Making a Shipwright's Framing Slick

In preparation to work on "Arabella" I make a 2" Shipwright's Framing Slick. Using a inexpensive wood chisel I repurpose it with a custom lathe turned cherry handle to make a handy small framing slick.
“If you’re going to make it, make it beautiful.”
Bob Emser
Subscribe for more Boat Building from The Art of Boat Building:
www.youtube.co...
Share this video with a friend:
• Making a Shipwright's ...
How to support The Art of Boat Building.
Purchase Official Merchandise here:
www.bonfire.co...
Become a Patron:
/ theartofboatbuilding
Watch next
Recommended Playlists
Carvel Planking Playlist:
• Carvel Planking
Haven 12 1/2 Playlist:
• Season 2 - Haven 12 1/2
Tool Making:
• Tool Making
Let’s connect:
Facebook:
/ bobemseramericansculptor
Instagram:
/ artofboatbuilding
Twitter:
/ bobemser
Linkedin:
/ bobemser
Bob Emser American Sculptor:
www.bobemser.com
Video equipment used:
CanonM50: amzn.to/2TVob5l
Takstar SGC-598 (shotgun mic): amzn.to/2ZSVmup
Saramonic Lavalier Mic amzn.to/3drnZCK
Disclaimer: Some of these links go to one of my websites and some are affiliate links where I’d earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
#theartofboatbuilding #artofboatbuilding #makeitbeautiful#woodenboatbuilding #buildingasmallboat #buildingasailboat #shipwright #toolbuilding #Haven12 #herreshoff #shipwright

[@clarkkent7999]

Another beautiful and functional tool. 100% successful modification. It must be very satisfying to have such diverse skills and an eye for adaptation and the repurposing of materials at hand.

[@fernandofert9960]

It's the start of the Boatbuilding Crossover Week. Very nice.

[@JenkinsBoatWorks]

Isn't KZbin awesome? we connect with each other so easily! Alix showed up at Leo's place and now Bob is in Mass with Stephen. I need go go see the Six Points woodworking project! The more I think about it, there is Pete with Leo and he was at the Western Flyer project. What a community

[@tombaker3794]

Looks like an OSHA approved belt Drive on the lathe. Wood work, metal work, sculpture creations, a true Jack Of All Trades. Nice work.

[@brianharrell7857]

I found a boatbuilders slick from the late 1800s at a junk store. After fixing the socket, turning a handle, and sharpening it turns out to be a great tool. The blade is at least 10" long. The weight and ability to two hand it makes it easy to use.

[@tomtruesdale6901]

Beautiful tool and I can't believe you made it from a "big box store" chisel. Great job.

[@mattevans-koch9353]

Thank you Bob for filling in for Alix and adding your sculpting skills to Arabella. Beautiful work on the slick. Arabella is going to be a beautiful boat touched by many hands and it is good to see yours added to the crew. Take care and stay well.

[@stephencooney6509]

Once again, Bob, you have made a tool that I want to make. I've made a set of 8 Klemsia clamps, a mini bevel gauge, and a compass. Now, I guess I will be on the lookout for an inexpensive 2" chisel! Thanks for all of the inspirational tool videos.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Thanks Stephen, so happy you’re enjoying the tool builds. Cheers!

[@floridasaltlife]

Good for you going out to help Steve, he has a big project on his hands and I follow every episode.

[@davomontgomeryda3rd]

Awesome! Had I not seen this, I’d never guessed that beautiful slick actually started out as a standard hardware store Irwin chisel!

[@rongriswold]

I'm loving the crossovers! I know you've visited Arabella before, but nice to see you out there again and Alix making a cameo with Leo!

[@davidhenry7585]

Great way to have the tool functional for your application! Thanks for showing this.

[@DBacaMaker]

Hmmm...I have a 2" chisel I can't use on anything I want to use it on. This is probably the best solution I"ve seen. Thank you!

[@MCsCreations]

I was thinking the same thing. 😊 Looks much easier this way!

[@DBacaMaker]

@@MCsCreations YEAH MC!

[@richardbohlingsr3490]

Beautiful looking tool and should last a lifetime.

[@porkchop955]

Your videos are simply superb; exceeded only by the craftsmanship depicted.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Thanks Scott!

[@hypnocracy6102]

This is now a trifecta...Steve with a "The Art of Boat Building" Tee shirt in AtA video an a closing shot with that same Oak root stock...Alix in Sampson Boat Co and you in Steve and Alix Boat house with the slick. Nice

[@TheDecguy]

When I saw that you were going to make a slik I thought we’d be riding out to the local junk yard to look for a leaf spring out of an old truck. I was surprised when you bought the chisel. Looks good.

[@mrklyles]

Bob as you know my house is built from an old timber-frame barn. When I was building it I was really into timber-framing. There are some old timber-framers here in Ohio and once in a while I have run across them at flea markets. I have seen some amazing 19th century slicks I drooled over. Nice video as usual.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Thanks Kev!

[@mrklyles]

You’re welcome Bob. Tell Stephen I said hello. I’ve been following Acorn to Arabella and they are sure coming along nicely. I was going to say something about the possibility of you burning a hole in your boat with the cutting torch but realized it was an optical illusion in depth perception caused by a trick of the camera.

[@rh5971]

So glad I found your channel!!! I have been a fan of Steve and Alex from near the beginning. Cheers!

[@davidc6510]

Another great tool build video and so cool to see the flash back to you in the A2A boat shed. Thanks for sharing!

[@MCsCreations]

Really impressive work, Bob! It looks beautiful and works great! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Thanks!

[@boywonder6659]

What a great video. I need a slick back here in the UK to do some timber framing joints. They’re expensive to buy so your film was most welcome.

[@JDK45ACP]

Great video. Master Craftsmanship!!!

[@alihamadbeg7107]

I like this .

[@plakor6133]

Wow. Beautiful.

[@crggddns1]

Thank you! Making it beautiful!

[@felipericketts]

Yes, make it beautiful! And enjoy your self while you are at it. :-)

[@jackdotzman2908]

Every time I watch one of your vids I learn something, thank you. Did I mention you do beautiful work and have some ideas too, ideas that can help some achieve the quality you do. Thank you. From Missouri, Jack

[@pablocruzgilmour]

Great video, Bob. I feel like the angle might be a little aggressive for my preferences. When dealing with very large pieces of dense tropical hardwoods i prefer a slick with a shallower handle angle that you can really push into the work with speed and your body weight behind. I love the use of the old spindles. The fact that it’s perfectly seasoned cherry that’s been lying around for 25 years really made me smile. I’m glad you kept it. I’m sure it will be fine, but I would have put a ferrule on the end to prevent splitting. Just to give the end some reinforcement, I like the belt and braces approach. All in a great video. I might make a similar slick myself one day, 2” is a nice light size with two hands for overhead work.

[@JDK45ACP]

Nice.

[@PaymaanJafari]

A true master!

[@lunkydog]

Looks closer to 20° of bend than 10° but it certainly seems to work like a champ either way.

[@brianmckibben2300]

I love the craftsmanship and the beauty of the results. I build by a 10 foot rule. It only has to look good from 10 feet away as my boats get beat up with use and i'd be afraid to use a gold key boat for fear of damage.

[@PaulHarold]

Another beauty Bob.

[@dwaynekoblitz6032]

Hope to see you in an ATA episode. I love what they’re doing and have watched every episode.

[@nordyfamily]

Great stuff

[@wayphun72]

...."sabbatical", ya OK we're calling it that now, haha! Loved seeing you on Steve's job...your work was excellent, as usual.

[@doughunter3967]

good idea, pretty slick...doug

[@dondicey6528]

A really good trick on drilling the handle with a hand drill for the tang from Paul Sellers. ( If you don't have a drill chuck for the lathe) Involves making a slightly tapered hole (approx diameter of the larger section of the tapered handle) in a piece of stock and cutting a relief in the center down about 3-4". Once this is put in the vise, adjust the height to the height of the drill motor on the base of your bench and use the bottom of the drill casing to guide the drill perfectly as Paul would say. Works great all the time.

[@brianmcguire5005]

Love it man! Keep up the great work!!!

[@11thhourcustom]

Beautiful Work!👍

[@rick91443]

Always enjoy watching. cheers...rr Normandy, Fra.

[@williamwinter2638]

Your work is beautiful as usual. I have used antique slicks 3 and 4 inch wide which had no angle to the handle. And have only seen one with about 3 to 5 degrees on the handle. Are ship building slicks different from framing slicks? I know there is a special adze for ship work.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Hi William, You are correct most slicks are around 5º. I put a larger bend in it as I knew that I would be in some tight quarters using it. As I was paring the breast hook today I found it very handy and for my hands was quite comfortable. One of the beauties of owner made tools is you can make them the way you'd like. Thanks for the complement and for watching!

[@G_Money72]

Absolutely beautiful

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Thank you!

[@CleaveMountaineering]

Very nice idea and execution. I am looking for a slick and may have to try that. Tech Tip - when heating the tang to bend it, put a wet cloth or a potato over the blade to keep it cool enough you don't have to mess with heat treating the cutting edge. I wouldn't think tempering the tang area would be necessary if you let it slow cool after the bending work, but a 400 F soak shouldn't hurt anything if you feel like doing that.

[@Majoofi]

That angle looks pretty extreme. I also wonder whether that tang is long enough for suck a long handle

[@jaredlanny03]

i noticed the angle as well - however, like most user-made tools, one makes the tool how they intend to use it.... so.... if it's comfortable, then it's not too extreme. However, the tang length may be less of an issue than not having a ferrule on such a soft wood as cherry (which makes beautiful tool handles, in my experience). in the event that it starts to crack, that's how I'd solve it.

[@newtonmiller8810]

Very interesting, thank you,

[@jimdawson2549]

You are there and Alex is with Leo. You boat builders get around. Maybe you can help Mads next?

[@robertbamford8266]

Thanks for the video. It is a beautiful tool. Did you sneak a ferrule onto the handle? And decommissioning art. I’d never heard of that before. Ships (sad sometimes), but not art.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Hi Robert, No ferrule. A small slick like this will not have that much force on it as it is mainly a finish paring tool. Decommissioning or repurposing is common among sculptors. In art history is was common to see paintings painted over other painting. Sometimes by other artists. I certainly would not do that to another sculptors work. Thanks for watching!

[@SuperJaXXas]

Good work! What's the point of tempering if you didn't go through the hardening process?

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

When I heated the tang and quench it I removed the temper in that area. So I re-tempered it so the metal at the point won’t be brittle. Thanks for your question and watching!

[@RafaelHe]

Had you not dipped it in the oil after bending, there wouldn't have been a need to temper it. A ferrule would be helpful too, that's a massive tang. Even if one makes small shavings, a large handle like that creates large leverage and the handle may eventually break.

[@richardsiddon610]

Maples or Marples? Marples (Sheffield steel) used to make great tools here in the UK.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Marples

[@je-fq7ve]

Nice work. for youtubers it would be good to cover the blade while doing the work on it.

[@MrRourk]

You can find the best stuff at Menards!

[@rawbacon]

Wonderful times we live in when you can buy a chisel like that for only 10 bucks............If you look at old tool catalogs from 70-100 years ago the prices look good until you figure in inflation and realize something like a simple vise could cost a whole weeks pay, sometimes more.

[@jaredlanny03]

a good vise still costs that much... sadly... an high quality Wilton 5", for example, is over a thousand dollars.... though, of course, we also have lower end products available to us, today, at the lower prices.

[@johnlastname2397]

thanks again fro an other tool build

[@navidboroomand9872]

👍

[@daviddickmeyer5231]

Nicely done, but the angle of the handle looks like 5 degrees would be more comfortable to me...

[@roydaley3413]

Hi Bob. Is there a number on the Irwin chisel. I noticed they have a few variations. How does it hold the edge? Appreciate your content. Very well done.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

I’ll look when I return home in a couple of weeks.

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

The number on the package is 11Q. 2” or 51mm. Hope that helps. Cheers

[@roydaley3413]

@@TheArtofBoatBuilding Thanks Bob. Fantastic series. You should be proud.

[@bobcougar77]

I'm not sure if I like that angle on the slick. I think I'd prefer about half that.

[@christianrogers2361]

You could have called it a Post-modern slick had you not re-turned the handle.

[@BrunoWiebelt]

that was I nice tool , cool you help out at Arcon till Arabella, but but this big flame in a wooden boathouse ... I will not tell mam

[@TheArtofBoatBuilding]

Hi Bruno, I built the tool in my studio/boathouse before I came out to help Steve. No flames around Arabella! Cheers!

[@johngreystokeclayton]

You didn't make a slick...you put a new handle on a chisel.

[@andrewseaman7012]

if you angle the handle you cannot turn it around. You'd need another chisel.

[@thomasarussellsr]

Nice slick, but how do you visit another boat building channel and not talk to the guy/s about their boat? That was kinda weird, to me. Maybe on your next video, or on one of theirs? We'll see, I suppose.

[@steveward53]

Way too steep an angle there , even you make it look awkward to hold . ... and sorry to tell you but those Irwin/Marples chisels are very much bargain basement items , they'll hold an edge for about three hours (provided you don't show them a piece of wood ) and then you just throw them away , good for opening paint tins if you get a good'un ...