CapeBuild Build Journal

[Capebuild]

12.14.21

Today finished gluing up the skeleton for the hatch. I'm thinking tomorrow I might start applying the sheathing. After some thought and inquiring via a separate post which to apply first, interior or exterior, I've decided to apply the exterior first. My gut tells me to do the interior first, but..... because of the way I have my lights laid out and how they get fixed in place, dealing with their location and negotiating the curves of the hatch and how they get attached, I think in the end applying the exterior first will be the better choice for me. We'll see

I've got a jig in mind to kind of hold the hatch in place so it doesn't torque while applying the exterior sheathing. We'll see.

John

[Onajourney]

I'm gonna need to get more clamps in my shop.

[Capebuild]

I'm gonna need to get more clamps in my shop.

When I first joined this forum one of the first questions I asked is "how many clamps do I need"..... since I noticed the amount of clamps people use. I feel I could always use more.

[TimC]

I'm gonna need to get more clamps in my shop.

When I first joined this forum one of the first questions I asked is "how many clamps do I need"..... since I noticed the amount of clamps people use. I feel I could always use more.

Well now I know that the pandemic didn't have anything to do with recent clamp shortages!
John???

[Capebuild]

No clamp shortages here in my town, Tim. Plenty for all

Well, got the exterior sheet glued in place on the hatch. I was surprised at how little effort it took to bend the okoume around the framework. I had the grain running against the curve and it bent easily (using .156 thick material) and used PL adhesive and crown staples.... and, of course, a few clamps.

I installed a temporary cross piece on each end to prevent any torquing or "spring back".... although I don't know they were needed. And some other temporary hold downs screwed to the table to keep the framework from moving around. I'll wait for the PL to cure and then trim back the okoume with router. All in all, went well.

John

[Tom&Shelly]

Looks good John!

Once a shop has enough clamps for the hatch, it probably has enough for any other project.

Tom

[tony.latham]

Great job --as expected.

It's always nice to drop in here and see where you're at. :thumbs-up:

Tony

[swoody126]

Looks good John!

Once a shop has enough clamps for the hatch, it probably has enough for any other project.

Tom

don't try boatbuilding

sw

[Capebuild]

don't try boatbuilding

Well, it's funny you should say that. My wife has been after me for "us" to build a small row boat for the pond. Maybe after the trailer's done I said, although I'd probably need to buy a lot more clamps. She just gave me one of those looks wives are so good at.

Tom and Tony, thanks very much for the encouragement. Always great to hear. Thank you very much!

I thought I'd share my plans for the the taillights on the hatch. Because anywhere I put the taillights (which have a flat back) their shape will not lie flat against the hatch (which is rounded). I plan on molding a front bezel in a urethane rubber like material that has a UV additive and can be colored black. I printed a pattern and will make a urethane mold to create the two bezels for the light to mount into. See attached. Also printed two backing rings that will be located on inside of the hatch for the black bezel and light to mate with, trapped between the exterior ply sheathing and aluminum siding. Once I locate the inner rings on the interior sheathing and mount in place the router can be used to cut out the opening using the ring shape as the guide for the router bit. Need to sand down the bezel pattern to remove all the striation build layers from the printing process.

John

[noseoil]

Looking really good John! The main thing to watch now on the hatch is to make sure it doesn't end up with any twist in it, keep it in the correct shape to avoid a lifted corner, once it's fastened in place. The light bezels look like they should be nice, once the assembly is set in place. The hatch has a lot happening inside & it's the most difficult part of the build typically, although the front window on yours will be a bit of work as well, once it's installed.

If you decide to build a rowboat, take a look at some of the "drift boat" plans out there (Glen-l). One of our members has built one or two, so he might be able to tell you which plan to use. The basic dory shape has been working for a thousand years or so without any trouble. It's stable, easy to build & very sea-worthy.

[tony.latham]

I printed a pattern and will make a urethane mold to create the two bezels for the light to mount into.

You had my attention, but now I'm focused.

Please, oh please photo this process.

Tony

[Capebuild]

Please, oh please photo this process.

Tony, I will.... be happy to. May be a week or 2 before I get to it.

John

[wysedav]

The taillights are great. I like the idea of using a 3D part to make the mold.

[Capebuild]

If you decide to build a rowboat, take a look at some of the "drift boat" plans out there

Thanks for your comments, Tim. And thanks for your comment about the drift boat plans. I took a look at some of them. Really nice boats. Exactly what we had in mind as far as the design. We currently have a 16 foot "Sturdee-Dory" (that's the company in Tiverton RI that builds the boats) with a 25 hp 4 stroke motor.... it's an amesbury design. Flat bottom. We only use in the bay and estuaries, go to the outer beach kind of thing. Because of the flat bottom when the winds are above 15 knots we don't go out, those choppy waters are a bit much for the flat bottom. But the drift boat you mentioned would be perfect for the fresh water ponds. Thanks.

The taillights are great. I like the idea of using a 3D part to make the mold.

Thanks, wysedav. I was actually thinking of printing the actual (2 piece) mold. Because the molded finished part will be somewhat flexible, I'd be able to strip it out of the printed rigid mold. But I decided against that being that the printing process leaves these striation marks and they'd be difficult to sand out in the negative spaces of the mold. So I'll go with a 2 piece flexible urethane mold. The part I printed will be the pattern.

Got the mounting fixtures installed (using PL and taped to hold them in place). Routed out the openings in the hatch sheathing and tried fitting, what will be, the flexible bezel in place. The curves of the bezel worked out well mating with the curve of the hatch, leaving a .040 space for the aluminum skin. The advantages of working the fits in CAD. I suppose the other advatage of working this out in CAD is being able to get the lights to be level with the ground and opposed to being pointed downward, which is what would of happened if mounted directly on the curve of the aluminum.

John

[aggie79]

Beautiful work! Outstanding! Thank you for documenting both your build and your thought processes. I am thinking about a second build - don’t tell my wife - and your build gives me inspiration,


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro