Boxy Fisher Catamaran

[Fanie]

The jig came out of the beam tonight. I trimmed the ends and weigh it specially for Manie and Masalai

58kg. You guys have to remember that I have to make up 4000kg to get the boat on it's design draft...

That is one sturdy piece of glass.

The jig is re-assembled and I will wind the plastic by the morrow. Ready for the next beam.

[Manie B]

beams looking good

and i have a present for you - Glatex 8 white new unopened cans
i wont even waste my time to open it - when i saw the bubbles and the price i realised its gotta go

[Fanie]

I can still take the glatex off with my finger nail Maybe it hardens when it fades in the sun

[Fanie]

I finally got the laser cut parts back from the laser cutters. This is the hull jig end rollers the jig will rotate on. These gets bolted to the two vertical iron tubing stands I use for the beams currently. The arms can adjust open or in to hold the jig secure while it rotates.

[Fanie]

I wound the second beam tonight. Started at 09h00 and finished at 01h10. I ran out of time a few times on the 15 minutes set timer for the resin, nothing went wrong, I just do not like it if my time goes border line. Too much to do with the process for one person, you need to be two. It took two hours for one person vs one hour if someone assists.

It looks exactly like the first beam, so I'm not going to post pictures of it again, but you can loop from post #42 once more

Two beams done, two more to go.

I'm going to give the beam an hour to gell properly and then take the peel ply off. Last time I waited untill it was dry, but the peel ply comes off difficult then.

Consumables used to wind each beam -
One wooly roller,
A few rags for wiping and cleaning the glass machine,
A pot scrub whatever you call them also for scrubbing the glass machine clean,
About two cups of washing powder,
Plastic to wrap the beam prior to glassing,
A bit of 50mm cellotape to join the new glass roll's start to the depeted one's end,
Peel ply, cut to 200mm widths to apply easier.
mmmm.... can't think of anything else...

[masalai]

Not only is the man a "ginger-beer" (rhyming slang for engineer) he is a "shed-tinkerer of the highest order and esteem" (shed must have a well stocked beer fridge)... You do not need to give away all your tricks and technologies, but do show us the finished product you are making (the boat) - the rest may become a valuable asset you may wish to use to set up a business in Thailand or NZ... with Manie & Wynand et al???

Latex gloves (those chemicals are nasty), masks to ensure you are NOT inhaling those toxic vapours, clothing that needs replacing, hair that got stuck by a "spill" and needed re cutting???

[Fanie]

Mas, I'm lunie enough as it is. If I go into the boat building business I may become like some of them

I have latex gloves, and the little woven ones you wear under them. Never used it though. I do wash my hands in the washing powder about 50 times. It seems the washing powder leaves a soapy (?) layer on one's hands and does not affect my skin other than being tacky. It does burn any where else though.

The good intentions of staying awake and get the peel ply off this morning flew out the window I got tired and went to bed. The beam was cleaned and faired this morning. When the fairing dried I will sand it down some and then there is nothing else to do but wait to Tuesday to strip the jig from the hull.

[rattus]

Fanie, pardon if I missed something here, but was there a longitudinal glass component to these beams?

Your winder looks the trick setup, but it might be awkward tumbling a beam end-over-end ;-)

Mike

[Fanie]

Hi Rattus,
I'm using woven roving, so the glass is X and Y woven. Ideally it would have been nice to add a 45 degree wound also, but I doubt it will be nessessary. The layup is a bit of an overkill as it is.

[Fanie]

Beam #3 is done. It looks exactly like the first two beams, so I'm not going to post pictures of it again, but you can again loop from post #42 once more

[Manie B]

I have ordered some of AMT's pu foam type 38-G151
they say it's the real deal for the marine environment
closed cell and wont absorb water - but more expensive than the regular stuff
i got some regular from the boat yard AND IT DOES ABSORB WATER
i will keep you up to date

[Fanie]

Manie, there is only one foam you should consider and that is Sondor's closed cell foams, I suggest the SPX range. I have pieces that has been lying in the sun here for about 10 years, it's still in good condition.

Why are you considering something else ? You know Sondor's foams.

If you need something structural, then just glass over the XPS. I know it's more expensive but you get what you pay for. If you have to replace the other foam in a while, how much does it cost then ?

[Fanie]

Beam #4 is done. It looks exactly like the first three beams, so I'm not going to post pictures of it again (yaaaawwwnnn), but you can again loop from post #42 once again Yes well now you know how I feel by now

I got the 200mm end pipe for the hulls jig, I'm waiting for a quote for having the beeeg jig made. Not a good time for quotes, everyone wants to up their Christmas shopping.

In the mean time I have to assemble the beams and make them hinge. This is going to be slightly uncomfortable because you have to handle two beams at a time. Oh well, just have to do it, no use pondering them together

[masalai]

Fanie, How do we know that you have actually done all this? - Picks of all beams? and also the graphic updates are appreciated and if a picture is worth a thousand words - beats typing

[Fanie]

Fanie, How do we know that you have actually done all this?

Faith ???
Ok how about trust ???

Very well, I'll take some pics by the morrow... ooops, later today and upload one for you.

I've cut some of the foam that goes into the beams tonight. As always all parts of the boat will have 100% booyancy. Pity they didn't have this PE foam back then when the Titanic was built.