Setting up the beam bulkhead deck flanges

I had always wondered when I got to this point in the build how I would set up the mold plate, 20 degrees from normal, upside down and have it properly supported. The above little critters indicate my first shot at it. I made eight of these so that all 4 beam bulkheads could be set up at once.


Here is a shot of a rear bulkhead looking forward. Keel is above. (This makes it the starboard side float, inner side on the right.) Shown is the plywood jig that confirms the angle and the correct distance from the locating dowel at the centre.

I have to say that getting my upper torso into the floats to work on these areas has been very challenging. It has been hot in Toronto, and I have sweated buckets. However, with that said the restricted access to these areas has made this work pretty much the most challenging to date. Having said that, I cannot imagine the efforts builders have made on the other Farrier designs where the deck is incorporated in the hull forms. At least on the F22 I can see what I am doing.


Similar set up for the forward beam bulkhead.

On the forward beam bulkheads (inner side) some extra foam bracing is specified between the deck and the hull. I'm all set now to cut the cloth strips for laminating the flanges. The call is for 6 layers of the outer hull cloth weight. This means that I will be building up 12 layers of the 9 oz e-glass aerospace cloth that I am using.

I have made use of my small dremel tool grinder to smooth out rough spots before the next layers are applied.


Here is another view of the set up on the rear side of the rear bulkhead. I had to sand down the mold plate thickness in the corners and edges on the rear bulkheads to get them to fit. The plans show the use of a much thinner mold plate.


This is where the beams bolt on to the floats so I am trying to make sure I do the best job that I can.