Even though the temperature is several degrees warmer than yesterday, I didn’t make an early start because, well, it’s Sunday.
The first task of the day is to complete the outer plywood template and to that end I took the top runner and the template, that had been curing and drying indoors, down to the workshop.
The top runner was clamped to the inner template in the correct position such that the outer template can be adjusted to fit between the runner and the block.
This is the result after several adjustments using the belt sander being careful only to take off small increments at a time. I discovered that contrary to my previous thought that the bottom of the top runner is not straight but curves down slightly at either end. By slightly I mean about 1 mm at the front and 3 mm at the back. Still, this is 6 mm cheap plywood and it doesn’t take much work with the belt sander to remove the excess.
The aft end of the outer template will probably need to be adjusted since I gauged the correct line by eye at this point as the bottom runner hasn’t been made yet.
As you can see here, the outer template looks as though it meets the correct line but I won’t know for sure until the bottom runner is in place.
With the two templates clamped together it was an easy job to slide the case side into place and I was able to see how it looks. It was a trifle awkward with all the cramps hanging off the side, but once inside the cabin the side fitted well into the space.
The very front end will need a little more work at the bottom, but I think I’ll not worry about that for the template and cut the real pieces oversize at that end and then adjust the real plywood to make a tight fit.
I did add a small extension to the front end of the outer template and I’ll cut that back to match the inner template once the glue has fully cured. Cyanoacrylate glue (or CA glue also known as SuperGlue) this time, so it didn’t take long.
This is the result of a little more work with the belt sander and this completes the outer template.
Time to move onto the next part, but first…
Time for a cup of tea.
The next task on the list is to make the bottom runner. This is 25 mm wide, 30 mm high and about 1.6m long. It will be screwed and glued to the outside of the case and screwed down against the keel. When it is fitted it will have adhesive on the bottom so as to make a good waterproof seal with the keel.
I bought a plank of Sapele that is 2500mm long, 150 mm wide and 38 mm thick and the bottom runners for both sides will be cut from this.
The cutting of the runners was straightforward, but both ends needed to be cut at an angle to match the runners already in place.
I cut a plywood template first and the used the mitre saw to cut the runner. all easy stuff. This is the aft end and the first end cut.
The forward end was a little more complicated to cut since the keel has a curve in and I had to kneel on the runner to press it to the keel in order to get the correct angle. Once again it was a case of little by little until the fit was as good as I was going to get.
I clamped the runner to the keel with an F-cramp to check the fit.
And all seemed to be well. You can see that there is a slight gap between the runner and the keel here but it was a little too difficult to get another cramp in here, so I didn’t bother.
So, after some time of destruction and template making, the construction of the centerplate case replacement sides has begun. I had a very late lunch at this point and decided that this was a good plate to stop the case work for today. The next part is cutting out the side pieces from the marine plywood and I want to be awake and rested for that.
But if I can find a couple of small jobs to do then I might do those this afternoon, but don’t bank on it !
Time for a cup of tea.