Flintkote
Copyright© 2020 by Old Man with a Pen
Chapter 79
The CNC (computer numerical cutter)laser for the frames came and the crew are playing with it. The dimensions for the real boat were sent on flash drive. The cutter is huge ... but it takes whole 5’x10’ sheets of 4 mm plywood. Two boats from three sheets. One of the crew has designed a okoume strip iceboat made from the scrap. He may have added a new product for us.
The spruce stringers will have to be steam bent ... they splinter if not steamed.
Someone has come up with a 16 foot tube of pvc pipe. It’ll hold a weeks worth of spruce. The building has steam heat ... it was a simple matter of running me off for a weekend. When I came home we had a spruce steamer ... I don’t want to know.
I seem to be saying that a lot lately.
Tyche has confiscated one side of my two car garage. When I asked she said, “Airplane.” She has been made a ‘regular’ at the drugstore ... bandaids ... her ‘swear jar’ is getting full.
The Volvo is wonderful. It’s not as pretty as a VW ... but it has a working heater. The Swedes are used to winter.
Ice Boats ... where was I? It seems that there are several sports on the ice ... fish shanties, hockey, ice boats and “Hey, watch this. Somebody hold my beer.” Single insanities include the Polar bear swim, and Saunas. Sauna includes the obligatory nude dash and roll in the snow. There isn’t much else to do ... except baby practice.
Tyche’s Aerodrome Fokker DR1 kit came by truck.
“Youse guys are damned hard to find,” was the first thing the driver said.
“Need any help with unloading?”
“Naw, I have a forklift. Aerodrome ... airplane?”
“My daughter’s latest madness. Do me a favor ... when the engine comes ... lose it for at least 6 months.” I slipped him a hundred.
“Yes ma’am.”
Tyche came roaring around the garage, “Is that it?”
“Yes, Tyche. Go wash. Hi boys. You go wash too.” The last thing I expected was Alan’s boys hanging out with Tyche.
She came back first.
“Tyche? What the... ?”
“Slave labor.”
The driver unloaded the crate and stuffed it in the garage. He even brought his own rollers to slide it on.
The packing slip was stapled on the box side along with the instructions.
She started reading the instructions.
“That’s your daughter?” Asked the trucker. “Isn’t she kinda young?”
“Look at the size of the crate ... now look at her ... how long do you think it’ll take that little girl to build it?”
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