Alright, let me tell you about this little project I got myself into, messing around with what they call a ‘basienka hull’. It wasn’t some grand plan, really. I just saw a picture somewhere, maybe in an old book, can’t quite recall. Looked kinda unique, this hull shape. Got me thinking.
So, I decided, why not try building a small one? A model, maybe something bigger if it went well. First thing was figuring out the shape. No proper blueprints, you see. Just sketches and that one picture. Spent a good weekend just drawing, trying to get the curves right on paper. Lots of erasing, let me tell you. Felt like being back in school, but less boring.
Getting Started with the Wood
Next up, materials. I needed some thin wood strips. Plywood felt like cheating for this old style. Went down to the local lumber place, the one run by old man Fitzwilliam. He looked at my sketches, squinted, and mumbled something about it looking like a boat his uncle used to have. Found me some decent cedar strips, light and bendy enough. Cost a bit more than I expected, but what doesn’t these days?
Back in my garage, I cleared out a space. My garage is usually a mess, tools everywhere, bits of old projects. Had to shove the lawnmower and bikes into a corner. Then I built a simple frame, like a skeleton, to shape the hull around. Just some scrap wood screwed together, based on the shapes I’d drawn.
Bending and Fixing
Now for the tricky part – bending those cedar strips. I rigged up a makeshift steam box using an old kettle and some pipe. It worked, kinda. Filled the garage with steam, smelled like a sauna. You gotta be quick, pull the hot, wet wood out, bend it around the frame, and clamp it fast before it cools. Burned my fingers a couple of times. Patience is key here. Clamp, wait, clamp some more. It took days, doing a few strips each evening after work.
- Steaming the wood strips.
- Bending them carefully around the frame.
- Lots and lots of clamping.
- Waiting for things to dry and set.
There were moments I almost gave up. One strip cracked right down the middle. Made me curse quite a bit. Had to toss it and steam a new one. My wife kept asking what that strange smell was. Just told her it was ‘creative expression’. She just rolled her eyes. You know how it is.
Putting it all Together
Once all the strips were bent and glued edge-to-edge, it started looking like a real hull. Like magic, almost. Seeing the shape come together, the ‘basienka’ curves taking form, that was pretty satisfying. Still rough, mind you. Lots of gaps to fill and sanding to do.
Spent another week or so just sanding. Started with rough paper, then finer and finer. Dust everywhere. Had to wear a mask, looked like a bandit in my own garage. But slowly, it got smoother. You run your hand over it, feel the lines. That’s the reward, I guess.
Finishing Touches
Finally, I sealed it. Used a clear epoxy resin. Brushed it on carefully. Really brought out the color of the cedar. Made it look finished, solid. It’s not perfect, got a few rough spots if you look close. But it’s mine. I made it.
So yeah, that was my adventure with the basienka hull. Took longer than I thought, more fiddly work too. But it kept me busy, learned a thing or two about bending wood. It’s sitting in the garage now, looking pretty good. Not sure what I’ll do with it yet. Maybe just keep it as a reminder that trying something new, even if it’s just from an old picture, can be pretty darn rewarding.
