The Slow Saga of Zip Frame #4 — part nine

I wanted to make all of the major cutouts in the dash beam long before the hull is built and flipped. It seems to me that it would be easier to do this work now, when I can lay the beam flat on a work bench, than when it's a vertical fixture in the hull.

And, since my dash has the 10 degree angle "built in" to the frame, I felt it would be easier to make these cutouts before attaching the dash beam to the rest of the frame.

Now, all those cutouts have been made.

3-1/4" cutout for the helm, plus marking the placement for a rocker switch.

I made the initial cuts for the rocker switch hole with a drill and a coping saw.

I enlarged the hole with my jig saw, and finished it with a wood file.

After some tedious and meticulous work with the file, the switch fits. I'll file it just a little more to accommodate a layer or two of epoxy.

The next steps for Frame #4 will be to sand away my placement markings and attach the dash beam to the rest of the frame.

Happy Monday to you! (Yes, it's a Monday, but we can make it a good one if we choose to.)

This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

— Psalm 118:24