Unity Build

My Info:

Name:

Bill Shaw

Email:

Bill@unitybuild.net

Finally got the frames cut and started glueing with Resorcinal.  I have a full size plotter copier at work so I copied the full size plans, cut out the paper frames, and traced onto the white oak.  I found that my bench-top belt and disc sander is my new best friend.  I would clamp the opposing sides of the frames together and sand to the final dimension with 40 grit.  This ensured a square edge and the frames and gussetts are identical side to side.  If I were better at using a jig saw this process would probably not be necessary.  After going through a complete package of 5 - 24 tooth blades I went to some 16 tooth blades that I had on hand.  I was worried these would cause some tear-out but I was pleasantly surprised they cut faster, easier, and didn't break.  When it came time for assembly I was able to lay the frames on the paper patterns and temporarily hold in place with screws while I glued, nailed, and clamped the gussetts in place.  The picture on the left shows the clamping process (pre-nail) after flipping the frame to install the gussetts on the back side.

Oh no!!!!  What have I done.  I worked on cutting the frames for most of the day on the 10th.  I took a couple of hours off and had a few (okay several) beers with my neighbor, Major John, in my driveway.  Then mixed up a batch of glue and assembled frames one and two.  Took another break and had a couple (okay a lot) of beers and decided that power tools and beer don't mix proportionally.  I got up early the next morning and while drinking coffee in the garage I realized that I fouled up on my mixture of glue and catalyst (being short on the latter).  I tested the glued joints and they were already dry.  I mixed up a batch of glue, correctly this time, and worked on frames three and four.  Fortunately I saved my waste from the botched batch so I could compare with a known good batch.  The picture on the left (top) is bad and on the bottom is good.  I now refer to these as "with beer" or "without beer."  These look vastly different but feel very similar when dry.  I am not as concerned now as the dry properties of the waste seem very similar and the joints themselves are rock solid.  Dawn is concerned so I will laminate DFMar over frame 2...I was going to do this anyway because I plan on hole-sawing for fuel fill lines through the frame member.  So now I will just build-up around the gussetts and laminate over all pieces.  More on this later.

Deck Swab #1 has a lot of trouble containing his excitement when it comes to talking about the build.  He is great with the shop-vac...although he did try to vacuum up a box of .22 Remmington charges for my hammer gun then I caught him trying to vacuum his eyeball (fortunately he was wearing my safety glasses at the time).  Due to the previous experiences, we have spent the last couple of days talking about shop safety.  He is a great kid and always a source of entertainment!  In the background you can see finished frames along with a piece of the tiger quarter-sawn white oak that I still admire.