Saturday, October 24, 2009

Busy month not building a boat

It has been really difficult to find time for boat building lately, a total of 8 hours I guess in October so far. This does not allow for much progress. But last week end my friend Dag (happy birthday, Dag!) and his daughter came up from Oslo to visit, and we were able to get a couple of nights in the workshop as well. The first night we laminated the starboard side and bagged it. 3 hours work, and a perfect result.


The next day we rolled the hull, Dag took a picture of the proud boat builder, and we started the cabin sides.


Routing for flush mounted Lexan windows.


Then the side was faired and we wet laminated an 'A' equivalent carbon fabric from the gunwale to cabin top. As I started struggling with the vacuum bag Dag finished the port window routing:


Still problems with the bag. A leak trough the hull, we were able to locate it quite exactly, but not able to stop it. It was outside the laminated area so we just took the vacuum we had (10% or so) and drank a few beers in stead.


The bag pulling just enough to avoid bubble trouble.


This last week have been another 60 hour working feast despite my current 20% leave, and now they want to close down our hospital as well. I need to go sailing, and will do so tomorrow. Tonight I managed to drop by in the workshop and laminate the other cabin side. I didn't even bother to try get a vacuum for this side. Thorough wet out of the foam and steady temp will make it, I hope.

5 comments:

Rolf Nilsen said...

Just to cheer you up I thought I would share the small fact that I have 21.5 hours sunk into my project so far in october.
I dont have no 60 hour working weeks though. You are doing well!

I definately think foam sandwich is a lot faster than strip plank after following your blog!

How is the ventilation in your workshop? We are using full masks when working with epoxy or sanding epoxy.

Tor Rabe said...

Thanks, Rolf!

For another one off project I would not consider any other method than the vertical foam strip method used on Farrier designs. Fast, easy, light and stiff hull and reasonably easy mould set up.

I have two bathroom ventilators set up reversed, ie blowing in to the workshop. The air evacuates trough the exhaust outlet from the heater. I'm not as good as I should with protective precautions, but I protect my skin when laminating and use a mask when sanding epoxy.

MartinF said...

Hello Tor

Is the rebate for windows 90 degree at the edge and how does the fabric bend the inside corner? I have tried doing this (on the settee hatch) but the fabric bridge the inside corner so there is a gap there. Any advice are welcome

Tor Rabe said...

Martin!

I don't remember exactly what shape router bit I used, but probably quite 90 degrees after routing. I gave the edge a thorough go with sanding paper to round it off, so before laminating it was more like an S-shaped curve. It was still difficult on port side where I did not apply vacuum.

MartinF said...

Thanks Tor. I think i made the hatch 90 degree both in the top and the bottom but the vacuum could not push the fabric + all the other layers in place. I will try your way making a round topedge and a small fillet i the bottom.