The plan was to glue the bottom on about two hours before my son was due to arrive. This was based on a misreading of the plans.
I got to the shed around 8:30, thinking I had a lot to get ready in order to glue the bottom on by 11:00. The sawhorses were rearranged to better support the hull. Using masking tape (lining up edges), I put reference marks on the hull and bottom so I could be sure to align the bottom. Rereading the plans I noted that the boat should be turned over right after gluing the bottom on which meant I had time to kill. I went home...
Back at the shed, I gathered a collection of planks and boards to use to support and prop up the bottom as the gluing progressed.
My intent was to follow the plan: glue to BH-1, then BH-2, and to each BH in succession. The reality is BH-1 and BH-2 are too close together to do two separate steps in the gluing.
I propped up the forward section of the bottom with a 1x4x6' board, mixed a batch of epoxy and went to work. I "painted" straight epoxy on the chines, stem, BH-1 and BH-2. I then added fillers to thicken the epoxy. I used my veggie-bag method of applying the thickened epoxy and was able to apply a nice uniform thread of thickened epoxy along the chines aft past BH-2. I applied "extra" epoxy on the stem. Removing the prop, I screwed the bottom to the stem and then screwed it to BH-1. I added screws along BH-1 and then screwed the bottom along the chines.
Using 2z4s to prop the bottom off the chines, mixed another batch of straight epoxy, and applied it to BH-3 and the chines back to BH-4. Thickened epoxy followed along with screws to the BH and chines.
Repeated the process back to the transom.
When screwing the bottom to the BHs I missed one screw in each of BH-2, 3 and 4. Those errors were easily fixed.
About 10 minutes after I finished the gluing process, Scoot arrived to help turn the boat over. We walked the boat out of the shed, rolled it over, and set it down.
We rearranged the sawhorses and swept up a bit, took some pics and moved the boat back into the shed.
I mixed up a couple of batches of thickened epoxy to apply fillets between the bottom and the chine logs. I did a section and handed the veggie-bag of epoxy to Scott - and he fitteted a section. Two batches later we were done. Seeing how easily Scott was able to use the veggie-bag added to my impression that the thinner bag from the produce section of the grocery store is a better applicator than the thicker Zip-Loc bags.
I'll outfit the interior and then turn the boat over. The screws need to come out, the holes filled, the hull faired and primed. Hopefully, I can get all that done by February 6.
Time will tell.
2 comments:
You make is sound like a walk in the park-- this part took me 7 hrs and untold amounts of frustration. Good job, Bob!
Thanks. I wouldn't exactly call it a walk in the park. In three sessions I spent probably four and half hours getting the bottom installed. The first two sessions took about 3 hours and didn't involve epoxy - strictly alignment, prep work. and figuring out what was going to work to prop the bottom off the chines while I smeared the goop on.
Then it took me an hour and a half to actually glue the bottom.
Not a walk in the park, but not as difficult as I thought it would be.
Post a Comment