Frame has started

I finally started on the frame yesterday and it was certainly exciting to get started. Getting everything ready has taken longer that I had anticipated.

Last weekend I made the stand part of the build table. I also managed to single handedly get the table top up onto the frame. Probably not the smartest thing to do by myself. The table top is very heavy and I ended up scraping knuckles getting it on. Once it was on I was happy and screwed it down to the frame. Last weekend was also a bit above freezing and I have some paint you can use in low temps, so I painted the table top as well so that I could mark out the frame.

So finally yesterday I got started. I layed out a centre line on the table and started marking out the bottom frame. I was happy to do the diagonal checks and everything looked square.


A view from what will be the back of the car with the frame marked out on the table.


A view from the front of the car marked out.



Another view from the front. The book was a constant reference laying out the frame.

After laying out the frame I went to the tube details in the back of the book and started cutting the tubes for the bottom rail. The chop saw worked well. I quickly used up over 25 feet of tubing cutting. I layed out the tubes on the board as I cut them.


The first few cut tubes layed out.

All the tubes for the bottom of the frame now cut and loosely in place.

Another view of all of the bottom of the frame layed out.

After the photos were taken I spent the time screwing wooden blocks along the edges of the frames. It helps hold all the tubes in place for a nice square bottom frame. I had to grind down a couple of tubes a little here and there to get a really nice tight fit. Overall I'm really happy with how its turned out.

I haven't had a chance to work on it today. I had the 3 kids most of the morning while Julie went out. I then got the 2 older kids to help me get the backyard skating rink ready while the youngest slept. I decided to try a plastic liner this year for the rink. Hopefully it gets nice and cold tonight so the water I filled up the liner with freezes.

If I get a chance this evening I might get out there and start tack welding the frame together. After tacking the frame I also need to build a jig for the very front of the frame. Once it is done the frame will start going 3 dimensional.

I've got the next 3 weeks off work (technically) although I already have a number of meetings I have to attend. I'm hoping to be able to get at least a bit of time each day to work on the car. The last week should be the most productive when the kids will be back at school.