Cabin sides weekender

[cs]

Slowly but surely I'm getting work done on the weekender.

Started looking at doing the cabin sides the other day and had a question.

Now I'm going off memory here, so if I make a mistake please forgive me.

The front piece of the cabin reads like this:

station 0 = 8"

station 1 = 8"

station 2 = 8-1/2"

station 3 = 8"

station 4 = 8"

There is 12" between stations.

The drawing shows a curve between station 0 & 1 and 3 & 4. but doesn't give you an offset between the stations so you know how far down this curve is. I didn't see the answer in the video or the plans. I'm I missing something?

Chad

[Dave R1]

Chad, I think you aren't missing anything but I also think it isn't critical. Just bend your batten in until you get a nice fair curve.

I avoided that by making a square cabin front and just putting making an arch on the cabin front.

You could also try this. Put in the sides just with screws. Put in the rafters also only screwed in place. Using door skin plywood or tag board, make a piece to stand in for the cabin front as a template. Run a stick along the top of the rafters forward to the template material to mark the curve.

Don't know if that description makes any sense. If not, I'll try to explain it better.

[tomstock]

I also squared my cabin. The closer you get to finishing the more your actual measurements will differ from the plans. All those little differences add up. No big deal, it's not critical, just do what works for you, and cut to fit.

[Barry Pyeatt]

The small dip in the sides between those stations will become apparent when you fair in the stringers so that the top makes a good even contact. It isn't much of a dip but it is there if you are going to have the top pull down to mate with the sides.

When you cut the cabin front piece, just make it a transition from the 8" height to the 8 1/2" height with your batten. You can use a long batten and place nails on both sides of it along the extreme outer edges to keep it straight and then allow it to take the fair curve along the peak and back down the other side. The dip will occur naturally as the batten sweeps back from one curve to the other. Place your stringers inside it and then after you get the cabin joists inplace you can fair in the stringers with a long straight edge and the shallow dip in the stringers will appear naturally.

The cabin sides themselves taper and the bottom edge actually has a rocker to it to follow the deck curve. These pieces don't reflect the deck rocker on the bottom edge or the continuation of the side curve forward from the joiner on the side to front transition.

You will also need to trim the bottom edge along the inside to take the curve of the deck after installing it. It isn't much either, but it is there and it keeps the sides vertical rather than flairing out at the top of the sides. If you try to force the sides to an even match along the bottom edge (deck stringer) the sides will bend outward at the top with a twist to them which can make the cabin look a bit awkward and uneven in its sweep.

It is just personal preference on the front shape. I like the looks of both. But one thing to consider is that there is more strength in a curve than in a box corner and less maintenance on a smooth curved sweep of the cabin than in a corner joint. However, if you wish to have more portlights in the cabin, such as in the front of it, then a straight front will accomodate them easily, where a curved front will not.

[Dave R1]

I did a quick and dirty sketch of what I was trying to describe. Take a pencil and put it on the end of a stick such that the point of the pencil corresponds to the bottom face of the stick. Run the pencil along the template material clamped in place where the cabin front goes. For that matter, you could probably just bend in the cabin front piece and draw the roof line on it.

Barry has a point, though, too. Just work in the curve as you are fairing to get the roof to make contact all along.

[Barry Pyeatt]

Quick and dirty sketch. :roll: I've been acused of doing quick and dirty sketches and that is probably valid in my case. Nice Dave!

[Dave R1]

Thanks Barry. If you'll notice, the front part of the cabin curve isn't quite right and I don't know if I got the rafters in the right spot.

I've been working on an entire 3D model of the Weekender on and off for a few weeks. I copied part of it for this sketch.

[Barry Pyeatt]

I think we can go with an "As built" margin of error there Dave.

It ain't a piece of fine furniture, close maybe but not quite there.

[cs]

Thanks for the input guys. and nice sketch BTW.

Chad