Classic Yacht TVvideo
EP08 Making laminated frames, last timber floor, summer recap #2: Building the schooner Malabar IV
December 2, 2025 · 21 min · 7K views
What this video covers
Laminated frame construction for the schooner Malabar IV is demonstrated in detail, covering the full sequence from loft floor to finished frame. Patterns taken from the loft floor are transferred to a laminating table — a heavy plywood sheet on a table base — where blocks are bolted along the drawn station lines to form the mould.▶ 13:52 Straight-grained, seasoned oak laminates are cut to a thickness that allows them to bend around the mould without excessive force, then glued up with resorcinol glue, chosen over epoxy for its superior adhesion with oak and its compatibility with slightly damp timber.▶ 14:54 Clamps hold the layup while heat is applied under tarps to accelerate cure; once released, the frame passes through a planer before bevels are marked and cut by bandsaw.▶ 15:54 The build mixes steamed frames — using American White Oak, which steam-bends readily — with laminated frames at alternate stations, a combination the builder says falls within Lloyd's Register construction rules.▶ 20:03 A laser level set to the correct waterline height replaces the traditional string-and-plumb-bob method for aligning frames, giving faster and more precise results across the full frame depth.▶ 1:09 The last timber floor is also fitted and nailed rather than bolted, so it can be driven tight through the timber.▶ 5:09 Resorcinol glue, when used correctly, makes a laminated frame a fully structural element comparable to a sawn frame.▶ 19:04
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