Model - Building Jig and Mould setup

Here's a view of my Model building jig with moulds set up and lining off testing in process. (it's not a great background for the pic but you will get a better view in posts on the lining off process).

I cut the moulds out of uniform rectangular shaped 6mm marine ply - it was pretty cheap stuff from the hardware store but had a nice smooth facing which was great for drawing on. By using the uniform rectangular pieces I now have two sets of moulds - Male and Female. I will be using the Male Moulds for the sheer and lining off checking process.  The Female Moulds might be useful later (once I have final patterns for planking) to use trimmed edge versions of these to fill in the Female moulds (i.e like a stitch and glue process). This would give me a clean internal version of the hull to model the internals (some insurance against me stuffing up the Male mould version when I try to pull the moulds out of the planking). I read about the female mould approach to modelling in an article by Danny Greene in Wooden Boat Magazine last year.

Anyway here's a view of the building jig with moulds set up and stem, keelson and transom in place. The jig sits on a solid melomine faced piece of chipboard. I've got snap hook sling at each end so I can hang it up in the boatshed.  The stem and keelson have been a bit of a learning process - more on that later.