APPENDIX 4 

 NOTES ON THE CONSTRUCTION OP THE BALSA-WOOD FLOAT 



PROCEDURE IN CONSTRUCTION OF BALSA-WOOD FLOAT 



The method used in the construction of the balsa-wood float is in- 

 cluded herein since the procedure was specifically developed for the pilot 

 model and was subsequently used in the actual production of a number of these 

 floats. 



The method of preparing the balsa-wood form for turning the hull on 

 a lathe is shown in Figure 44. The form was built up with laminations of 



Balsa Wood Form 

 Built up In Laminations 

 and Glued 



• Hand Clomp for 

 Applying Pressure 

 I ; while Glue Is Setting 



Lathe Centers- Maple Block, Glued and 

 Screwed to Balsa Wood Form 



\ Pressure and 

 Protecting Balsa 

 Wood Form 



Figure 44 - Method of Pi?eparing Balsa-Wood Form for Turning Float 



balsa wood glued together. Both sides of each lamina were coated with one 

 coat of "Weldwood" glue, a commercial plastic resin. The glue was allowed 

 to dry under pressure applied with hand clamps in the manner illustrated in 

 Figure 44. The clamps were tightened by hand alone. The ends of this form 

 were then saturated with glue, and the maple-wood cylinders were glued and 

 screwed to the form to serve as lathe centers. The form was then turned to 

 the hull form. Spruce inserts for the towing bracket and the slot for the 

 tail fin were added after the hull had been finished. The slot for the tail 

 fin was filled with a waterproofing compound, commercially known as Eclut, 

 and the tail fin was inserted before drying. A coat of Eclut was also ap- 

 plied to the spruce insert before adding the towing bracket. 



Eclut was applied to the hull following the procedure recommended 

 by the manufacturer. The first coat was allowed to dry for 24 hours, and 

 subsequent coats were applied at 2-hour intervals. The first six coats were 



