Mounting Frame Pieces

Mounting Frame Pieces
Originally uploaded by OzzyC.

Weve begun to mount the horizontal (port-to-starboard) frame pieces. There are six in all, and yesterday we mounted three.

We started by temporarily removing the stringers. This was Gregs idea, and I saw no need to keep them mounted, so they were pulled down. Next we measured the distances for all of the frame pieces, relative to the rear transom, and marked these distances on the building frame.

Next, we used the laser level to find the horizontal mounting point. We lined up the laser level with the reference point on the rear transom that we created a few weeks back. Next, we ran a piece of string down the bow-to-stern center line. This way we have the horizontal and vertical points of reference on each frame piece accurately measured. (You may remember that we drew these reference points on the frame pieces when we constructed them.)

Next we screwed 2x4 jigs into the building frame, in preparation for mounting the frame pieces to these same 2x4 jigs.

Next, we set the frame pieces on a floor jack, and lifted the jack to the correct height and center. This allowed us to make fine adjustments and get the frame pieces accurately placed. Once we lined up the horizontal points of reference with the laser level, and the vertical point of reference with the string, we screwed the frame pieces to the 2x4 jigs. This process went very quickly.

NOTE: Once we got the second frame piece mounted, we reset the stringers in place, knowing that it would be difficult to place them later.

Click here to see the video summary of what we did.

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Its starting to look like a boat

BoatFrame
Originally uploaded by OzzyC.

This week, we set the rest of the sacrificial frame pieces in place, using the same process described in last weeks entry. This photo shows the full skeleton of the boat, and based on the shape of the skeleton, you should now be able to mentally picture the shape of the hull.

At this point, the stringers and sacrificial frame pieces are not precisely set in their final position, but theyre pretty close. Some of the notches are too wide, too deep (or too shallow), or some combination thereof. But again, its pretty close.

Next week we will do more precise adjustments of the frame by cutting the too-shallow notches a little deeper, and shimming the areas where theres too much slop. That process will likely take a couple of sessions, because were picky on precision.

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