Marco Polo Project Gallery

    Here are the latest photos sent to us from Mr. Bob Coes who's incharge of the construction phase of the project. Bob will be suppling the site with photos on the project as it develops. The photos below were taken from June to Sept. of this year. We've included Bobs explanation of the photos below.
   Be sure to check back often in the coming months, we hope to have lots to show.

September/2005
Just click on the pics for larger view.

We were not able to start up again after the work was completed at Simonds High in early July. Pugsley C, as it turned out, was needed to store paper for shipping at a later date. Unfortunately, we were at a loss for a place to continue with the project. Late August we were told that we could have space in #8 shed on the west side harbourfront. The port staff have been most accommodating in helping me get set up. Barry had some people move all of our wood and frames from Pugsley C and Simonds High to #8 shed early September. Tom had some needed building materials delivered to our new work site and I began work once again. The first step was to build a framing platform to prepare the frames for cutting and assembly. Frames #6 to #41, seventy-two in all (port and starboard) required rabbet joints cut at their base to allow for the 2x8 to fit into place for assembly. The remaining frames in the bow and stern will be fitted individually after the bow stem and stern post are fitted. The first photo shows the saw cuts at the base of a frame to a depth of 1 1/2" by 7 1/4" high and across the width of the frame. This represents the cross-sectional area of the 2x8. The next three photos show the chisel work required to remove the material for the 2x8's.
The fifth photo shows the smoothing of the chiseled surface: the last stage in cutting the rabbet joint. Again, seventy-two of these joints are required.
Photos six and seven show a pair of frames, each with the rabbet joints completed.
Photos eight and nine show the framing platform with a pair of frames set in their proper location ready for the positioning of the floor joist at the bottom, and the temporary 2x4 near the top of the frames for lateral support. Note the position of the rabbet joint at the bottom of the frames. For illustration purposes the frames are positioned face up, however, from a structural perspective the frames will be flipped over to allow for fastening through the softer pine into the spruce. The next four frames show all of the components in place ready for fastening. The framing platform, as a matter of fact, is 14ft wide by 13ft high; a rough cross-section of the ship at it's largest point. Only the principle lines are included, unlike the lofting platform which includes all construction lines. A minimum of two reference points are required to locate each frame. Therefore, a centre line, base line and two waterline measurements are all that are drawn on the platform. Other lines may be added to check the position of any given frame or frames if needed. The reason for two waterlines has to do with the elevation of the frame from the base line. The stern and bow frames are higher.
The last photo shows my drawing which describes the body plan and the offset table. Note all the measurements in the table; more than 850 measurements. The table in the folder is a condensed version designed specifically for the framing platform. The shear points are marked on each frame while on the platform so as to allow for easy positioning of the shear strake later on. All that I have described above is completed. The next step is to assemble the frames and position them at their station points on a steel platform. This is the stage where the ship will actually begin to take shape.

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