Phillip Rhodes project update March 11, 2002 Oy Listees! Here we go again . . . ready? Deep breath . . . Materials used since last update: 3--4" grinding wheels. 1--4-1/2" grinding wheel 1--work-glove (left hand, why is it always the left hand?) 1--carbide tipped scribe (dropped it and the tip shattered, drat, those things are expensive). 2614--hairs off my back. We had a reasonably productive weekend. Work (at the mundane job) has finally calmed down to somewhat normal hours (less than 60 hours per week), thus allowing me to more closely resemble a living being on the weekends (grunt, snort). The weather was gorgeous, so much so that in order to get any work done, we had to firmly resist the temptation to go on a spring motorcycle ride. Sigh. My guess is that we would not have come back . . . at least anytime soon. Anyway, we are at the stage where a massive amount of grinding is necessary. We are repairing the forward deck frames, and have already removed much of the old plating from the deck. We tried several different methods to remove the old plating-the objective being the least work necessary with the least damage to the frames, which are in good condition and do not need to be replaced. We tried cutting the welds from the underside, but that resulted in ugly incisions into the frames themselves, all of which have to be repaired. It also results in a painful and plentiful rain of sparks and molten slag all over yours truly, something I selfishly feel should be avoided. Plasma cutter and cutting torch were equally ineffective in this trial. We then tried cutting the welds with a wheel type cut-off tool, but it could not be gotten into most of the nooks and crannies to get to the welds. It was also painfully slow. It was also evident that the plating was very "over welded", meaning when taking into account the welds on both sides of the frame, the plating is attached to the frames with what amounts to a continuous weld. Massively strong, which is the point . . . but I have to take it apart at the moment. What seems to be the least work, and the least damage to the frames is to cut a line through the plating down each side of the frame, leaving a small segment of plate still welded to the top edge of the frame. Those of you really paying attention have probably perked up and said, "But that means LOTS of cutting, eh?" Actually it means LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of cutting, Bookoodles (technical term) of cutting. Well . . .boatloads of cutting, if you'll pardon the term. 28-feet of cutting for each frame in the forward deck of the boat (well, not really . . . they get narrower at the pointy end of the boat). All of it is very precise cutting also, very near the edge of the frame on each side. Fortunately this is the kind of stuff where the plasma cutter really shines. A few exploratory cuts to determine where the frame is exactly, then a couple of lines scribed into the plating, then cut away. Sounds easy, yes? Next you have to deal with that little bit still welded to the top of the frames. Again, the objective is to remove this bit with the least amount of work, and the least amount of damage to the frames themselves. We have found two ways to deal with this, depending on access and how much metal remains. The first is used were access is pretty easy, and there is a large amount of metal on the top of the frame to be removed. The cutting torch is used, heating the top of the extra bit of metal. When the cutting starts you move about in inch along, cutting the top portion of the extra metal, then you rapidly move the torch down to the bottom of the extra bit, and move fast back along the inch you have already cut along. If done correctly, the by now red hot extra bit of plating is blasted clean off the frame, with no damage imparted. Some grinding is then used to smooth the frame and remove any slag. The other way is the brute force approach. Simply attack it with the grinder. That is lots of grinding, and takes a lot of time, but it works. We are double teaming it, as it would take me alone about 10 more weekends to get the forward frames ready. While I was cutting more plate with the plasma-cutter, and then attempting NOT to butcher frames with a cutting torch and grinder, I set the wife attacking other frames with a grinder. Went somewhat slowly at first, she was a bit timid with the grinder, but it picked up rapidly. I THINK it was just coincidence that she really got aggressive with the grinder about the time she found that by carefully picking the portion of the wheel you were grinding with, you could aim the hot sparks and slag shooting off the grinder so that it flew 20 or so feet and went precisely down the back of her husband's shirt (that's yours truly again). I'm not sure what to make of the occasional maniacal laughter coming from her direction, or the fact that when my back was turned she appropriated the newer and more powerful grinder. When she tried that one she said, and I quote, "Ooohhhhwhowhoyeaaahhhhhh". I may have unleashed a monster. Anyway, the first 4 sets of frames are now smooth and free of extra bits of metal. That is enough so that the first deck plate can be fitted, but those frames still need to be sandblasted and primed. We will keep chugging along, unsure of the order of operations here . . . we may continue frame prep until they are all done, or we may finish them up in plate-segment sized chunks and attach the plating. Depends on how we feel, and workflow economics. In the life after boats category--Those of you that know me, know that music is a required element of life to me. Right along the lines of food, air, and water. So, for a little bit of non-boat related fun, Friday night some good friends (Hi Dean! Hey Cindy!) took us out to a local Irish Pub to see the Killdares. This is an interesting group, Celtic/Rock crossover. Very upbeat. Very fast. Percussion, great guitar, and fiddle, with the occasional bag-pipes mixed in. Great stuff. The have some instrumentals, and some with vocals. Their rendition of "Amazing Grace" will leave you breathless. I think they will make it in the major leagues, (standing room only in the pub, folks showed up hours early, and nobody left until the last set was over) in the mean time I would recommend their CD's. Check their website (http://killdares.com ). No affiliation, just a very satisfied customer. Until next time, CUAgain, Daniel Meyer