Steel Is Ordered

I have now ordered all the steel to finish the sides and roof as well as making an integral water tank.  This should be with me in the next couple of weeks.

Shapes

I was having a real job visualising the front side panel.  This is one of the parts I spoke about earlier in the blog that was a special shape to fit with the upswept curve as the gunwall heads towards the front of cabin    bulkhead.

I had asked the designer to modify the files to do the roof a different way to the original plan.  He did this for me but I still wasn't convinced the parts would fit as I wanted.  I'm not very good with blind acceptance, I need to see things in the flesh.

The original file had already been sent to a local sign-making firm as I know the equipment to computer cut metal or vinyl are essentially the same and can be driven but the same software and files.

The sign-making firm imported the file into Corel Draw and was able to modify the size for me. Once this was done it was sent to the vinyl cutter and in a few minutes I had a full size patten.  £20 well spent IMO.

The bottom shown here is the front, the right is the roof edge

On the left side it can be seen there's a definite curve and the same on the right although its less pronounced. Its not perspective, or a dodgy lens on my camera.

After cutting round this I marked the shape out on an old piece of hardboard and cut that out.  When this was offered up to the hull.......... it fitted and followed the curve :-)  I have left it longer than the original for now as it might help with spacing the sheets that make up the cabin sides.  I will also change the shape of the front detail on the final template.  I shan't bother getting these parts laser cut now, I will do it with an angle grinder.

I have a side, even if it is only made of hardboard!

It's Been A "Smashing" Day

The day started off very well, smashing weather for outside welding.  I got the prep done ready for welding the rest of the rubbing strakes on.  This was cleaning the joints with a rotary wire brush to clear the paint and rust and green stuff that has developed over the time it has stood outside.  I then blew the joints out with compressed air to dry behind the strake. 

I have changed to .8mm wire from 1mm for now which needed a new drive roller which fortunately arrived just in time.

I got a good few hours welding done finishing the strake welding.  When it got dark I packed away which is where the day went bad.  The trolley I have the welder on tipped over on some soft ground.  So the new regulator I bought 2 weeks ago now needs a new gauge, but worse than that my Velux welding mask got smashed.

I have had this mask 10 years, and they no longer make it I am told.  It was £140 then.  I know they have dropped in price since but I still have to replace it, and I could not find one with a view window as big as the velux.  I have a standard Jackson mask which will do for now, and have orderd another auto mask form an ebay tool merchant which seems to have good reviews,

Great Website

The weather today has been 'orrible.  So I spent some time lookimg through this web site.

Screen shot

I've had this on my bookmarks for ages but only got around to trolling through it recently.  I can't believe how much information there is in it that's from real life, on the ground (water) experience rather than merchants with products to peddle.  I even have my own blog mentioned on their blog roll along with others now.

Thanks to Ian for a great resource.

Hmm! Curvey

Not much done today.  I have got some revised drawings from the designer to accommodate the way I want to do the roof.

The roof beams I ordered on Monday arrived today.

Stored on the bow for now

Here is one the right way up

These have been deliberately left long and will be trimmed to length later.

I am keeping a spreadsheet of the weight I am adding to the hull as I need to have this so I can determine at how much ballast to add later.

I found a neat metal weight calculator on the net.  Here is the result for the trimmed to length roof beams.

So another 525 kg to be added.  Just for fun, I told the calculator to work it out as if  it was gold.  Result  1308kg

Worst Of The Welding Now Done

I have been busy welding taking advantage of the good weather.  I have done what I consider the worst part of the welding.  That being the under sides of the bottom rubbing strake.  To do this has required me lying on my back and welding on my back.  This is never fun as you WILL get burnt.

Like this!

It only takes a small ball of splatter to get stuck somewhere and this is what happens.  Any welder will know exactly what I mean,  If you can wiggle about and keep it moving until it cools you usually get away with it.

Welding the top of the rubbing strake

I need to do some drawings tonight as I intend to change the roof design.  The front profile parts will need to be modified to suit.  More on the roof design change in a later blog.

At Last Some Welding Done

Since having the boat home the weather has been either too wet or too windy or more like both.  Not the ideal conditions for MIG welding outside.

Today was different :-)  No rain and no wind.  So out came the welder this afternoon.  In about an hour or so I had welded the tops of the rubbing strakes and a weld along the top edge of the front gunwale.  The only real problem was the damp lodged behind the strakes.  As I welded this boiled off into steam and caused some problems with a smooth  flow.  Next time I will blow it out with compressed air first.

The hose in the picture is draning out the inside.  The pump was stopped because I needed the power for the welder, but it continued to syphon so I have just left it.  It is slow but that's OK because the pump is too fast to be efficient now.  The bottom of the boat is divide into section about 5' x 2' x 2" deep and the pump drains them quicker than new water can flow in thus the pump sucks more air than water.

I am still wondering about the best way of doing the cabin sides and roof.  The front approx. 2m is shaped and whilst I have the drawing and files to have these cut, I am considering doing it myself as I want to change the way the roof is joined to the sides.  More on that in a later blog.

I may consider buying or renting a plasma cutter and getting the steel delivered as stock sheets.  I need to have a go with a plasma cutter it think.  I am told they are very easy to use.  Failing that it will the trusty angle grinder.

I have now placed an order for the 24 curved roof bearers so things are happening at last.