Gluing Frames Together

It has been a few months since I have done a post for my boat build.

It turns out that making the frames is taking longer than I expected! I have had limited time to work on the boat but I am still enjoying every moment of it.

I have set up an epoxy 'hot box' with a globe so that I can keep the epoxy at a low viscosity in the winter months. This will make it possible to pump the epoxy.
Dad had an old temperature controller which we installed in the box. I can just dial 25degC and it'll turn the globe on and off as appropriate to maintain the temperature.

Epoxy 'hot box' with room for all the epoxy application hardware.

I ordered silicon bronze fasteners and screwed the frames together as a dry run before epoxying.

Frame after dry run

Purchasing a AEG random orbital sander, I sanded the region of the joints ensuring not to get oil from my fingers on the freshly sanded wood. As recommended in the 'Boat-Cote' epoxy manual, I applied a layer of epoxy to avoid getting dry glue joints. Apparently the wood absorbs the epoxy and can leave very little epoxy to form the bond between pieces of wood. Applying a layer of epoxy and sanding back before gluing eliminates the risk of dry joints.
I have been leaving 2 days for the epoxy to cure.

Applying epoxy to mating surfaces

 The advantage of doing a dry run on the frames was that it made accurate gluing very easy. I mixed up epoxy and filler, spread in out on the parts and simply screwed them together. Where the epoxy did not flow out the side of the joints I used clamps to ensure a proper bond.

Gluing of stem, transom knee, breast hook and transom

One of the completed frames after gluing

After gluing the transom knee, I drilled the holes for attaching to the transom and the keel.

Carriage bolts holding transom knee to transom.

Completed transom

 The breasthook was attached to the stem with two screws. Holes were drilled in the stem for attaching to the keel.

Breasthook and stem

 In the next few weeks I plan to finish gluing the frames together. I have purchased wood for the building form and plan to start this soon.