What do you do when you’re not making a spar? You paint some of Alma’s metal knees. Alma Doepel has many metal knees as well as the wooden knees. At present 13 have been removed from near the keel, to have any rust removed. be primed and painted ready for refitting.
Two truss bands being cleaned, primed and painted black ready for fitting to the new spar.
The two outer bands are the truss bands repainted and positioned on the spar. The middle bands is at the centre of the spar.
Some steel tubing, T section girders and laser – cut plates were delivered recently to Shed 2. These are being measured and custom built to provide new “props” to fit higher up the hull near the sheer strake ( the top most plank ). As mentioned in a recent post the barge is having some decking planks removed so the new “props” can be bolted or welded to the barge’s steel frame.
The rusting of the removed knee has provided evidence of the layers of steel used in the forging process.
Spar – 22nd. April 2017
Spar – 6th. May 2017
Spar – 13th. May 2017
Spar – 20th. May 2017
Small sections of the barge decking are being unbolted and removed. This will enable the supports for the Alma Doepel to be fastened to the barge’s steel frame. The new supports will enable the planking under the waterline to be removed. The hull frames can be inspected and repaired if necessary. As the supports are welded and assembled further blog posts will show the progress.
Knees are being removed from the hull to be cleaned, de-rusted, primed and painted The timbers that the knees have been bolted to, need to be inspected and if needed repaired. As each knee is fitted individually they all need to belabeled and returned to the exact position in the hull.
