TMS-20 Update
Closing the access port.
When I was in the earlier stages prior to joining the hull halves I wanted to glass in the first bulkhead from both sides on each hull half. The reason was because this bulkhead although small carries load from the bow sprit and forestay and once the hulls are joined it is not accessible. The bottom half of the hull was easy it was open before the hulls were joined. So I planned out an access port once they were joined to get the rest of the bulkhead glassed.

I made two backing plates. One patch panel was 90 degrees to go against the bulkhead and hull to give a bite for the flat patch panel it was glued in place before the hulls were joined. The second flat patch panel overlapped the cutout. The flat patch panel was left loose inside the hull when it was glassed together and I tied a string to it so I could pull it in place when it was time. I also built a ridge in the bow area so when the hulls were joined I glassed them together by the ridge.

The first two pics show the access port and making the patch panels. The third pic is the carbon bonding the bulkhead to the hull working though the access port. Also when I joined the hulls I edge glued the bulkhead to the hull side with a bead of thickened epoxy.


Attached Files
Flange.JPG (386 downloads)
Flange and access port
Making_Patch4[1].JPG (383 downloads)
making patch
bulkhead.jpg (385 downloads)
Working in space to tape bulkhead
Last edited by TheManShed; 06/17/11 01:14 PM.

Mike Shappell
www.themanshed.com
TMS-20 Builder
G-Cat 5.7 - Current Boat
NACRA 5.2 - early 70's