A quick update while scarfing some lunch at my desk on some recent evening work...
Getting the aforementioned two layers of 3/8 marine ply on the back of the transom frame seemed a likely next step. We knew from early on the top edge of our motor board was a wee bit wonky so step one was to set up the table saw and skim a little off. Need to smooth a couple blade marks but it's now much more square than it was.
With that taken care of it was time to slap on some glue...
Set the skin on, then clamps, clamps....clamps!
and more clamps....
...think I counted 35
including the work table...
Once cured, clamps came off and we started farting around with the angle issue again, trying to determine the best way to square up those notches...jury is still out on whether to whittle away on the stringers a bit or level the transom cutouts...still have to glue up the final outside panel...
And, you know...this chunk of boat structure is starting to get heavy...like it might actually be part of a real live boat someday! Holding up a motor n everything!
And here's another little interesting side excursion. I wouldn't call it a mistake exactly but rather "unresolved indecision" LOL.
What happened was the first transom skin went only as high as the top of the rear gunwale. The motor board sticks up a couple more inches because the plans offer both a short and regular shaft version depending on the engine to be used. I wasn't sure which level was best and went with the shorter think we'd be using a metal cover anyway.
Of course Murphy declared we had the longer of the two shaft lengths on that 56 Johnson so it seemed in hind sight both skins should go to the highest edge.
This would leave a 3/8 gap at the top between the last skin and the motor board if left as is, so we decided to fill it before gluing up the last skin.
The problem was the first skin was only rough cut to shape on the jig in that area and got glued that way so the edge was not straight enough to measure propery.
Anyway, we came upon the brillinat solution to clamp some paper in the gap and trace the uneven edge. My son will then transfer this carefully recreated wonky line to a fresh sheet of ply then use his awesome jig skills to cut an identical uneven edge. The two edges should mirror each other and will allow the closest possible meet up of those pieces for gluing....
Aren't you glad you asked?...cuz that's 30 seconds of your lives you will never get back!....:sleeping:
:facepalm:
