Applied Metal BoatBuilding Methods: Sheetmetal Pattern Development

’Metal Fabrication’ is the creation of metal structures by cutting and bending sheet metal, than assembling those formed components into a pre-determined product. ’Fabrication of Metal Hull Integrals’ - ’By way of Bend Allowance and Bend Deduction’ is basic to rounding out your metalworking layout skills.

It is a complete guide to all persons in the metal fabrication industry be they Precision Metal Fabricators or ’One Of’ Metal Boat Builders. In the case on ’One Of’ boat builders ’Applied Metal Boatbuilding Methods’ - ’Sheetmetal Pattern Development’ ’Fabrication of Metal Hull Integrals’ - ’By way of Bend Allowance and Bend Deduction’ picks up after the hull and deck of a boat is constructed. Beginning another phase of the build with the fabrication of integrals such as but not limited to: Coamings, Hatches, Window Ports, Companionways, and Tanks. Some builder may ever want to fabricate there own steel mast and booms.

Fabrication of these components by the builder is another major economic advantage of building in steel or aluminum. Components such as these can be fabricated for a fraction of the cost over purchased manufactured versions of the product. Custom fabricated steel components are also more in keeping with the hulls construction material ensuing a harmonious steel design that is not attainable using components designed for another construction material. Layout and fabrication of these type of components are determined by well-established empirical formulas known as ’Bend Allowance’ and ’Bend Deduction’.

These formulas are in universal use throughout the metal fabrication industry. ’Fabrication of Metal Hull Integrals’ - ’By way of Bend Allowance and Bend Deduction’ is a Metal Fabricators course in ’Precision Sheet Metal Layout’. Teaching the theory, principles and application of these well-established Sheetmetal layout formulas to calculate the cut sizes, locations of bend lines and interior features demonstrated through the fabrication of marine components typical to steel and aluminum pleasure craft.

The Author, Dennis Schaffer, has a 30 year career in the architectural metal work field. He began on the shop floor in pattern development, progressing to CNC Programming and Design. He is considered an amateur boat builder, building several plywood and steel boats. Dennis graduated from Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology in 1991 studying small craft design. He has contributed several articles on steel construction methods, published in ’Boatbuilder’ magazine. Dennis’ most current build, the ’Bezier 12.5’ illustrates his method to fabricate a true round metal utilizing Bezier Chine design and construction. A simple, consistent and predictable method of construction.