Building Orca - Episode 18: Orca Lettering at Metal Works
September 16, 2025 · 24 min · 28K views · Tiverton, Rhode Island
What this video covers
Louis Sauzedde visits a metal fabrication shop in Tiverton, Rhode Island, to commission custom copper lettering for the transom of the boat Orca.▶ 1:44 Based on historical photographs, Sauzedde determines the original letters were approximately 10 inches square and fastened with screws.▶ 0:52 The shop owners, who specialize in architectural sheet metal, recommend using 32-ounce copper for durability.▶ 13:55 To maintain the historical aesthetic, the shop uses hand-held offset shears to cut the letters from the copper sheet, rather than automated machinery.▶ 16:37 The process involves taping a paper template to the metal, punching a starter hole for the interior of the letters, and cutting along the pattern lines.▶ 20:20 Sauzedde plans to mount the finished copper letters to the transom using bronze flathead wood screws, countersunk to sit flush.▶ 14:59 The project aims to replicate the specific, weathered appearance of the original Orca lettering, including the characteristic tarnish and staining visible in archival images.▶ 23:22
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