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Photograph of Nigel Gray building his boat in his garage

Nigel Gray

Nigel belongs to: The Coble and Keelboat Society

Nigel was born near Hexham. He has always been interested in traditional boats and has operated a variety of wooden boats for commercial and recreational purposes. He has recently built his own boat in his garage using traditional tools and techniques.

Nigel was interviewed by Carl Greenwood on 13 November 2005. The interview took place at the Interviewee's living room and lasted 34 minutes and 25 seconds.

Photograph of Nigel Gray building his boat in his garage
Photograph of Nigel Gray building his boat in his garage

Sound of the augur

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"Right, what this is this is using a long shipwright’s augur to drill through wood"

Right, what this is this is using a long shipwright’s augur to drill through wood. One of the jobs that shipwrights and shipbuilders have to do is drill long and accurate holes, often up to three feet deep through hard wood, like oak. What I’m using now is using a traditional shipwright’s augur with a hand brace as opposed to any mechanical aid. The beauty of this is that you’ve a lot of control over the direction and speed of which you’re cutting at. But it is hard work.

(Sounds of augur screwing through wood)

We’re just entering the wood there with the fine point of the augur. The point of the augur is that the very tip has a screw thread on it, that screw thread engages with the wood and then draws the augur in as you push it. The benefit of this is that it helps keep the drill on a good course.

(Sounds of augur screwing through wood)

We’re through.

We’ll drill another one and see if we get as good a result as that, here we go.

(Sounds of augur screwing through wood)

Right!

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This memory has these themes:
Equipment | Skills | Sounds and Smells | Traditions

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