of the Heath in Petersfield and we're going to be launching it at the lake. I've never been to Secrets of the Heath, but they do it every year apparently. It'll have the Butser Roman Legion, the boat launch, flint knappers, medieval knights and highway women I think. Those same dates are also when Butser is hosting a weekend re-enactment festival and lots of people are going to be at the farm. I know Edwin is going to come down, so it'll be interesting to meet him if I do.
All in all, it's hard work (voluntary 9:30 - 4:00), but a very valuable experience.
Glad you're all enjoying the reports.
As far as I know it won't have outriggers. The stability comes mainly from the flattened bottom side which we done at the start of the project with the bronze adzes. Upon completion the boat will look just as it does now, except neatened up and the front end made circular, if that makes any sense. We've had a lot of concerns about stability, but the flattened bottom should do it. I really don't know much about boats or boat terminology, but Ryan Watts assures me it's fine. I believe the last boat build he did was the using the same method, so it should work again. People have wondered if it's too narrow, but they often think you sit in it in a full sitting position, but it's just a case of kneeling in it and rowing, nothing too complicated as far as I'm aware. No matter that it's not entirely Mesolithic, it's still generated a lot of interest and I've been talking to a lot of the public about it. I don't know if I mentioned it before, but on the 30th-31st August there is an event called Secrets of the Heath in Petersfield and we're going to be launching it at the lake. I've never been to Secrets of the Heath, but they do it every year apparently. It'll have the Butser Roman Legion, the boat launch, flint knappers, medieval knights and highway women I think. Those same dates are also when Butser is hosting a weekend re-enactment festival and lots of people are going to be at the farm. I know Edwin is going to come down, so it'll be interesting to meet him if I do.
All in all, it's hard work (voluntary 9:30 - 4:00), but a very valuable experience.
Glad you're all enjoying the reports.
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Great work there THOaken Shame it couldn't be a genuine Mesolithic build, but with time constraints and lack of correct tools, something had to give. Remember the many lessons learned, and be proud to have been involved in such a great project right from the start. 
Part of my voluntary duties include posing for ridiculous photos, apparently. I needed a break and this was one way to get out of work for a while! 
One of the education team members came to see how the boat was progressing and couldn't help posing.
"Log boat Venetian style"
(21st August)
On a more serious note, thanks to Crosslandkelly and everyone else for the interest that's been generated on the project. I hope you'll all get visit the Farm one day and see the boat.
One of the education team members came to see how the boat was progressing and couldn't help posing.
"Log boat Venetian style"
(21st August)
On a more serious note, thanks to Crosslandkelly and everyone else for the interest that's been generated on the project. I hope you'll all get visit the Farm one day and see the boat.
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I'm not entirely sure how the weekend is planned. I just know I'll be at the Secrets of the Heath launch at Petersfield Heath for the launching of the boat. I think after we launch it and have spent a few hours there we are going back to Butser. It's a bit inconvenient that the Iron Age weekend is on the same day as the Secrets of the Heath, meaning that people will be scattered and may miss the opportunity to see the boat. SotH is a two day event though, so you can come on the Sunday if you're planning to stay at Butser the entire day on the Saturday. I'm not quite sure. I'll have to get more info.
Almost done. Came back to see the front end cut to shape with the chainsaw. Work today was just removing more material from the sides, and the front and back ends. We tried lifting the boat with about six of us but we found it's heavier than expected, so we came up with a few ideas as to how it'll be transported to the lake. Pegs were put in the underside to plug the holes that were drilled to gauge the thickness. A belt sander (I believe) was used for a bit to see if we can get a smooth finish, but it didn't really work. So only a few days work left and it'll finally be done.
I'm not surprised the sander didn't work too well! That's a very rough finish to then be sanding. I would think a better hand tooled finish could be done (though of course, it all takes time)
Indeed. I think small clean cuts will do the trick, but I'm not sure if we have enough time, so it'll be interesting to see which method will be used to smooth it in the end.
Thanks for looking.
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