Mast gluing and details

There are a couple of small details that need to be taken care of so we can get to gluing. The mast foot is already shaped so that end is done but the top end of the mast needs some attention.

Here are the two masthead sheaves nearing completion. The grooves were shaped with a rat tail file and a little patience. all told these took about 20 minutes.

A test fit with 1/4" line which is size of the future main and jib halyards (halyard = rope that pulls up a sail).

The plans call for a space between the sheaves but didn't specify what so here is our answer: a 1/8" thick piece of douglas fir ripped on the table saw from some beam scraps. The two sides of are coated in epoxy since they will be hard to reach.

The whole unit is then glued together and ready to drop into corresponding cutouts in the mast halves.

We don't need these quite yet, but right to left shows the process or making the thumb cleats which will hold the stays at the top of the mast. The grain is oriented parallel to the outside edge for maximum strength even though the stays will be pulling toward the mast and downward. Who knows one day someone, probably me,f may try raising the mast by pulling on one and I'd like them to not break.

Which all lead up to the big event of gluing and clamping the mast halves together. I have quadrupled my army of bar clamps but still don't have as many as I would have liked for this job.

All told it came out nicely though and it's good to have the spars roughed out and ready for finishing when the rest of the boat is farther along. We're still waiting for the day when we have something that looks like a boat, hopefully that day will be here soon.