My Friend Dusty

is the guy I always ask for ideas.  I really like the idea part of the process, too, but many times he sees things I don’t.

Our boat has heart designs cut into cabinet sliders to use instead of hardware for moving them.   Figured I’d do something like that for the sliding birch doors in the overhead cabinets.  Looked OK, but just wasn’t right.  Dusty looked at them, got a piece of paper and a pencil, and drew what looked at first glance like a loaf of bread.  But, the little light in my head came on and I added a tongue and a wheel to his loaf of bread.

I really like them.

Next big project up is the belly pan.  I went to Seattle this week and picked up several sheets of .025 and one of .032 5052 aluminum and they’re waiting now in the back of the truck until the rain stops.

-steve

One Polished, One Not

Worked mostly on the overhead cabinets today.  Mine are in two sections mounted next to each other.  I’ve stripped both, but today I spent some polish time on the front one for a big difference in appearance.

I wanted a transition between the warm wood in front and the cool polished aluminum in the back.  The original cabinets that will return to the curbside do it fine on that side.  On the streetside, though, I don’t like the polished look on the end of that overhead.  Made a test fit with a piece of birch on the end and think it will look better that way.  I’ve definitely settled on birch for the sliding doors, too.

I replaced the navigation lights on the boat this week.  There has been a plan for the old ones.  I have a strong emotional bond with our boat.  She’s been our home for 22 years and she always took care of us during our trip around the world.  There’s no way to use her now with Pam and I know, like last year, we won’t leave the dock at all.  I’ll not even bend the sails back on this year.  We’re nearing the end with the boat.

The old bronze nav lights will be refitted with LED’s and will be accent lights for the 13 panel front endcap.  No polish, either, as they’re going to stay just like they are, showing the wear from all the winds and waves they’ve faced.  I’ll be able to look up at them and remember the boat and that’ll make me happy. 

-steve

Three More Panels of Birch

I’ve been working on the rest of the upper interior panels for the last week or so.  Just three panels of birch, but a lot of cutting and fitting and cutting and fitting. . .

followed by sanding and four coats of finish.

Olympic rivets are being used mostly, especially along the seams joining the three panels, extending that long line of bucked rivets on the aluminum panels.

The first round of stripping is done on the overhead cabinets, too.  I’ve considered replacing them with the same type in birch, but I’m pretty sure I’ll just polish the originals and use birch doors.  It’s pretty hard to improve on the originals—functional and very lightweight.

-steve