Scarfing jig. Gluing planks.

First attempt to make scarfing jig failed miserably: after all tests and careful placement of router supports I discovered that the base board is not perfectly flat… Luckily I was running the last test piece before starting cutting real planks when I noticed that so no harm was made.

The second jig uses plywood base board - flat as a table. I also switched to bigger router as the battery on a small one was depleting rapidly, lasting only three planks or so.

Production-line approach: I cut scarf for all planks at once as I will be using the girder as gluing table while it is still empty. Only after all planks are scarfed I will start placing bulkheads and stations.

Cutting with a router gives uniform results and goes very quickly. A bit boring (and noisy) job so I wanted to be done with it all at once.

Next came aligning for actual gluing. I use the method shown by Alex Jordan here. It is very accurate and easy to follow.

Due to lack of space I can glue max four planks at a time. I use WEST epoxy.
First step is to wet the joint so that end grain can suck in thin epoxy, to saturate fibers.

Edges masked with plastic tape, for easier cleanup afterwards.

While the glue is soaking into the wood I thicken the remaining epoxy with wood dust, to mayonnaise consistency. It should still flow, to fill the joint, but not as easily as unthickened glue.

Some weight on the joint, cleaning up excess squeeze-out and I leave it for curing for several hours.

The score for today is six planks - four made in the morning and two more set in late evening, to cure overnight. Total of twenty planks to make so the progress is moderate.