construction continues on the Menehune Swoop!

[green_eyed_diablito]

i assembled the HF trailer this weekend and i was anxious to start making sawdust yesterday evening, so i decided to test the profile with an old sheet of OSB sitting behind my garage. it was good to see my design in real size because i was able to adjust some angles and dimensions that i didn't like.

i can't find any 5'x10' birch ply locally, so i'm going to butt-join two pieces of ply at the forward edge of the door. i figure it's a structurally safe place to do it and the door frame will mask the seam.

please feel free to comment or make suggestions.

thanks,
miguel

[aggie79]

Very cool! You have officially contracted TD fever. Keep us posted on the progress.

[b.bodemer]

I like your profile................let the sawdust fly!!!!
Barb

[laursand]

It feels so good to actually get started, doesn't it?

Good for you - look forward to watching your build!

Laurie

[teardrop_focus]

Agh! I'm envious! I can't start yet, but I do finally have a profile sketched out that I like...

Way to go, Miguel!

Funny that Anderson Plywood shows 4 X 10 X 3/4 Baltic birch on their website, but when I went into the store, a yard salesman said they didn't have any... it was near closing and the management was already gone. I need to go back and see what's up with the 4 X 10.

Mike of SoCal Teardrops uses 4 X 8 X 1/2 Baltic birch and joins two panels together for his 9' and 10' builds. I know you're an experienced woodsmith, but he's got a neat method of joinery for his walls. Might not hurt to give him a call or go on out to see him near Upland if you have the time.

Hey! I'd love to drop by and lend a hand or at least have a look!

[del]

Looks good, not sure how well your current wall holder would handle road speeds .

great start
del

[2bits]

I like your profile, it give is a feeling or forward motion, like the whole thing is in italics!

[Senior Ninja]

M,

Have you though of using a router to make cuts to join your panels? Makes a very strong joint.

Steve

[green_eyed_diablito]

thank you all for the words of encouragement...it's a hell of allot more fun to build this with all of you cheering on! i especially like the italics reference, tom...it does have the same feel.

steve, i'm considering a lap-joint or a butt-joint with biscuits...haven't made up my mind. i don't want the seam to show, inside or out, so i'll decide when i figure out how wide the door frames will be. but i am leaning towards the lap-joint.

chris, i'd be happy to have you over. i'm almost always a laid-back, calm dude, but when i'm woodworking i can get pretty intense. as long as you don't mind loud classic rock, a beer or two, and the occasional weaving of a tapestry of cuss words when i goof, you're more than welcome. i should get heavy into the construction in two weekends.

today i cut a template from 1/2" MDF. i decided that it would be easier to cut identical profiles if i used a template and a flush-trim router bit. add to that the fact that i want to build an aluminum-skinned TD after i build this woody and the logic behind making a template makes more sense. i hope i'm headed down the right path.

i experimented with the top aft edge. i'm on the fence - i can't decide if i like or dislike the upward swoop. i can easily round off the edge to a more traditional profile if i decide i don't like it after mulling it over for a while.

BTW, we had thunderstorms in L.A. today so i had to work under the patio cover. there you have it...proof that it does indeed rain in SoCal!

-miguel

[aggie79]

steve, i'm considering a lap-joint or a butt-joint with biscuits...haven't made up my mind. i don't want the seam to show, inside or out, so i'll decide when i figure out how wide the door frames will be. but i am leaning towards the lap-joint.

Another option is to use a spline. Route a continous dado along both edges of the plywood and use a 1/4" plywood spline to join the panels.

today i cut a template from 1/2" MDF. i decided that it would be easier to cut identical profiles if i used a template and a flush-trim router bit.

That's the way I have to do it. I don't care if I measure 3 times before cutting, I can never duplicate two of the same pieces. I'm with you - a template and router is the way to go.

Tom

[BILLYL]

This is going to be a very nice build to follow-


Keep the pics coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Bill

[parivercat]

Way to go, you've got a great looking profile for your teardrop.
Before you know it you'll be camping.
Kermit

[green_eyed_diablito]

i've been out of town so i haven't been able to make sawdust in a while.

today i got to smell the sweet scent of sawdust in the air once again! the body of the TD is 9.5' long, so i had to add 18" to the standard 4'x8' sheet of birch ply. getting the depth of the cut right took three tries on a piece of scrap wood.

the seams will be covered by a vertical trim piece, inside and out.



i used glue and 3/4" brads.



i will let the glue cure for 24 hours before i cut the profiles.



i'm getting more excited about the build as the project progresses (as if i could get any more excited!).

i also tweaked the spar locations a bit (to accommodate a vent) on the template i made earlier. the holes will be guides for me to pre-drill the TD sides at the same time i cut them out. i'm having as much fun laying out the design as i am building it...i'm a geek engineer.

[wlivesey]

as long as you don't mind loud classic rock, a beer or two, and the occasional weaving of a tapestry of cuss words when i goof, you're more than welcome.

Sounds familiar... I do a lot of weaving these days.

i experimented with the top aft edge. i'm on the fence - i can't decide if i like or dislike the upward swoop. i can easily round off the edge to a more traditional profile if i decide i don't like it after mulling it over for a while.

I think the swoop looks cool - but won't it collect water? If can can work that out, I think you should go for it.

Looks good!

[green_eyed_diablito]

DOH! good point about water collecting, Bill. i hadn't thought of that. and being that it will be a woody, with trim running along the roof, i have to do something about that.

just thinking off the top of my head, i could cut a small channel under the trim and line it with a thinwall plastic tube (similar to a straw). it would have to be blown out with a compressor every once in a while to keep it open, but that might work.