Wiring and the few instruments for the dashboard now installed, and the tie down straps for the two batteries are placed between the seats. Using a voltage sensitive relay the charge is sent to the battery most in need of power input. The start battery should therefore not run flat - With so few instruments and no hi-fi or inverter or navigation lights, having two batteries was probably not strictly necessary.
The decking stage is about to begin, when the final shape of this woody runabout will emerge. Mahogany veneering of the ply deck will finish off the "woody" look of this classic shaped runabout. The low profile windscreen will then be fitted and cleats of carved Wenga, an African wood with especially hard wearing characteristics, placed along the gunnels.
The transom is capped with an up-cycled old Hickory sail batten. A tough hardwood ideal for the location, where the weight of the engine will bear down on the transom. The actual points of contact are to be cushioned by a layer of shoe leather under stainless steel cladding.
The seat backrests will consists of a hooped backrest attached to the bench seat by a knee on either side. The hoop will be laced. Each knee is constructed of two parts with their grain running at right angles. The joint is a simple scarf, but skewed 45 degrees. The glued up assembly is clamped while the glue dries and a row of drilled holes is placed and nailed through with bamboo dowels. A very strong joint results - where my body weight will be leaning back into the seat.
Going to such trouble with detail aspects might seem unnecessary, but gives enormous pleasure. I shall have spent about 800 hours since January, At that time I was wearing two jumpers and a woolly hat in the chilly unheated garage.
The following photos show the deck panels roughly prepared with the scarf joints cut. They will be stapled and clamped in place, the difference being the glue. At this stage I am setting aside the Cascamite, preferring to use Epoxy Resin. for greater resilience. A sealing coat will be applied to the underside of the deck panels and a thickened layer of resin applied to the frames and gunnel.
 |
The 5mm marine ply deck panels have their mating edges scarf jointed together (bevel edged) |
No comments:
Post a Comment