Finishing a Sailboat Mast

I was going to add the pictures I took today to the sailboat mast post below, but I thought it would make it just too long. Here they are as a separate entry. The whole mastmaking process was great, and took me back to my Windsor chairmaking woodworking roots of handtools, spokeshaving and carving. In the day to day rush to make a living, we sometime forget the pleasure to be had from a sharp handtool and the eye/hand work that goes with using it .... And, sometimes it takes some weekend work to appreciate differently the work you do during the week ....

I knew how I wanted to finish the mast transition from square to round, and I knew the detail was called a 'Lamb's Tongue'. Googled it up, and the video was great. Hats off to Woodsmith magazine ....

square to round point

step one

quickly rough carved with chisels and finished with a rasp and sandpaper ... about 20 minutes per tongue ...

Pete and the boat co-owner, Chris with Pete doing the final spokeshaving

The finished transition

Off to the garage where Pete will paint it this week ... We'll mount it to the tabernacle that Sam is building and hang the rigging in due time ... hopefully in the next couple of weekends ... click the photos to enlarge them