Frames 2,4 & 6 plus a scarfing jig

I permanently attached frames 2,4 and 6 today with no real dramas. I have also finished drilling all the clips ready to do frames 1 & 3 on Sunday.

I'm a bit worried about disturbing the glue on frames that are drying so I turned my attention to making a scarfing jig copying a design I found on the Glen-L forum. That didn't take to long and seems to work ok. I need to get beeswax or something to lubricate the slide on my table saw.

No work tomorrow as I am on duty at the station.

Frame 5 attached

I marked out and drilled the holes in the clips for attaching the frames in frames 2,3,4 & 5. Then took these to work and used the drill press to get nice square holes.

I also drilled the holes in the stringers for frames 2 & 3. Somehow I messed up frame 3, with one side of it out by about 10mm, still can't figure out how I managed that.

Lastly this afternoon, I permanently attached frame 5. This went without too much stress. The photo is with the job complete. Note the string level being used to check the frame is level across the stringers.

It almost looks like a boat

I threaded the frames onto the stringers and then leveled and bolted the stringers to the building form. All of a sudden it almost looks like a boat.

Leveling the stringers was a bit of a mission, they are close but not as perfect as I would like, but I ended up just chasing my tail trying to get them any closer.

Got frame 5 into its correct position and drilled the holes for the clips into the stringers. Went without too much problems, although I discovered I had forgotten to notch the frames to allow the floor timber to sit on the stringers. Easily fixed with the jig saw but I got a bit carried away and so have a but of overcut to fill with glue.

So ended the day with the frame 5 clips about half fitted.

Stringer Preparation complete

It's taken a while and I've had a few problems along the way, but finally they are complete and today they received the first coat of penetrating epoxy. I can't say I am 100% happy with them. I had a lot of trouble cutting the taper at the end. My jigsaw just refused to cut squarely.

I also picked up a second hand bench saw from my neighbor. It's a triton 2000. In great nick and was a good price. Can't try it out however as I can't raise any dust while the epoxy on the stringers is drying

Stringers have arrived

Got the call yesterday afternoon to say my LVL beams have arrived. This stuff is basically plywood, 45mm thick x 145 wide. It is cut dead straight, and being ply is dimensionally stable, it is also stronger than wood alone. But..... Its designed to replace 2x6 in buildings and as such is a bit rough when delivered. I have spent the afternoon filling various holes with epoxy. It also has a coating on it that i need to sand off so that the penetrating epoxy will soak in. I foresee about 3 or 4 days of time before i can start to shape them, most of that however will be waiting while the glue dries. Below is a photo of the LVL product.

I also took my clips to work today and used the drill press to drill the holes that bolt the clips to the stringers. I will mount them temporarily and mark the holes for the clips to frame bolt and then go back to work and drill those too. Nice square holes that way.

Building form and clips are done

The building form went up easier and quicker than expected.

I have also mostly finished the clips, going to drill the bolt holes at work on the drill press so they are nice and square.

I am now completely at a standstill waiting for materials. I have also decided i really need a bench saw from now on in. I have got away with a circular saw up until now, but just can't see that working for doing things like scarf joints and ripping long battens etc

Excitement is building

I have had very little chance to work on the boat this week, but finally today got some work done. I have been dry fitting the stem to frames 7 & 8. I have had a few problems to work through. On frame 8 the slot for the stem wasn't wide enough, this was relatively easily fixed with the router. Frame 7 however was a bit barder to fix. The slot for the stem was too big, so I had to glue some shims in.I'll post a photo later.I then got started on the building form. A freiend of mine was able to get me all the timber for the building form for free. So far I have the base bolted to the ground and the cross pieces bolted to the base. Tomorrow I am going to go and order my LVL stringers. Being this close to Christmas I am not sure they will arrive before the new year.I'll post a photo of thr build form later as well.

Frames are now complete

Frames are almost done

The last frame is glued up, and by tomorrow will be complete.  In the morning I have to flip it over and put the gussets on the otherside.

I have done three frames in 3 days, lightning fast progress compared to the others, taking some time off to do this has been fantastic.

I have enjoyed for the most part making the frames, only but that dragged was transferring the patterns to the timber / layout board.  I really struggled with that, but came up with techniques that made it easier as I went.

I have just about run out of materials, so things will be pretty slow until about mid January, which is a pity as I have a couple weeks of over xmas.

The garage is empty

Big milestone of sorts, on the weekend just gone I completed the re-wiring of my brothers replica MG TF, and as luck would have it he has moved into a new place with a garage and so now has somewhere to put it, so after 18 months my garage is empty and so I now have somewhere to begin assembling the boat.

However I am not quite at that stage yet, I have completed another frame and the stem and breasthook since my last post, but still have 2 more frames to assemble.

I have taken a week off work, mostly to retain my sanity, or what's left of it, and am using as much of the time as I can on boat building, and so I expect to finish the last two frames this week.

Through a friend in the building industry I am getting all the timber for the building form for free, aside from the long piece, all the rest of the form components are less than about 1000mm so he is collecting offcuts that would otherwise go into the skip bin.

So, all I need now is the stringers to take the next couple of leaps forward, but won't have the cash for those until January, but that's not too far away.