Oh no, I forgot the words to last post's song! Thanks to Ken, A-T-W, for his music comment. Ben picked a fine time to leave me, Lucile. Wait.....it was a fine time to leave. The week started with four days of rain, so I putzed around doing minor things......you know, rainy day stuff. I cobbled together a rack for our sheet pans. I cleaned up some garage sale stuff that we bought. I read. It rained a lot. I read a lot. We sneaked in a bit of work on a couple afternoons. By Friday, the rain was gone. The problem with rainy weather is that ennui and indolence set in and the desire to work seeps out, sapping the desire to restart. So, on to the obscure obfuscated ephemera that comprises this blog.
Boy, this is exciting. The little bird with the beautiful song is back. Apparently she nests in low, protected locations, like the exhaust chute for the jointer. I kicked her out, feeling that baby chicks would not appreciate being turned into chicken salad. She promptly attempted to set up her nest in the band saw. Budge took off the front and removed the beginnings of a new nest from under the bottom wheel and left the cover off to discourage her. We have not seen her, so I hope she found a suitable location safe from the rat snakes. Remember my two followers, it rained this week! The official yard Road Runner was hunting and came within 5 feet of me with no fear. I talked to her in English. She said something to me in Roadrunnerarian and continued hunting. It's good to bond cross culturally.
Hey! A video! Budge finally finished editing the many hours of video that he shot when we moved the hull. We did it in a day, rain and all. It's a nice job of editing.
The steps to the swim ladder rope ladder. Insert rope in hole, tie a knot! White oak made even whiter by paint.
I lugged the swim platform in and out of the shop a couple times and finally got it sanded. Then we had to make a written-in-stone decision about the net that fills that hole in the middle. Custom made net: $800. Make it yourself trampoline mesh: $120-$150. Budge suggested rope woven horizontally and vertically: $69. Sold! I ordered the rope and started some pieces to glue on and drill out to hold the ropes. There was a lot of rain dodging this week, so everything was in short segments.
The two thingamajigs (whatsiwhosies) that comprise the front of the pod. The aft mast (Heh, heh, heh, half vast) sits between them. Budge had to cut a section out of the pod so it could be set down and clear the mast step.
That center piece was cut out , moved back, and glued back in to clear the mast step.
Budge, the great videographer, documenting the thingy glue-up!
So finally on Saturday, I screwed up my courage (I already screwed up everything else) and started finishing one beam. We coated and glassed the tops earlier, leaving 3 sides to do. This is a long process so I started early. I sanded a few touch ups, where I filled nail holes. I mixed up some oakpoxy and coated the oak of beam 2. Note: hole in glove- those things are 7½¢ each so we use them as many times as we can. Believe me, it adds up. We have spent over $50.00 just in gloves and we need more!
Then I mixed some regular 'poxy and coated all the corners. Then I thickened the epoxy and squeezed it into the corners.
Then took a filleting tool and rounded the fillets.
Then took a putty knife and cleaned up the excess on both edges of the fillet, a tedious endeavor. Then take a break until the fillet gets fudgy. I love this part, the break taking part.
Then take a wetted finger and smooth out the fillet, making sure you don't drag the epoxy.
Then take another break until the water dries out. The best part of this process.
Pour more epoxy 2:1, stir (not shaken).
Coat what ain't coated with epoxy.
Wait while the epoxy partially sets (another break).
Paint on a coat of primer, Wait the requisite hour (break).
Paint the first coat of paint. Wait the requisite 12-16 hours.........wait! It's 5:15 PM! Quitting time! Next coat tomorrow. Take the big break. Pour a beer, write this Blog.
Did I say it rained this week? Last week, this houseboat was sitting high and dry on land 20 feet from the shore of the lake. It floated there last flood and was tied to a tree, preventing it from floating back when the water receded. It either had a hole in it or the heavy rains filled it up before it could float. I think it's still tied to the tree................now that tree won't get away!
What???????
The Music♫: Lonnie Mack/Stevie Ray Vaughan, "Wham"
Dammit! Now Prince is gone.......... death sure is an inconvenience and gets in the way of your projects. Merle Haggard early this month, also Lonnie Mack gone this week. Thanks for the music, guys!
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