39. Beware the bandsaw bites!

I’m taking a few days off to recover from a small incident with the bandsaw. I had just finished making a dining table for some friends (very nice to cut some straight lines!!!!)  and was just cutting some corners to protect the table in transit to the Isle of Wight when  …   ‘expletive deleted’ …  it bit me, actually it snatched the wood out of my hand and three hours in A&E followed by another couple of hours at the hand clinic on Sunday when they stitched me up.  The lesson learned is that bandsaw blades are not very well made and it transpires that there is one tooth, just at the join/weld, that was sticking out only by 1-1.5mm and it was that that ripped it from me cutting my hand either on the edge of the wood or the blade. The annoying thing is that it is all so time consuming and I am so over-careful with all my cutting tools.

Before all this though I did get the prop shaft hole drilled and GRP tube inserted, lined up and resined in place. The P-bracket is where it should be and the engine is lined up. The prop shaft arrives next week as does the fuel tank. A 100 litre aluminium tank should suffice. I have the steering hub and actuator arm ready to be fitted. I also have the prop shaft seal ready to be fitted. I am waiting for the new manifolds which are on their way albeit a bit slowly.

The dash board is fitted, but not secured or sealed, together with clocks and the forward deck structure is now filled, faired and ready for final boarding. The exhaust outlets are here and the wiring has begun. I can now plan the interior seating etc which should be fun.  This is the steering wheel I have chosen, Moto-Lita wanted £750 for a wheel and hub but this is about £165 all in! I think it will look pretty smart.

All in all I am quite pleased with the progress. Not many pictures this week but more to follow next time.