unusual to break strips while planing the edges to match the previous
> strip? Also, is it difficult to hold the strip while planing?

> It just seems to me that it would be hard to keep the strips steady
> through all this.

hi Ken,

My boat is a short one and has major bevel changes along some strips. At first I used the block plane method w/ the strip held in a 1/4in wide x 1/4in deep dado in the edge of a long 2x4 held in a workmate (nick's method?). Worked really well for continuous bevels but it is a nightmare to get the changes esp if they are quick. So I over bevelled lots of strips at the first and now I'm sweating bricks that when I sand and fair that larger and larger gaps will appear between my strips when now they look acceptable.

So I've modified my approach. I do not prebevel the strips, but bevel them in place on the form. I use the afore mentioned double bastard 10in file and file slightly over perpendicular to the form changing the bevel from form to form as each form changes. This is quite easy to judge, especially as the strip is right in place, and the form is right there a few inches away to make a good lineup and the flat file is long and slim and easy to judge as being normal to the surface. At the form I angle the file 45deg on one side and 45 deg on the other side so only a 1/8in x 1/8in 'nib' is left on the strip at each form. I just slice this off w/ an exacto knife laid flat on the bevel. I lay in the next strip with no bevel as the first one was overcut.

Now, I'm more sure of myself in bevelling, and while not a great carpenter, I know in the newer areas that big gaps wont be opening up. The file works quickly as you're not taking that much off.

-mick