Assembling the central mounting modules

Last weekend we started assembling the central mounting modules.  The assembly requires the use of a jig described in the plans that I built last winter.  As you can see in the photo, a few clamps come in handy as well.  The assembly at the far end was done last week, and is now set.  Today I glued up the other end, currently clamped and curing.  The glue is epoxy thickened with cabosil.  I also use a putty to fill in the gaps.  Typically I wet all of the mating surfaces with the thickened epoxy glue to ensure good adhesion of the putty.  Then I apply a bead of putty and mate the pieces.  Following a little cleanup I leave it to cure.  I don't try to fillet and tape it until the initial glue is cured.  It is just too much hassle to work around the clamps and jig.  Over the weekend I plan to assemble the other CMM.  Hopefully I'll be able to fillet and tape both CMMs next weekend.  That should put us on track to be done with the CMMs before Christmas.

A couple posts ago I showed the woodworking I was doing to fabricate the beam pads that will go on the CMMs.  Well, here is another picture of the pads after all the cuts were complete.  It was a lot of work milling these to the precise dimensions, but I just love the look and feel of a well machined part, be it wood or metal (or fiber-reinforced boat hull).

After some sanding and prep, the wood beam pads were glassed on three sides.  The other sides are glassed once the CMMs are installed in the main hull.  I masked the unglassed sides with clear packing tape prior to applying the glass to keep the surfaces clean.  I just need to do some final sanding and these will be ready to be attached to the CMMs.  (And no, this is not suppose to be an advertisement for a trampoline company!)