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by
Rick Campbell
photos: Roger Yip
illustration by Len Churchill |
BOAT-SHAPED BAR (part 2) |
Set aside the bow bulkhead and glue the rest on edge to the
face of the back panel. You can hold these bulkheads in place
with clamps, or tack them in position through the back panel
with an air nailer or spiral finishing nails.
Take a look at the plans to see how the door stiles extend between
the lower bulkheads to square up the opening for the doors.
To make these parts, cut out a pair of rectangular blanks, then
use the sides of the back panel as a pattern to lay out the
curved edges. When you trace the profile, position the inside
edge of the blanks 13 5/8" from the back panel’s
centre line. This location corresponds to the sides of the door
opening. After transferring the profile to the blanks, head
over to the bandsaw to complete the cuts. Sand the edges, then
install the stiles flush with the front inside edges of the
bulkheads using a couple of dowels to connect the ends into
the bulkheads.
Next, turn your attention to the frame that supports the base
of the bar. First, cut out rail blanks for the front and rear
of this frame. Once again, you’ll use the back panel as
a pattern to transfer the profile to the ends of the rails before
trimming them to length with a bandsaw. After sanding, glue
the rear piece directly to the back panel and attach the front
to the underside of the lower bulkhead with glue and #20 biscuits.
Cut out blanks for the base frame side rails as well. Prior
to installation, you’ll need to bevel the top and bottom
edges of the side rails at the tablesaw to compensate for the
slope of the side of the back panel. For my project, I needed
10º angles, but you should use an angle gauge to check
yours. There could be variation in the profile of your back
panel. Apply glue to the ends and the top edges of the frame
sides, then clamp the parts in place.
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| Add
a couple of functional accessories to your bar:
wine storage and a stemware rack |
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Now that you’ve reinforced the stern, it’s time
to build the bow. Grab the short bulkhead you made earlier and
prepare blanks for the triangular upper and lower bow plates.
As before, use the back panel as a template to trace the side
profile onto the blanks and cut out the shapes at the bandsaw.
Attach the bottom edges of the plates perpendicular to the top
and bottom of the short bulkhead with glue and biscuits.
Next, prepare the centre support ribs that stand vertically
between the bow plates. Start by laminating a double thickness
of 3/4" material to make the blank, then bevel the edges
at the front to create a point that matches the tip of the bow
plates. Apply glue to the top and rear edges of the joined ribs
and clamp the assembly in place, with the back edge centred
against the upper bulkhead. Finally, glue the entire bow assembly
to the top of the back panel.
Side Step
You need to strengthen the structure of the hull by connecting
the bulkheads to the side panels. Each side comprises three
wide strips, secured with lap joints along their mating edges.
Start by preparing 1/4"-thick material for the panels using
one of the resawing techniques on page 66. Rip the strips to
final width and mill the 1/8"-deep x 1/4"-wide rabbets
along the edges to form lap joints. Make them at the router
table with a straight bit or by using a dado blade in the tablesaw.
To make this installation easier, find an extra pair of hands
to help, and conduct a dry-fit before you reach for the glue.
I recommend an air-powered finishing nailer as the easiest way
to tack the strips to the sides of the hull while the glue dries.
The curved shape makes it difficult to get a solid grip with
bar clamps. Hammer-driven finishing nails installed close to
the edge of the thin material may cause the wood to split.
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1. Building the bulkheads |
2. Strenghtning the structure | 3.
Adding doors and compartments | 4.
Accessorizing the bar |
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