STERN KEEL /FRAME - Part 3

This third animation exposes the notching in the upper surface of the keel, and the under surface of the frames. They fit together much like the keel and baseboard do. At the tail end of the animation, you can see how the keel is split to allow the center shaft (on ships with center shafts) to pass through. If you use a 1/4" keel, a SQUARE 1/4" brass tube can be made to fit nicely. Cut out a 1/4" section of the keel in the proper location, and substitute the brass tube in its place. To determine where to make the cut, draw your proposed keel on a copy of your full sized plans, and determine where the propeller shaft needs to be. The end result is a keel with a pass-through that retains its strength. Glue the keel pieces to the brass tube with thick CA, and epoxy over the assembly after the skin is applied. Round bearings are glued in place to support the propshaft. The gaps between the bearings and the tube are filled with thick CA. This can later be broken out quite easily to replace the bearings.

The last few frames give you the side and end views of the baseboard, keel and shaft housing. Do a mock-up of the keel and frames first, to be sure they line up as you want. It is important to get a dry fit before actually gluing things together. When assembling the two keel pieces and the housing, lay them on their sides on wax paper. Use thick CA glue. When it is dry, it is strong enough to manipulate and glue into place on the baseboard. Use squares to get them lined up right. After they are in place, you can proceed with attaching the ribs you previously fitted.

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