Day 33

Putting on the radius plate opposite the one we finished on Day 32 should have been a cinch as we had the method of the other fresh in mind. It didn't act in the same way and was a whole different experience! We discovered the plate was flat in an area a few inches long, and that caused some strange problems while being curved. Initially all looked fair, but as we pulled the aft end into the frames, the bottom of the plate buckled as it did on the other side. We were ready for that and took measures against it.
This included pulling in at a higher angle and stratigically clamping at stress points. Suddenly we noticed ripples forming a shorter buckling sections in and out, as if the plate had nowhere to go. If you look above the clamps you can see two of them in photo at right. Anyway, this was the result of a flat section in the rolled plate that just happened to be just above the splitting point.
Luckily, the bottom piece was ok and fair. As can be seen in the top photo, things eventually came in ok. There are still a few problems to iron out ( ..if only we could just iron them out ha ha! ) with that section. The center of the curve has pulled away from the frames as a result of the flat section. This will have to be remedied on the next opertunity available. The very ends of the two are almost too closely butted and may cone out.

	Have we learned anything? Perhaps the starting end of the plate before curving and pulling in should be held in place only with clamps, or non-permanent means that would allow for some movement. Or maybe just some tacks around the center. We tended to assume everything was running in ok if it appeared ok on first glance, then start tacking along, until we noticed problems. Then the tacks would have to be cut off etc etc.
The distortions in the plate can be worked out easily enough, it's just annoying to see it happen! Some obvious things also caused problems over the last couple of days including tacking all down one side only. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Overall we're a little wiser to the ways of steel plate.

Day 33:
8.5 hours:
Marked, cut, ground, and fit on split plate, (radius section 6) yes it really did take all day!