Monday, May 28, 2012
Counters, Panels, Soles...
Well, when I took a look at my pictures I realized I hadn't posted in a few weeks. Here is the update as of today.
First, the counter tops are in. Finally. Mostly...
The countertop structure and surrounding panels were fussed with for a good solid fit and then the countertops were screwed into position. I stopped with screws in case I need to open things up again. One of the rare occasions when I left the epoxy in the can.
I ordered the wrong sized bungs so the screws are still exposed at this point and I haven't oiled the top yet. The starboard two pieces were epoxied together where they mate up. I know I said I didn't use epoxy but all I really did was turn the two pieces into one piece. Screws are still the only things holding the countertop in position.
After the countertops were in, I really wanted to start playing with the storage lockers. However, before I could do that I needed to sort out the the interior 'ceiling' or paneling behind the countertops. To make that happen I started with cardboard mockups that were transferred over to cheap plywood mockups.
I also cut up some blocks to anchor the panels too. I oiled the blocks and then epoxied them to the hull. I learned this great trick from a pro for securing stuff like this without elaborate clamping / positioning techniques. The trick is to apply the epoxy over *most* of the surface and on the remaining free area apply a dab of hot glue. The hot glue sets up in ten seconds or so and holds the blocks adequately until the epoxy can set up.
With the blocks in place (can't find those photos) I used the same plywood templates to cut up the foam insulation that has been applied to the rest of the living area of the hull interior. Once fit, I glued the insulation in place with contact cement. I didn't use the proprietory glue this time. Once again, I opened the can to find the glue had hardened. At $70 a gallon I decided I needed to buy something easier to obtain and in smaller quantities so it wouldn't go bad before the project ended. I have worked a lot with a 3M product called 1300L at my 'real' job so that is what I used this time. Looks and smells the same which is to say, very yellow and sticky with strong overtones of MEK. Only use this stuff with good ventilation. The fumes in a closed boat are unreal...
The side panels were cut and oiled but I didn't get a chance to secure them in place today. Here are pictures showing how they look at this point. Trim and concealing cabinetry have yet to be installed...
The panels are one of those things that once they are in place it seems like they have always been there and one wonders why it looks like nothing has been done lately. Now for that final aft panel.
My battle with mold in the bamboo sole continues. It is in the same location and this time I was more aggressive with the sander and the chlorox. Hopefully this will be the end of it. Otherwise, a small throw rug is going to become part of my interior decorating plan.
To be fair, I must admit that I have had some help at the boatyard. So while I was hogging the aft end of the cabin I have been overseeing some work in the V-berth area and doing some of the critical cutting stuff.
For a long time I have been looking at ugly undersole.
Now I have new bamboo plywood sole with a nice cherry kickboard in the V-berth :-)
Thank you 'L'.
So that's the update. Next should be a little more paneling aft of the galley countertop. Perhaps some galley storage. I need to order and install the water foot pumps and connect the sink drain. I need to settle on a stove top and get that coming so I can move forward with that side of the cabinetry. The V-berth project is gaining a bit of momentum and I hope that will continue (hint hint...) When the weather gets more reliably dry (thankfully the warmth is finally here) then varnishing and the rubrail installation will become the top priority. Interior cabinets are more fun then varnish but when varnishing weather comes then that becomes top priority. Someday I will have a dry heated boatbarn so I can do my varnishing in February...
That's it. Nothing more to say. The End.
... until next weekend...
Laters, Taters ;-)
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Not quite stalled..
but not a ton of progress as is becoming usual. Not sure how to fix that except keep plugging along and doing what I can when I can. I have been pushing the ball forward in a couple of areas.
The countertop project of course. Firstly, the storage bins underneath received more coats of paint and are looking quite spiffy at the moment.
Before assembly there has been more painting to do. I decided to paint under the dish storage area and the drop storage box on the starboard side. The bottoms and non visible areas were coated in straight epoxy for sealing. The plywood has proven quite thirsty and it has taken three coats of bilgekote to get exceptable coverage. The last coat went on today so 'soon' is the plan for final installation of the countertops.
Installing the remaining sound/heat insulation around the engine was another project that was done recently. That funny wooden thing on the engine is my Triton original spicerack/electrical panel. I need to add a electrical plug in the wiring harness so I can disconnect the panel wiring from the engine wiring. Until then I have to remove the rack to keep the wiring harness out of the way of the countertop. That's another 'soon-ish' project.
I also took another stab at fixing that irritating leak that I have been trying to track down. I am pretty sure the leak is starting with the cheap plastic hatch cover on the starboard side which I will use to access one half of the house batteries. Water was pooling up on the battery shelf and being dumped right along the seam between the 'half bulkhead' at the aft end of the cabin area and the plywood panel I used to close off the cabin from the cockpit area. I partially fixed that by cutting a corner off the battery shelf so the water gets dumped further aft and away from the seam.
I also noticed that water could be riding down the manual bilge pump hose (yeah, that grimy one in the photo. Mold has been a constant problem so far even with the improved ventilation). During a rain storm I had applied polysulfide sealant (boatlife) to parts of the seam in a quick and dirty attempt to fix the issue. Today I finished removing the old stuff and doing a better job of getting the goop into place. Having the corner of the battery shelf cut away improved access for my paw-like hands.
Further access was granted after I took another look at my exhaust system. I have been suspicious of it for a few years and I have been keeping a close eye on it for awhile. Its just normal iron piping. Two weeks ago I took a harder look with a three foot crowbar and found the remaining metal not up to my expectations. I was able to break the pipe. That made access easier and resolved me to fixing the exhaust properly. More about that in another post.
Finally, I spent some time trimming the supporting structure for the countertops in preparation for final installation.
And that is where the boat is at the moment. I usually write something about upcoming plans but since I seem to be so bad at predicting what will be getting worked on next I might just stop here and let everyone, including myself, be surprised.
If you life in the northern hemisphere then enjoy the spring weather. If you live in the southern hemisphere then... well I am sorry, it sucks to be you. Bundle up 'cause old man winter is a 'knockin :-P
Until next time wantoks ;-)
Sunday, April 15, 2012
long delay, little work
The past few weekends haven't been terribly productive. This weekend a little progress was made.
First, I uncovered the boat. I took a picture but the image came out over exposed. Something about having a bright noonday sun shining into the front of a camera with a dark hulled sailboat in the foreground. Its the super bright gleaming awlgrip cabin top. Yeah, that's it. The paint is so good I can only take pictures in low light conditions.
Anyway, the boat looked cleaner than normal under the cover which was nice. A little chafe up around the bow but generally in good condition. The Awlcraft 2000 topside paint is considerably softer than Awlgrip and scratches easily which I am not happy about. It DOES repair much easier than Awlgrip which I AM happy about. Its a tradeoff I guess.
So, the last project was sealing up the undersides of the countertops. I took the parts out today and laid them back in for final fitting and sanding. I stopped short of building the top step because after a few weeks kicking around in the basement I was a bit unsure of the markings I had left to align it all up and wanted to double check the construction.
I lined up the top step perfectly symmetrical to the two lower steps. The problem is, it just doesn't look right.
The step is the exact same height, alignment, and size as the two lower steps but it just doesn't look right. I figured I could take off some of the edges so it didn't look so intrusive but still. It is perfectly symmetrical to the lower steps but looks all wrong.
So I thought maybe I would set it lower, just an inch about the top of the countertop.
Nope. It still didn't look right.
So I laid the step directly on the countertop.
Now it looked better. I tried going up and down the steps several times and you can definitely tell the difference in height on the first step. But somehow it still seems better.
Finally, I just took away the step and ran up and down the steps a few more times using the countertop itself as the top step. There is no symmetry but it feels great. Very weird. For now I am going to forget the step. Unfortunately I was counting on that step to cover up some minor misalignments between the outside and center sections. Oh well.
In amongst this abstract design process, two coats of bilgekote white paint were applied to the inside of the galley lockers. No pictures. Who wants to see the inside of a white box anyway?
Before I ended the day I set the galley drop box in place to check the fit before I epoxy sealed and painted it. Considering how cattywampus everything in the boat is, it fit quite well. Note: the box is only loosely in place and in the picture isn't sitting exactly perfectly in place. It really does fit. Honest.
and that's it. No distractions are in the plan for next weekend so fingers crossed for more progress.
Laters Taters ;-)
First, I uncovered the boat. I took a picture but the image came out over exposed. Something about having a bright noonday sun shining into the front of a camera with a dark hulled sailboat in the foreground. Its the super bright gleaming awlgrip cabin top. Yeah, that's it. The paint is so good I can only take pictures in low light conditions.
Anyway, the boat looked cleaner than normal under the cover which was nice. A little chafe up around the bow but generally in good condition. The Awlcraft 2000 topside paint is considerably softer than Awlgrip and scratches easily which I am not happy about. It DOES repair much easier than Awlgrip which I AM happy about. Its a tradeoff I guess.
So, the last project was sealing up the undersides of the countertops. I took the parts out today and laid them back in for final fitting and sanding. I stopped short of building the top step because after a few weeks kicking around in the basement I was a bit unsure of the markings I had left to align it all up and wanted to double check the construction.
I lined up the top step perfectly symmetrical to the two lower steps. The problem is, it just doesn't look right.
The step is the exact same height, alignment, and size as the two lower steps but it just doesn't look right. I figured I could take off some of the edges so it didn't look so intrusive but still. It is perfectly symmetrical to the lower steps but looks all wrong.
So I thought maybe I would set it lower, just an inch about the top of the countertop.
Nope. It still didn't look right.
So I laid the step directly on the countertop.
Now it looked better. I tried going up and down the steps several times and you can definitely tell the difference in height on the first step. But somehow it still seems better.
Finally, I just took away the step and ran up and down the steps a few more times using the countertop itself as the top step. There is no symmetry but it feels great. Very weird. For now I am going to forget the step. Unfortunately I was counting on that step to cover up some minor misalignments between the outside and center sections. Oh well.
In amongst this abstract design process, two coats of bilgekote white paint were applied to the inside of the galley lockers. No pictures. Who wants to see the inside of a white box anyway?
Before I ended the day I set the galley drop box in place to check the fit before I epoxy sealed and painted it. Considering how cattywampus everything in the boat is, it fit quite well. Note: the box is only loosely in place and in the picture isn't sitting exactly perfectly in place. It really does fit. Honest.
and that's it. No distractions are in the plan for next weekend so fingers crossed for more progress.
Laters Taters ;-)
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Gloomy weather
The summer-in-spring weather went away this weekend and cool rainy weather ruled the weekend which kept me indoors.
On Saturday, all the countertops had their undersides coated in epoxy. With random bits and pieces scattered all over my basement there really wasn't any where else to work so I had to call it a day at that point.
Sunday, I started by glueing up the storage box that will fit outboard of the sink.
Then, I cut and fit the pieces for the top step. I needed to use the sander to continue on to final installation and with my 'sanding station' a few feet from my furnace air inlet, I decided to stop at that point. It's no fun filling my whole house with sanding dust via the forced air heating system.
So then I glued the front lip onto the center section of the countertop. The lip will lock the front engine cover panel in place and keep it from pitching forward when clumsy people jump on it.
and that's it.
I hope to seal the rest of the drop box in epoxy and when I can work outside I will do the final sanding on the step pieces and install them.
With luck I might even install some of the countertops more or less permanently. Sounds hopelessly optimistic given my track record right?...
Bis spaeter, Freunde
On Saturday, all the countertops had their undersides coated in epoxy. With random bits and pieces scattered all over my basement there really wasn't any where else to work so I had to call it a day at that point.
Sunday, I started by glueing up the storage box that will fit outboard of the sink.
Then, I cut and fit the pieces for the top step. I needed to use the sander to continue on to final installation and with my 'sanding station' a few feet from my furnace air inlet, I decided to stop at that point. It's no fun filling my whole house with sanding dust via the forced air heating system.
So then I glued the front lip onto the center section of the countertop. The lip will lock the front engine cover panel in place and keep it from pitching forward when clumsy people jump on it.
and that's it.
I hope to seal the rest of the drop box in epoxy and when I can work outside I will do the final sanding on the step pieces and install them.
With luck I might even install some of the countertops more or less permanently. Sounds hopelessly optimistic given my track record right?...
Bis spaeter, Freunde
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Countertop Tuneup
Well, Saturday turned out to be a bust but I managed to get three quarters of a productive day Sunday before I ran out of gas.
First. This is why I need a table saw. Ripping with a skilsaw is an annoying operation.
Yes, bitching comes naturally to me. Its in my genetics I think.
So, the day started with me looking over the countertop and fussing with it so that everything fits the way I wanted it to. Then I started working on the step layout since the absence of a top step is another of my greater annoyances with the boat project.
I have a hard to visualizing things in 3d so the carboard cut to the outside dimensions made it all clear. So clear in fact that I realized all my ideas for a top step were not going to work. In my head I had a step that sat on the center section and was hinged to flip down with the bottom extending the counter top equal to the side pieces. In reality this was not going to work. I tried a few different ideas including a step that was hinged on the side by the sink but in the end I went with a simpler design.
I think I am going to run the side pieces all the way back to the aft bulkhead so that they act as dividers for eventual storage under the bridge deck. Or if I change my mind I will cut them shorter. For now, the end pieces will be secured to the center section. I debated about putting a piece along the back of the step but decided to leave it open. I may close it up later.
I took some measurements for the front panel of the dish storage area.
and then turned my attention to the drop storage bin.
I cut out templates for the end pieces of the storage bin. Cutting and fitting scrap plywood is way easier in my mind than cutting the final product from measurements. My first thought was to use some okoume plywood and paint the inside of the bin. Later, I realized that I have some leftover cherry plywood from the interior paneling so I might use that instead. I don't expect it to be very visible and I am not sure whether nice varnished cherry, or clean white paint is the best option at the moment.
Then I cut out the lid for the storage bin under the port side countertop. I wish now I had set up the bandsaw to make those cuts. The kerf from the skilsaw is a bit overly big. I guess I won't have to worry about the wood swelling and making the lid difficult to remove.
Funny, in my mind that lid had a bigger opening. I could have extended it further under the bridgedeck but since its awkward getting my hands any further aft I left it at that. Or maybe I could have made the forward cut wider but that would cut into the front supporting lip. I guess it doesn't matter. I made the cuts.
So that was about it. I hope to do some glueing during the week and seal the undersides of the countertops with epoxy. I should do the final fitting of the drop storage bin and top step next weekend. The temperatures have made a drastic change in the past week and it should be warm enough to start with the varnishing too. I probably better get started on that before it gets TOO hot for varnish. Sometimes I feel like goldilocks. Its either too cold or too hot; rarely just right. Okay, I am bitching again...
Sayonara
First. This is why I need a table saw. Ripping with a skilsaw is an annoying operation.
Yes, bitching comes naturally to me. Its in my genetics I think.
So, the day started with me looking over the countertop and fussing with it so that everything fits the way I wanted it to. Then I started working on the step layout since the absence of a top step is another of my greater annoyances with the boat project.
I have a hard to visualizing things in 3d so the carboard cut to the outside dimensions made it all clear. So clear in fact that I realized all my ideas for a top step were not going to work. In my head I had a step that sat on the center section and was hinged to flip down with the bottom extending the counter top equal to the side pieces. In reality this was not going to work. I tried a few different ideas including a step that was hinged on the side by the sink but in the end I went with a simpler design.
I think I am going to run the side pieces all the way back to the aft bulkhead so that they act as dividers for eventual storage under the bridge deck. Or if I change my mind I will cut them shorter. For now, the end pieces will be secured to the center section. I debated about putting a piece along the back of the step but decided to leave it open. I may close it up later.
I took some measurements for the front panel of the dish storage area.
and then turned my attention to the drop storage bin.
I cut out templates for the end pieces of the storage bin. Cutting and fitting scrap plywood is way easier in my mind than cutting the final product from measurements. My first thought was to use some okoume plywood and paint the inside of the bin. Later, I realized that I have some leftover cherry plywood from the interior paneling so I might use that instead. I don't expect it to be very visible and I am not sure whether nice varnished cherry, or clean white paint is the best option at the moment.
Then I cut out the lid for the storage bin under the port side countertop. I wish now I had set up the bandsaw to make those cuts. The kerf from the skilsaw is a bit overly big. I guess I won't have to worry about the wood swelling and making the lid difficult to remove.
Funny, in my mind that lid had a bigger opening. I could have extended it further under the bridgedeck but since its awkward getting my hands any further aft I left it at that. Or maybe I could have made the forward cut wider but that would cut into the front supporting lip. I guess it doesn't matter. I made the cuts.
So that was about it. I hope to do some glueing during the week and seal the undersides of the countertops with epoxy. I should do the final fitting of the drop storage bin and top step next weekend. The temperatures have made a drastic change in the past week and it should be warm enough to start with the varnishing too. I probably better get started on that before it gets TOO hot for varnish. Sometimes I feel like goldilocks. Its either too cold or too hot; rarely just right. Okay, I am bitching again...
Sayonara
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Bit by bit...
The week ended with some pretty sucky personal stuff which limited activity on the boat. The visual progress was good however.
There is some final fitting to be done and details to work out. The storage area around the sink is the biggest thing on the list at the moment. Behind the sink will be a cherry face with cutouts for the dishes. There is the drop down storage bin outboard of the sink with a shelf overhead. And then there is the question about what to do with the aft starboard corner. Not sure what to do there yet. I think once I get started with the other bits it will make more sense.
Back over on the port side, I need to figure out a stove that will fit along the front edge of the counter top and cut a lid into the storage bin below. Along the outboard edge I also want to put in a low storage box for navigation tools. I have been using that part of the counter for a navigation station for years and it was my plan to keep it for that purpose. Making the decision to put a stove top there might put a wrinkle in those plans but I think it will still work out okay. I will probably mount the stove below the level of the countertop and make a hinged section of countertop that will cover the stove when it is not in use. I forgot about the countertop also being the top of a storage bin on the aft port end of the settee. I will have to figure out how to cover that or make it an open bin. Perhaps a piece of tile so I have a place to put a hot pot to cool?... I have time to figure that out.
Oh. I also made a decision this week that I have been postponing for awhile. I took a good hard look at my finances and I have decided that putting the boat in the water this season is going to hurt too much. I could do it but it would be painful and I definitely wouldn't have the funds to continue working on the boat. I will miss sailing this year but I am excited to see the galley coming along and I think I can tie a lot of interior projects together this summer and have a real cruising boat for the 2013 season.
So I am both sad and happy to have that decision behind me. Now I can focus on what I CAN do this year and what I can do should be fun. More coming soon...
Ikke noe mer idag. Had det godt venner! :-)
There is some final fitting to be done and details to work out. The storage area around the sink is the biggest thing on the list at the moment. Behind the sink will be a cherry face with cutouts for the dishes. There is the drop down storage bin outboard of the sink with a shelf overhead. And then there is the question about what to do with the aft starboard corner. Not sure what to do there yet. I think once I get started with the other bits it will make more sense.
Back over on the port side, I need to figure out a stove that will fit along the front edge of the counter top and cut a lid into the storage bin below. Along the outboard edge I also want to put in a low storage box for navigation tools. I have been using that part of the counter for a navigation station for years and it was my plan to keep it for that purpose. Making the decision to put a stove top there might put a wrinkle in those plans but I think it will still work out okay. I will probably mount the stove below the level of the countertop and make a hinged section of countertop that will cover the stove when it is not in use. I forgot about the countertop also being the top of a storage bin on the aft port end of the settee. I will have to figure out how to cover that or make it an open bin. Perhaps a piece of tile so I have a place to put a hot pot to cool?... I have time to figure that out.
Oh. I also made a decision this week that I have been postponing for awhile. I took a good hard look at my finances and I have decided that putting the boat in the water this season is going to hurt too much. I could do it but it would be painful and I definitely wouldn't have the funds to continue working on the boat. I will miss sailing this year but I am excited to see the galley coming along and I think I can tie a lot of interior projects together this summer and have a real cruising boat for the 2013 season.
So I am both sad and happy to have that decision behind me. Now I can focus on what I CAN do this year and what I can do should be fun. More coming soon...
Ikke noe mer idag. Had det godt venner! :-)
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