The Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction - WEST SYSTEM Epoxy

Chapter 18 – Setting Up 205
Figure 18-7 A straightedge clamped at centerline of frame. Figure 18-8 Setting up frames. Note the wedges on the floor
under the legs. <strong>The</strong> frame in the foreground is clamped to its
screws while the clamps are on. After you remove the
clamps, recheck the position of the station. Nails and
screws can allow small amounts of movement. <strong>The</strong>refore,
do not rely on nails and screws as a permanent measure
to prevent movement. You should always apply fillets, if
only because they show telltale signs of movement so
slight that they otherwise might go unnoticed.
Permanent Bracing
<strong>The</strong> temporary diagonals, which are only clamped until
the filleting material on the legs cures, must be replaced
by permanent diagonals. Some thought must go into
location of the permanent diagonals, especially if you
are placing some bulkheads in the set-up. Bracing will
have to be kept out of their way.
If it is necessary to release the temporary diagonals
before you apply the permanent ones, you will have to
replumb the station, fore and aft, and recorrect twist.
Handle both of these operations as before by holding a
spirit level vertically on the face of the mold frame.
Since the legs will have been permanently secured by
anchoring block and the diagonal bracing. A straightedge is
clamped along the frame’s centerline and just touches the
centerline cable at floor level.
this time, you need not worry about any other aspect of
the station positioning. When everything is aligned,
fillet the permanent diagonals in place.
When all of the frames are set up, we usually place a
batten in various positions across the frames to see how
the whole thing fairs. Since the frames will not have
been beveled at this time, this fairing check will be crude,
but it will nonetheless reveal any sizable mislocations.
Should a frame appear to be out of place, check its
position, as well as those of the frames on either side
of it, by measurements from the lofting. Be sure you
know exactly where an error is before changing things.
Warping or curling of mold frame material will cause an
appearance of error, especially toward the ends of the
set-up. If the long batten shows a discrepancy, check
for warp or curl in the stations, as well as for station
position.