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Jonathan
 
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Default Stitch & glue--build time? pitfalls...

Ah....well.While assembling a dinghy from sheets of plywood is a new
endeavor, I have been using epoxy and it's many additives for 15 years
or so, using about a gallon a year in different applications on the job.
As a carpenter/construction manager I've found many applications for its
gap filling and adhesive qualities, both in work on boats and on more
pedestrian projects.

I do have questions like: do I want to assemble the two sides of the
bottom together, then attach the sides, or do I want to assemble the two
halves of the boat and put them together down the middle?

The designer provided layouts with a very efficient utilization of the
plywood, something that strikes me as possibly taking a lot of time to
figure out otherwise. One of the sheets says to make two sets (it is the
bottom halves and the sides) I am inclined to lay out one sheet, cut it
out, then trace the second set? as opposed to the time taken to lay out
the second one again, plotting each of the curves again.....any thought?

I have every thing I need, except for the mast, boom and a gooseneck
for the boom...

Still, it is a boat, which has it's own force field of surprises.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Jonathan




Brian D wrote:
The delay factors would include waiting for epoxy to cure ...you'd be
surprised at how many times you have to do something, then wait wait. With
experience, you can figure out how to order steps so you can do a nice job
and do things wet-on-wet. Also, beginners tend to spend more time futzing
around with getting the right amount of thickener in the epoxy, applying it
carefully, trying to get fiberglass to work the way you expected etcetera.
Most boats cannot be built in 2 weeks, unless it's very simple and you have
some knowledge about what you are doing, and everything is already acquired
and ready to go. The reason that Scotty mentioned skin on frame is because
you can basically work non-stop as time and energy permits. No waiting on
curing except when you are done, you generally must wait for sealants to
cure before painting. That depends on which you select.