the Argobuilder; Craftsmanship, Adventure, Enjoying Life!
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    • Sailing from Door County to the UP Michigan
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    • From Manitowoc to Algoma and back on a small boat, 2017

Making Wooden Deadlights (Portholes) for SCAMP "ARGO"

The brass portholes were too expensive so I decided to make my own...

There are some beautiful brass portholes available from England, but at many hundreds of dollars each, I decided to build my own deadlights. I had seen others on the SCAMP forum build their own from wood, so that's what I will do. It is important to note that these deadlights/portholes/portlights on the SCAMP do not keep water out of a submerged, or even interior, part of the boat, they are "windows" in an exterior cockpit canopy. I think this design is suitable for this application, but I would not use this design in a submerged application, or one where the porthole was holding back water from an interior compartment or cabin.
Picture
Picture
Rings sketched onto a piece of scrap 1/4" plywood.
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After I cut the OD's of the rings I screwed them all together as shown, and drilled the holes so the holes will be aligned. Then I cut out the ID.
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Cut out rings. The plexiglass is 1/4" thick and will be cut out on the band saw with a narrow blade.
Making SCAMP portholes, Making SCAMP deadlights,
Epoxy the middle ring to the outer ring to make the rabbet in which the glass will rest. I put down plastic so that the rings wouldn't get glued down to the table, and I used lightly greased screws to align and clamp the pieces together.
Picture
After two coats of epoxy I sanded the pieces and used a chisel to finely scrape the rabbet to ensure that it is flat and square. Then two coats of spray primer and light sanding.
SCAMP portlight, SCAMP deadlight, SCAMP porthole
Finished deadlight. 2 coats epoxy, 2 coats primer, 2 coats hammered metal rustoleum spray paint. The glass is installed but it is hard to see; it is not glued in place just held in place by the retention ring.
SCAMP Porthole, SCAMP Deadlight
Deadlight mounted into the cabinside of the SCAMP Sailboat Argo. Bedded in clear silicone.
Picture
Interior view of installed deadlight. machine screws ground flush with nuts. For some extra detail, I painted the ID surface of the sidewall red.
Copyright 2016 - 2022 www.argobuilder.com ALL photos and writing are by the Argo Builder and his crew, unless noted otherwise. Contact jason@argobuilder.com to request permission to use any writing or images from this site. Thanks. Use the information at your own risk, please ​make safety your first priority, the author does not claim responsibility for the accuracy ​or inaccuracy of any information on this site
  • Home
  • The Shipyard
    • Building SCAMP "ARGO"
    • Compac 16 Pilothouse
    • Building a Kaholo SUP
    • Making a SUP Paddle
    • Ships' Provisions
    • True Seafaring Tales: Book Reviews
    • Nautical Fiction: Book Reviews
    • Seafaring and Boat Building Reference Books
  • The Woods of Arcady
    • Wisconsin Mushroom Hunting
    • Wisconsin Wildflower Photo Gallery
    • Making Apple Cider
    • Making Maple Syrup
    • Building a Stone Arch
    • Making Traditional Wooden Skis
  • The Homestead
    • The Warp and Weft >
      • Making a Large Tapestry Loom
      • Making a Small Hand Loom
      • Weaving Projects for Small Hand Loom
      • Beautiful Handmade Tapestry Beaters
    • The Merry Blacksmith
    • Making Cheese
    • Wooden Cheese Boxes
    • How to Make Pickled Pike
    • Wisconsin Bluegill Fry
    • Making Wooden Spoons by Hand
    • Handmade Wooden Dustpans
    • Making Broom-Corn Brooms
    • Making Horsehair Brushes and Brooms
  • The Muse
    • Poetry
    • Antique Typewriters >
      • Underwood Standard Portable 3 Bank Typewriter
      • Corona 3 Folder Typewriter Refurbishment
      • Typewriter Platen Replacement
      • Design of Rubber Parts for Antique Typewriters
    • Making an Alphorn
    • Alphorn Gallery
    • Making an Alphorn Bag
    • Viking Lur
  • The Model Maker
    • Making a booknook
    • Krick Alexandra Steam Launch >
      • Assembling Miniature Steam Model Clyde Oscillating Steam Engine
    • Ship Model FD 10 Arnanes Fishing Smack Johanna
    • Artesania Latina, Cargo Ship "Capri"
    • Building a Ship in a Bottle
    • Model of a Disney Water Taxi
    • BlueJacket Optimist Sailboat Model
    • Oseberg Viking Ship Model
    • Making a Cuckoo Clock
    • 3D Print Workshop
    • 3D Printed Object Gallery
  • Tales of Adventure
    • Sailing from Door County to the UP Michigan
    • Sailing Northern Door County
    • Sailing Lake Superior Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
    • Sailing Lake Huron: St.Ignace, Mackinac Island, Les Cheneaux Islands, St Martin Islands
    • From Manitowoc to Algoma and back on a small boat, 2017