We had a period today of fairly calm movements of the ship, so I decided that it was time to attempt a glue up.
But before I could get to that part,I had to cut the back panel to the correct size, and then I needed to plane a rabbet along all the four sides, so I had a protruding tongue on one side.
This task was completed pretty fast. The No 248 grooving plane is a great tool for this job. The thickness of the back panel was the double of the iron, so using the same setting as I had for the groove on the sides and ends of the carcase, I was able to make a perfect fit in no time.
I then gathered all the parts on my work table, and found a soaked rag for cleaning up the glue squeeze out, and four clamps. I found my glue and my glue brush, and put a piece of plywood on the table, so I had a wooden surface where I could do the glue up.
Before this glue up, I felt like I was going to an oral exam. Like most people know, a glue up has to be done in a reasonable time, the more complex the glue up, the less time you have for each individual spot.
I have managed to make a rather complex design. For the glue up I needed to fit 15 individual parts before being able to attach the clamps and square things up.
This was the cause of the exam feeling. I knew I had to get it done in 10- 15 minutes if I didn't want the piece to be ruined.
I started on the wrong foot by inverting the two end boards, they didn't fit as well as I remembered from the dry assembly, so I looked at my carpenters triangles, and found out I had switched the top and bottom.. Thsi was disassembled and I wiped the glue of the pins. I was afraid it was a bad omen, and was a bit reluctant to get started again.
Once again, I lined up everything, and this time I did it right. The small bits slowly but surely came together, and at last I could attach the clamps and give the carcase a little squeeze to square it up.
I am at bit anxious to see how well it will look once the outside has been planed. There are some dents etc. but given the source of wood that isn't so strange. I just hope I can conceal most of the marks.
The glued up carcase.
That looks really nice. As for the dents, given the source of your wood and the circumstances of your construction, they are more than fine. Don't conceal them. Add more and call it distressed!
ReplyDeleteThanks Andy.
DeleteI am not sure I will add more dents though. The weather right now is horrendous. We had a period of 12 m (40') waves through the night, but now we are going into sheltered waters near the coast, so they are down to about half that size. Still not perfect for woodworking.
Brgds
Jonas
That looks really great! I don't know about you, but I absolutely dread the glue up phase of construction, especially when it involves intricate parts. In all honest it is the really the only part of construction that I don't enjoy.
ReplyDeleteBill
I agree. The more complex a glue up is, the worse. So sometimes I sort of push it ahead of me, to gather the courage to tackle it. And then once it is complete, it is such a relief - provided off course that it all went well.
DeleteBrgds
Jonas