October is here.

Sad as it is, October is here.  With it comes variable weather and temperatures.

Two days ago we laid up the first of the hatch ribs.  It is still in the mold, assuring that the temperatures at night permit full curing of the glue.  As the temperatures control when we might lay up the next rib, there is no reason to remove the first one from the mold until we are ready to build up the next.

Meanwhile, we constructed a test of the hatch construction - 3/8" x 3/4" beadboard (white oak) on ribs.  The test was small - approximately 24" wide by 10" - but on the steepest part of the curve.  We have added a 1/8" birch plywood outer layer as a test, on which the glue is currently curing.  Without the plywood, the torsional rigidity was weak, a concern for the hatch.  

Today we discussed options for increasing the hatch's resistance to torsional twisting, should they be required.  I believe we have arrived at more than one adequate solution, the choice being 1/4" white oak diagonal cross-members added at the plane of the rib inside surface.

Please stay tuned.