The teardrop finally came out of the garage for the first time this year. Some time had to be spent first just cleaning up the garage and the teardrop and trying to get a little organized. Then I wanted to get a look at where I am, so I put the doors and vent in (not permanently, just to look) and set the diamond plate on the front. Then I just had to stare at it for awhile and think about what I want to do first, and next.
The hatch is the next thing on the agenda, and by the time I got finished cleaning and organizing it was getting too late to get involved in sanding....so I pulled out my trim that I bought last year from Grant Whipp (nice trim, Grant) and decided to get it formed up for attachment. Last year when I cut my hatch ribs I cut an extra, just in case I screwed one up when I started routing them. Fortunately I didn't need it, so I saved it to use as a form for my hatch trim. I started out by bending it over the form by hand. Then I clamped it down it both directions, top to bottom and on the side. I used scraps of 1/8" ply under the clamps so they wouldn't leave any marks on the aluminum. This works great for straightening out those little puckers that form when you bend it around the curve. (You can see one piece on the form in the background.)
Not enough time for much else today, but it felt so good just to get started again. Tomorrow I will try to get some sanding done on the hatch and the wall where I did the fiberglass buildup last fall. Then I want to get the galley hinge on and see how the hatch is fitting at this point. I am praying that I am not going to need any more fiberglass layup and that careful sanding and the right gasketing will complete the fitting. This is where the rubber meets the road for me. If I can get past this part, the rest will be a cake walk.
Until tomorrow.....