Notching. Oh no the chine!!!!

Now for the notching of the frames for the stringers and the chine. 

 The frames were notched 1.5" deep by 3.5" wide to receive a DF 2x4 stringer from stem to stern and from the keel to the chine on about 18" on center. This I did by putting multiple blades on a skill saw and cutting back and forth till the notch was made. After the notching was completed I placed tar in the notch and clamped on long 2x4's and nailed and screwed the in place.  Lot of work over head but with the sand and sawdust floor it was easy on the knees.

 Now to the Chine. As you see the frames were notched for the chine on the frame table. THIS IS A HUGE MISTAKE IN MY OPINION. I found that most of the pre-cut notches were not even close and had to be re-cut. They also made the laying out of the chine more difficult.  I wasted a lot of time using this method. if I was to do this again I would not cut the notches in the frames till they were in place. Then run a batten around the boat where the chine is to be cut in. Mark it and cut the notches then. Much easier!!!

Just Some Frame Pictures

Starboard Frames

Port Frames

Looking from fore to aft. The front two frames at station #2 and #4 will be made in place to fit once the stem is set and some of the planking is in place.

When the frames go up the boat starts to take a shape. Looking at her after they are up, you really start to think your making a boat and not just cutting and shaping wood.

First Frame

First frame up!!!  Denise was on her way to the beach and was kind enough to pose for this memorable event.

One Man Operation

Once the frames were put together on the frame table with temporary cross bracing and a temporary top chord it was time to put the frames up. I had left the floor timbers long to be cut off flush with the frames later. This made it easy for me to raise and attach the frames without help. Once the frames were up they would slide down over the keel to top of the rabbit. I would clamp the to the floors in place.

Finished Deck Beams

Finished deck beams

Once all the beams were completed I ran them through the planer on both sides. Sanded the underneath of the beam and rounded the edge slightly. I put trunnels every 10 inches by drilling  3/8" holes from the top down through the layers to mid-point of the lower layer. I then drove a 3/8" dowel with glue into the hole for extra strength. The final touch was to coat the beams with a coat or two of Tung Oil.

Deck beams

Gluing and stacking 5 layers of 5/4 by 2.5" clear western red cedar on the deck beam mold. Wax paper on the mold so the beams don't stick. The strips are about 12" longer than the beam length and will be cut later.

Once stacked the layers are clamped down. We placed 2.5" oak flooring over the last layer with 2 - 1/2" threaded rod  on both sides of the beam, put 2 washers and a couple of nuts on the rod and tighten the nuts down till snug, working from the center  toward the end. An air impact lug driver worked well. Once all the clamps we tight we would recheck and re-tighten, again working from center to end.

 Once  all was tight we would let each beam set  for at least 24 hours.

Again, two beams could be done at one glue session. One galley or pilot house beam and one aft deck beam. With 22 beams to be made they were completed in less than a month. Each gluing session took about 2 hrs. Planning the 5/4 stock took longer than the lamination of the beam.

Deck and Cabin Beams

The deck and cabin beams were the first thing I made on the boat. I figured they were easy to do in my garage , they were easy to work with and if I didn't enjoy building them, than  most likely I would have abandon the project.  ( I loved it!!!!)

I decided to laminate my deck and cabin beams as apposed to saw cutting them. To do this I made two forms to bend and glue my material. The forms were cut out to the shape of the deck and cabin beams. I used two 2 x 12 standing on end and a  2 x 6 bottom cord. I then drilled holes in the cord every 6" on both sides of the curved 2"x 12", fastened  1/2" threaded rod to the bottom cord. I made some clamping blocks out of oak hardwood flooring which would be used to clamp down the layers of wood,  glue and hold in place till cured. I used 5 layers of  5/4" by 3" western red cedar glued with Titebond II. Below you see the rods, and the layers of cedar to be glued. By putting waxed paper over the form, the beam would not stick to the form. Once each layer was glued I would crank down on the hardwood flooring blocks using an impact diver till tight. I would glue up one cabin and one deck beam in a night and let set up for at least 24 hours. I have 22 beams total.  There are more cabin beams than deck beams and the cabin beams have less crown.

This a a real messy part of the building process, but it is one of the parts of building a boat that is just very rewarding!