My Official build thread. 27 1/2’ GA

[Todd j]

Thanks Djeffrey for the tip!

[Todd j]

Is this the correct way to install the corner knee?

[Brian.Dixon]

Yup, you've got it.  On the underside (the side you can see above), make sure you give the knee/transom seam a nice thick fillet and glass.  Optional, but I like milled glass fiber in any thickened epoxy mix used for connecting to the transom or bow (or even fairbody) - these are stress concentration areas.  Also notice that on the topside (the side that faces the sky), you can't put a fillet and glass because the blocking goes there ... OR you can, but you'll have to shape the blocking to match the fillet's curves and will likely have some fill to do.  But it's not necessary.  The epoxied-in blocking adds plenty of strength and that's why it's there.

As in the pic below, top side of the knee will get blocking that adds up to the thickness of the sheer shelves.  You'll likely put plywood on top for corner storage areas (later) that will bring it up to the same level as the sheer decks (below).

Brian

[Todd j]

 Thank you!  I wasn’t as sure looking at the photos in the plans.  Now I can do something while I wait for stringers to cure.

[Todd j]

I might be the last to know this, but.  Don’t put your abs pipe fillet tools in acetone.  I did it today and in half a day I had a black smudgy mess.  It disappeared!

[Brian.Dixon]

Yeah ... haha.  You can use a strong vinegar mix to clean them if the epoxy's very fresh, otherwise, just wipe until clean with paper towels when done.  They're cheap and replaceable.  Acetone melts the ABS plastic....

Brian

[Todd j]

I made a bunch of them from a scrap of pipe I had.  They will go in the garbage from now on.

[Brian.Dixon]

I made a bunch of them from a scrap of pipe I had.  They will go in the garbage from now on.

I find the elbows to be handy ... but a couple in each size from really big (4") on down... 2" and smaller being the most common sizes that you'll use.

Brian

[Todd j]

Sooooo, I forgot to pull the screws that held the transom to the shelf.  When I went to unscrew them they of course broke.   The are of course ferrous.  They are buried 1/4”-1/2” inside the face of the transom.  Is there much chance these could come back to haunt me?   The only screws I have broken so far are on the transom where I used the milled glass and thickener.  It’s strong stuff I guess. 

[Brian.Dixon]

Sooooo, I forgot to pull the screws that held the transom to the shelf.  When I went to unscrew them they of course broke.   The are of course ferrous.  They are buried 1/4”-1/2” inside the face of the transom.  Is there much chance these could come back to haunt me?   The only screws I have broken so far are on the transom where I used the milled glass and thickener.  It’s strong stuff I guess.

If it were me, I'd dig them out and have peace of mind about it.  Hole filling is easy, so a ragged hole is OK.  Seems like I saw a trick for getting screws out like these ... like a big roll pin that you could twist onto the end of the screw (screw inside the hollow roll pin), then use a driver-drill to back them out.  I've done things like drilling holes all around the busted screw and then used needle nose pliers or vise grips to grab them and turn/wiggle them out.  I'd google around ... might be an easy way....

Brian

[Todd j]

Ok.  I will just peck away at it with a chisel or drill around it as you suggested. 

[kennneee]

When epoxy has set and it is hard to get the screws out try heating the screw head with a soldering iron. It will usually soften the epoxy enough to back the screw out. Broken off, a different story.

[First Draft]

Don't worry about broken screws.  I've probably got two dozen broken off screws in various places on my 19 year old Tolman and I've never seen hide nor hair of any of them.   You'll do more damage trying to dig them out than you will ever encounter by leaving them in.  Screws don't back themselves out of wood over time.  And I've been doing carpentry work for 40+ years.

[Rbob]

My favorite tool for broken screws are a steel roll pin.  Buy a couple different sizes so it will fit the screw.

No need to dig it out, I used a clearance drill same size as the od of the roll pin and drill down till you feel the broken screw., just pound it down on the screw and then send a flame from a micro torch down the roll pin and unscrew it with a vice grip:

.

[Brian.Dixon]

Don't worry about broken screws.  I've probably got two dozen broken off screws in various places on my 19 year old Tolman and I've never seen hide nor hair of any of them.   You'll do more damage trying to dig them out than you will ever encounter by leaving them in.  Screws don't back themselves out of wood over time.  And I've been doing carpentry work for 40+ years.

Thanks ... that's real life experience that is very good to know about

Brian