Hitia 17- Alternative Mast Construction

Comment by Ricardo Aráoz on August 19, 2012 at 7:49am

I've had some experience with the Noble system masts. If you call D the mast diameter, and being H the height and W the width of the logs that make the mast, then you have that H = D x 0.2   and W = D x 0.4

The length of the logs will depend of the length of the mast. The 90 degrees cut is in what I call the width. If the mast's diameter varies through the mast just vary the width accordingly through the length of the logs. You don't need to clamp the mast just use plastic precincts or hose clamps if you feel more pressure is required. leave two opposite sides without glue, even better, put some tape on them so they won't get glued accidentally. This way you'll get two half masts. Then, if the plans require more solid mast (where the mast meets the deck if it is a through deck mast for example) you may glue some more wood inside to the specifications. And you may clean up the interior of the mast, put a couple of hands of epoxy to cover the inside and put some hoses for electrical conducts, etc.. Then you glue both halves, plane, and you have your mast.

HTH

Comment by Ricardo Aráoz on August 19, 2012 at 7:54am

If you use precincts it is straightforward, but please remember to tape the metallic hose clamps or they will be glued to your mast. For glueing just make a jig with V cutted pieces of wood where you'll lay the mast every 3 ft or so (remember if the mast tapers you'll need different heights but it does not need to be very precise). The mast is self jigging so nothing fancier is needed.

Comment by Ricardo Aráoz on August 19, 2012 at 5:20pm

This is the tip of a 12ft mast.

Comment by Ricardo Aráoz on August 19, 2012 at 5:22pm

The strips you can see glued inside (in the last photo) grow in width as the mast's diameter increases so as to keep the internal void remains roughly the same throughout the mast. It was clued in halves, cleaned up the interior, then added the strips and glued both halves.

Comment

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page