Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-11

ployment at the Crossett shoe fac
tory in this city. The demand for
their product was spontaneous, each
boat made and sold creating great
err market. In every case would-be
purchasers sought them out, as the
models were never placed In the re-
tail stores or advertised.
october 20 the little business Sc
cured the present tiny shop on the
second floor of the building at the
corner of Bridge and Water streets,
and it is here that the two men are
now working on the seventh hun
dred of q thousand lot of the little
Marbleheads. The partners plan to
take their winters output to Booth
bay Harbor next summer. where
they expect the sales will pay for
their vacations at the seaside. 1t Is
also interesting that so exact are
the little 24-inch models, that one
of them has been fitted with decks
and cabin and is the model for q
24-footer, which they plan to build
for their own use in the waters OF
Boothbay Harbor and vicinity.
The makers of these clever mod
els enjoy their spare time occupa-
ton, and take especial pride in max
ing each boat smooth and tight.
They have devised special labor saw
ing appliances to speed up and make
! uniform their production, but each
| and every boat is inspected and I'm
ished off by hand before being
painted.
They use nothing but absolutely
clear, straight grained white pine in
the construction Of the boats, with
the mast and boom made from birch
bowels. The stock is milled and
planed at the plant Of Tracy & Met
calf. Ia inch by inches for side
planking, and Ia inch by 6 inches
for bottoms. The sides and bottoms
are shaped by hand to a pattern
in their own shop, as are the pieces
for the nose, stern. rear and center
and stern pieces are screwed into
place, with wire brads used in the
other construction. The little main
sail and jib are set with grommets.
and are attached to the mast and
boom with brass rings. The boom
is connected to the mast by brass
screw eyes.
A convenient bench has been de-
vised with specially constructed
| vises. A wooden form is in posi-
ton and the side planks are drawn
| into position against this form by
the wise clamps. and then securely
braided. The seat thwarts, stern
and nose pieces are all built into
place in the one process and then
the bottom attached. After joint
| ing and sandpapering the boat is
then ready for its coat Of paint and
the stepping of the mast. The boats
are fitted with half round gunwale.
which is painted bright red. with
the hull white "Barreled Sunlight"
and the mast and boom shellaced.
Each tiny model has a name
painted on its sides, and one name
which has been found to have ex-
ceptional popularity is "Buddie."
! Without cargo the models ride per-
, fectly on the water. and with three
! common bricks and the mainsheet
tied in position the boat sails off in
the wind with beautiful precision
Light, the Marblehead boats draw
about a half inch Of water.
| Several of the models have been
built with decks and finished in spe-
cial color combinations. From time
to time Gray and Greenleaf receive
orders for special fittings on the
models, which they are always
! pleased to execute with the utmost
care in craftsmanship. The toy
boat building has been a pleasure to
the two men as we'll as returning
them handsome profit.