Put the final coat of varnish on the control panel boat. It looks great. Funny thing was that while varnishing coat 6 a storm was blowing outside the shed a gust of wind blew through the door an coated my freshly varnished box with dust. Had to let it dry before I sanded it down, aggraviting but everything came out alright. Talk to Bryan at YachtSmith’s and the engine has arrived at the Volvo dealer. Yeah!. Also, they finished moving the lead and sealing off the ballast comparements in the aft part of the boat. Another Yay!
November 15th, 2008
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I’m very happy with the way this control panel has come together. I routed and shaped (with the orbital sander) the box this weekend before applying the final sanding. It looks beautiful. Also got 2 coats of varnish on and the bell arms look beautiful.
November 9th, 2008
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Finished fitting the bell bar and then had to disassemble the entire control panel box so I could seal the joints with Sikaflex. Amy spread on just the right amount and then I re-screwed the box back together. Of course, then came an initial sanding and routing. Then I screwed and glued the bell bar arms to the box and then put on the bell bar itself. So, the whole right is assembled. Next week, final sanding and varnishing. Exchange rate is still in my favor, but dropping to 118%. Damn, should have changed more money when it was %130.
November 3rd, 2008
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Cut the bell support bar this week and started the joints. Was going to cut the joint with the router, but the table saw did a good job and now I just have to clean up the joints before gluing. The USA/Canadian exchange rate has finally swung back in my favor. Good timing too since the engine just got ordered!
October 26th, 2008
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The Volvo Penta D2-75 has been ordered. Yay! Thanks Mom and Dad. So this is another big step and hopefully the engine will be in Halifax by Thankgiving so Amy and I can install it. Until then, the engine room needs some prep work…, ballast cemented in, fuel tanks finished, floor install, etc. YachtSmiths should start this in a week or so.
Amy and I worked on the engine control box that goes on the port side of the aft cabin top, just in front of the wheel. It houses the Volve tachometer and engine starter panel. It also provides the mount for the Chinese water buffalo/elephant bell I bought in China 2 years ago. We got the entire base assembled and will do the bell bar next week. Of course, I modeled every cut with SketchUp and the final alignment was dead on. If you are not using SketchUp for your wood projects, you are really missing something.
October 20th, 2008
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Finished cutting the panel grooves in both the wetlocker and mirror frames. Was considering buying a router table to help out, but end up making a quick jig to hold the pieces so I could route free hand. I also bought a radius plane to take a bead off the inside edge off all the frames I’ve made recently. So now I am out of projects again and will have to see what else I can start.
October 14th, 2008
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Bought some more mahogony for the wet locker doors and completed cutting the rails and stiles. And then from the warped stock from last week, I cut out the ‘warpage’ and got rails and stiles for the bathroom mirrior. Hate wasting the wood so I was real happy when the mirror frame laid perfectly flat. Next I have to cut the panel grooves, and will make a jig to do so this week.
And it was my birthday….
October 6th, 2008
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Finshed the cutting the curved top rails and the straight bottom rails for the wetlocker doors. I have a lot of mahogony left over from previous projects and though I had enough for the stiles as well, all the remaining wood was slightly warped once I cut them down. Will have to put the stiles on hold till I get some better pieces. I am going to make a mirror for the bath room in the same ‘paneled door’ style. Maybe I can use this wood for that.
Also last week, I accidently cut a hole in a stile with the router, and so I spent some time making plug with a dremel and pocket knife. Color doesnt’ match perfect, but it fits well.
Still looking to purchase the engine soon and Amy ad I are planning our trip in November. Amy bought Nigel’s book on diesel engine and am learning alot.
September 29th, 2008
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Finished the frames for the anchor locker doors this weekend. Didn’t want to buy a stiles & rails router bit since I don’t have a router table and won’t carry one on the boat. And since I had cut the mortise & tenons with a hand held router and a pull saw, I wanted to cut the panel slots with the router as well. For that I bought a biscuit cutter bit for the router which did the job nicely. And now I don’t need a biscuit cutter either.
Mistakes still plague me. I dropped the router at one point right on a stile and carved a nice little hole in it. After cussing for 10 minutes I decided I would live with it and make a plug to fill it. What the hell.
Started the frames for the wet locker doors this weekend. The top rail is curved so I spent most of a morning making a jig and then routed out one curved rail. It is one of the best jigs I’ve made so far and may use it for other doors if I can.
Amy has been on a kick to make the workshop nice. We bought some more plywood to put up over the shop frames and then she spent the afternoon painting.
September 21st, 2008
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Finally got the shed cleaned out enough to work in again. Yeah!
Went through the wood pile and found enough leftovers to make the anchor locker raised panel doors that I designed a few months ago. After cutting the rails and stiles, I had to make a jig to cut the tenon cheeks with the router. After the cheeks were cut, I finished off the tenons with a small Japanese pull saw and a chisel. The pull saw Amy had given to me back at Christmas and it is the sweetest little tool to cut with.
The mortises were cut out at the drill press with a 1/4″ bit and finished off with a dremel and a small chisel. In all, I found making these joints to be a real joy. Especially in a clean workshop.
I’ve posted the remaining photos from our last Halifax trip. First coat of hull primer!
September 14th, 2008
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