Here is my update for the July long weekend, 2016
I made an armrest for the forward end of the settee, out of a cutoff from the bow curve stringers. There is a removable pole with nice curves at the top and bottom, with a spot to hold up the armrest. I have to go and get some barrel bolts similar to the other side to hold it in position.
The shape is so I have a little table to hold my coffee while lounging on the settee
Right now I have a piece of wood propping it up in the right position, there will be a hinge so it can be folded up out of the way. I will figure out a way to tie it in the upright position, so it doesn't fall and bang me in the head one day,
next photo is the shelves inside the settee leanback, and (not shown) one of the access holes was cut in the seatback.
As I mentioned in a previous post, getting appropriate wood for a mast in the prairies is a challenge. I could have gotten a cutting permit, roped in a buddy, drove a few hours west, spent the day cutting down a suitable tree, and hauling it back. Instead, the guy just down the road from me brings in big truckloads of wood, which he cuts up and sells by the bag to people going to the nearby lakes. I had him separate 3 likely looking ones from the pile, and I bought them and brought them home this weekend. One other bonus, he is close enough that I drove my tractor over, so we could use the hydraulic front end loader to do the heavy lifting. I bought 3 in case there is a flaw in one of them that only reveals itself once the bark is off and the wood is dried. The least desirable one will become firewood.
I will have to make up some new sawhorses to do the de-barking on, Peter Hooper from his Trilobuild face book page recommended higher than normal ones. I hope that my trees are suitable to turn into masts, as per Dave Zieger's blog post http://triloboats.blogspot.ca/2012/03/masts-as-if-they-grew-on-trees.html
The other bit of progress is the windows. Here is the set by the dinette, each window is just under 18" square. The order of assembly will be, from the outside in, exterior trim, an 18x72" piece of Plexiglas, bedding compound, the 1/2" exterior skin, then a window frame ( which is visible in the photo of the shelves above) cut from a 1/2 thick plywood, glued to the inside of the exterior skin to strengthen the ribs. Inside of this is a second piece of Plexiglas and a final 1/2 frame , screwed together so that the Plexiglas can be replaced when scratched up. I am using the term "Plexiglas" here generically, as I will actually be using whatever brand that my local lumberyard carries. I left the cedar around the window exposed, and will coat it with a clear finish, maybe
Prizim as recommended by Dave, if the cost to get it here is reasonable.
Don't pay any attention to the mess visible through the window, once I launch that will no longer be in sight.
What are you planning to bed the plexiglass with? Do you have a specific product in mind?
ReplyDeleteI was thinking Butlyl rubber bedding compound, as I can see having to change out the plexi material someday. I am basing this on my reading, not actual experience though, so am open to sugestions
DeleteI'm going to be at the point of installing windows myself over the next few weeks. I'll be using 1/4 inch thick tinted polycarbonate and have been considering bedding with some form of Butyl as well - perhaps the stuff they use on car windshields. Do you have any online reading resouces you can refer us to?
Deletehttp://sundownersailsagain.com/butyl-tape/ is typical, I couldn't find my original reference.
DeleteGood progress. A few goofy questions:
ReplyDeleteWindows - It seems that they will be completely sealed and unable to open. Is that right? Is insulation the sole purpose of the two separate sheets of plexiglass in one window?
Bookshelves: I'm trying to imagine sitting there, leaning back against crap on the bookshelves. Comfortable isn't the first word that comes to mind. How does that work?
Plexiglass vs. Polycarbonate: First is quite a bit cheaper as I recall, but you might want to take a look at this short video. It got my attention.
WARNING: Turn your volume OFF before you start it if you like your hearing ability as is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hsls5ZPCUnE
Windows: as per Dave's example, these windows will be sealed, as in a knockdown they will be the lowest point on the boat. The second pane is for insulation and condensation control.
DeleteBookshelves: only over the bunk lean-backs, and at my height, I don't expect much issue, though if I was to try and sit against them, I would rearrange stuff and stuff a pillow in there for comfort. In reality, I expect that sitting is done in the saloon, and the bunk is for laying in, so a pillow up against the leanback is more to get a better angle for your head/neck while reading a book.
Plexiglas: I think that my lumberyard has a polycarbonate brand, and I know Home Despot has Lexan brand. I will probably go the cheaper route, and plan to replace them over time. They will not be subject to point impact forces, just the odd rouge wave.
Bookshelves: I got confused. Thought the shelves were somehow linked to the dinette bench backs. Makes more sense to me now.
ReplyDeleteWindow Sealant - a couple of interesting documents on this topic from or about Sikaflex:
* http://goo.gl/JXwLps
* http://goo.gl/sQdtWZ
thanks for the videos.
DeleteDo you mean the "videos" that are actually two PDF documents? ;-)
DeleteYes, PDF's, I went and found some more videos after you posted these for more info
DeleteAnd might those videos be interesting to others engaged in or perusing this topic?
DeleteAt work, I can google and read, and some videos make it through the net nanny, but posting is difficult. As a result, I post when I get home, and have to remember what search terms I used, to see if I can find the links again.
DeleteNo sweat. I was mostly just pulling your leg.
DeleteVery nice work so far. Impressive, actually. From what I can see, it looks like you are creating an ideal setup for extended living on the water.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, though, that I'm envious of your enclosed and heated building barn and the heavy moving equipment you appear to have on hand. Most of the work up here has been under suspended tarps and temporary-frame canopies, out in the open air, and dodging winter (which shuts everything down for the season). ...And without machinery for moving heavy things about.
As to de-barking the spar logs... are you planning to do it the (hard) drawknife way, or do you have a clever option that works around that necessity?
Thanks, my barn only has an 8' ceiling, so I can't build the tabernacles or roof the pilot house inside. But yes it sure is nice to be able to fire up the heater on a cold day. I have also adjusted the building order because I can use heavy machinery, in that once I extract the boat from the barn, I will put on the pilot house roof and tabernacles, then tip the whole thing on it's side to copper the bottom. I have a plan where the copper sheets are hung from the tractor bucket by some sort of tackle, then screwed down. I didn't buy the copper up front as I didn't want that much money tied up until the last minute.
ReplyDeleteAs for de-barking the logs, I was loaned a draw knife, and have done most of two logs. Once the blisters on my hands heal I will get the last one. I have a hand power planer, and only plan to take enough off to get rid of questionable wood, and maybe square up the butt to make it easier to fit in the tabernacle.
ReplyDelete