Looking at the picture of keel and frames it looks like the frames are glued to the keel sides in two pieces rather than slotted over as I would normally do. Is that correct or am I seeing (or not seeing) things?
Doug
Thanks!
The frames are built up as one piece each-- sides & deck beam are joined with pegs and gussets.. then, yes, the "lower" ends are merely glued to the keel.
In this way, all the location work is done by the build jig. Target locations are marked on the keel, and the frame ends can be positioned as needed.
I'm not concerned with having a mechanically locked joint there, as the framing adds minimal strength to the model. The strength is all in the hull shell-- think of how strong a fiberglass or even an vac-formed ABS hull can be, once the shell is completed with a deck-- "monocoque". Indeed, the frame is just there as a form for the planking!
To pull this off though, you really need to pay attention to edge joining the planks, and/or covering the assembly with a layer of fiberglass.
BTW, planking is 1/8 inch x 1/2 inch pine, glued & pegged to the frames, which in turn are 1/2 inch thick, and built up from futtocks... Not for strength and certainly not for convenience, but for looks (I can't stand rough plywood edges!), and to provide a wide face for pegging.