I previously stated that considerable upward pressure was needed mid-length on each new Cypress strip to get its top edge flush with the installed strip. I also stated how the mid-length top edge of the new strip wanted to cup towards the keel line thus needed extra pressure to behave.
Not knowing any better, I figured that I would use increasing pressure to force each strip upward and against the topside. No strip will defeat me.
Tom Lathrop’s (Bluejacket designer) recent recommendation to me to start "spiling" each strip was based on the above issues I was encountering. So my first step was to figure out what is "spiling".
For those of you now laughing, please keep in mine that I have only owned fiberglass boats thus was clueless on what happens in the quest to fit a plank on a boat hull with its ever changing shape.
I did my research and learned of approaches of using templates, and tools such as a pencil compass to scrib a new plank to the previously installed plank.
My Cypress strip spiling was a relatively easy problem to overcome. Holding a new strip against the installed one, an air gap in the top edge would occur about mid length on the strip. Using a block plane, I started trimming the top edge of the new strip at each end and working towards mid-length as required. The air gap would start to close. Once the strip was properly shaped I put the bevel edge on it.
The first strip I did took about an hour as I assumed I was launching into an esoteric task thus worked oh so carefully. The last strip I did took 10 minutes. With a easy learning curve the task is very simple and necessary. Spiling the ceiling strips avoids heavy, or in a perfect world, no upward clamping at mid-length for each strip.
The first strip I spiled made up for much of the error I introduced by being tardy in starting the spiling. I should have started looooouuuu8ioruthe spch nkas- (my cat Wolfie just walked across the keyboard) spiling on the first strip after the glue cleat for the shelf.
Look at the strips and answer this question: Which strip did spiling start on? Its end is noticable thinner in width than the other strips. Answer appears in the next picture.
