T37 Model Sailboat Build Log

The objective for today is to assemble the rudder. This involves bending the rudder post to match the shape of the slot in the rudder halves and then epoxying the two halves together with the rudder post. I simply used two needle nose pliers to shape the "j" shape in the rudder post. By not shaping it perfectly, there is a little friction between the post and the rudder which actually helps hold it in place: OK, this is overkill, but if you've got em, use em. For clamping the two rudder halves together, anything that provides some clapping force will work, even a stack of books. I opted for my good wood clamps from the shop.  I used a spare block of wood on the bottom, with a piece of wax paper so epoxy won't stick to wood. I am also going to use a second board to apply clamping force across the rudder but not totally covering it. The reason will be clear in a moment: The instructions call for using pus pins for proper alignment of the halves. ...

Today, I'm installing the rudder tube. The parts required are the rudder tube, inner sleeve (both carbon fiber), the yellow rudder gasket, and the stainless steel rudder bar. The stainless steel bar needs to be coated with wax to prevent epoxy from sticking to it. I happen to have some museum wax that I use to wax my wood shop tool surfaces. Any wax will do - candle wax is suggested. Wax applied: Clear epoxy being applied in a circle about an 1 ¼ inches around the rudder post hole: Rudder post assembly with the inner sleeve coated with epoxy inserted into the rudder tube, the rudder gasket installed in the end of the rudder tube and trimmed to expose 1/16". Don't get epoxy on the gasket. The sleeve and tube are aligned at one end. The sleeve is shorter than the tube, leaving room for the gasket: Then the outside of the rudder tube gets clear epoxy. Again, do not get epoxy on the gasket: I choose to tape off around the rudder deck opening...