AR15 - Expensive Therapy

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Rick
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Post by Rick »

fmiles wrote:Tidying the garage is the worst part, only to muck it up again :? Cutting out develops dust you wouldn't believe!
I think you mispelled "sanding epoxy and fiberglass develops dust you wouldn't believe."

HTH!

richstrat
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Post by richstrat »

Well, two days into the build and here are the first of the promised photos.

I thought I'd post one of the redesigned transom. There are two layers of 9mm ply reinforcing the bottom (it's like a steel bar now!) I've also reshaped the seats a bit to give a 'split level' seating arrangement...

<img src ="modules/Upload/richstrat/transom 1.jpg ">

A few construction photos...

<img src ="modules/Upload/richstrat/bottom panel.jpg ">

<img src ="modules/Upload/richstrat/stitched up.jpg ">

<img src ="modules/Upload/richstrat/turned over.jpg ">

I'm starting to believe the 64 kgs - I can't believe how light it was to turn over!

Filletting and taping begins tomorrow!!!

Rich

apexchaser
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Keep the pictures coming!

Post by apexchaser »

Rich:
Thank you for posting, and please keep those construction pictures coming! I'm about to start a c-12 as a first project one of these days, and will then move on to either an AR-15 or R550, so it's awesome to be able to see an AR-15 coming together...

Did you write that you're two days into the construction? and you've already got the hull stitched together? Wow you work fast. Did you start with a pre-cut kit, or cut the ply yourself?

Good luck, and looking good so far!

Cheers,
Felipe.

richstrat
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Post by richstrat »

Yup, two days in! And no, I didn't buy the kit!

Alright, that should be two days, plus two evenings cutting and gluing the hull panels, plus several evenings marking out the parts. I found that I could cut and sand the parts much quicker than I could mark them out. I should add that I am ably assisted by my glamourous assistant - my partner Fran. She may appear in a photo or two to come! It's our winter project, although at this rate it may just be our late autumn project :lol:

Rich

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Looks great, congradulations!

Post by Mike_D »

Looks great, congratulations! I'd love to build an AR15 one of these days. My Caravelle is fun, but she's no 'rocket'. I wonder if I could use my Caravelle rig (larger version) on an AR15?

You can get a hull together pretty quickly, but I think you'll find your pace slowing when you get into more of the detailed work. I have a hunch building, painting, rigging and outfitting will keep you busy into the spring.

Best of luck,
-Mike

richstrat
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Post by richstrat »

Well, 4 days in and we've got all the inside filleted and taped - tomorrow will be putting the centreboard trunking together and fitting that...

Here are the latest piccies...

The 'hired help' (plus the 'hired hindrance!')

<img src ="modules/Upload/richstrat/hired help.jpg ">

Couple of piccies of it taped up...

<img src ="modules/Upload/richstrat/taped.jpg ">

<img src ="modules/Upload/richstrat/taped bow.jpg ">

Rich

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lstyles
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Post by lstyles »

Great job Rich! Your fillets all look so even. How do you make them? How wide are they when they are done?
Lori

richstrat
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Post by richstrat »

Well, they say the camera never lies, but in this case it does! :wink:

The fillets aren't really that even, especially the first ones I made towards the back, but here's what I do...

The fillets are actually very short chopped strands of glass - I couldn't find woodflour anywhere handy, so thought they would be pretty strong - posts by Jacques seem to be of the opinion that you can use them if you like - so I did!. Anyway...

I lay the fillet with a toungue depressor, as it's pretty fibrous, it goes on fairly easy. I don't worry about getting it too smooth at this stage. By the time I finish a 'compartment' it's just reaching the 'green' stage so I apply the tape immediately. I consolidate with a finned roller - it's got a diameter of about 20mm, so as you roll into the fillet it compresses it into a lovely round shape.

The two of us working together can fillet and tape a compartment in about 1 hour - we seem to have worked out a reasonable system - did twice as much today as yesterday...

HTH

Rich

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lstyles
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Post by lstyles »

Thanks for the info. Your method sounds good to me. I am still experimenting with what works best for me.
What is a "finned roller" by the way? Keep those pictures coming!
Lori

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LarryA
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Post by LarryA »

Rich,

That is looking awesome!!!!

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