| Bolero
Project |
December 4, 2007 I got a late start in the shop this morning after cleaning up from yesterday's snowstorm and then catching up with my normal morning administration. But finally, by 1000 I was ready to go. Repeating yesterday's general process, I prepared and sanded the new application of epoxy filler on the decks, as well as the fiberglass patches. When I had removed the bulk of the material, I switched to an orbital finishing sander and 80 grit paper, and sanded the entire deck--this to get a better idea of what areas required an additional application of filler. Most of the filled fastener holes were all set, but there were still some low spots on the foredeck. After cleaning up, I turned my attention to the cleats I needed to install to support the new cockpit edges. I milled a pair of 11' long, 3/4" square cleats from mahogany. Using a scrap of 1/2" Meranti plywood I as a spacing guide, I clamped the cleats to the underside of the deck, keeping them just far enough in so that the scrap of plywood remained flush with the cut edge of the deck above.One at a time, I traced the cleats' position on the underside of the deck, and then removed the cleat so that I could apply thickened epoxy adhesive to the top edge before reinstalling it permanently. I clamped the cleat in place, using the plywood spacer to check the alignment as I went, and then installed 1" bronze screws to hold it in position. I then removed the clamps and continued with the other side. I only had enough clamps to do one side at a time, but I decided to leave the clamps on the second side in addition to the screws, simply because I could. |
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Afterwards, I solvent-washed the deck and applied a third coat of fairing filler where necessary and left things to cure overnight. |
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