Rebuilding a Cockpit Locker Frame

[John Stone]

I started to describe this project in the engine thread and decided it should be a separate thread as some folks might one day be interested in how a locker frame can be rebuilt. So I am moved it here.

I reused the original frame of the port locker lid during the rebuild 2009-2015. It was not in great shape but I didn’t have any more Iroko as I used it to rebuild the starboard locker frame which was in worse shape. I epoxied the joints together back then and they finally failed when I was crawling in and out of the locker last month. Not unexpected. I have found that epoxy and teak are not great together if not protected under varnish or paint...just as Larry Pardey said in his book on wooden boat building. He caught a rash of crap for that but I think he was right. Normally, I use resorcinol for teak if left bare but the original joints were not that tight and I thought epoxy would gap fill adequately. It did for six years.

Anyway, I removed the frame last week and brought it home. I had a single 10’ long plank of 4/4 quartersawn Iroko about 7.5” wide I bought for the project. It cost about $44. The original frame was half lapped and I decided to built the new frame with half blind dove tails as it would be much stronger and require no fasteners. They are easy to cut in my jig and I have made many of them over the years so not a hard project. I cut the plank down to just a little longer then what each of the four pieces needed to be. I did. this because the plank was arched and i would lose less if it in the milling process if I cut it into shorter pieces. I ran the pieces over the jointer to get a flat edge. Then I ripped it down on the table saw to get two parallel edges. Next I ran it across the jointer again to get a flat surface in one side. Then, I rippped it to just a little wider than needed for the framing on the table saw. Last I ran all the pieces, even the off cuts, through the planer to get perfectly flat boards. The reason I ran the off it’s through the milling process was so I could use them to set up the jig and to help prevent tear out of the framing parts when I cut the dove tails with the router.

I left them over night just to sit a spell and make sure there was no remaining tension in them.

[John Stone]

Today, I used my Porter Cable dove tail jig to cut the dove tails for the locker frame. The hardest part was setting the jig up. I use the off cuts to make sure everything is dialed in. Takes about 90 min to haul it out, set it up snd make a couple practice cuts. Takes 15 min to actually cut the dove tails.

Once I had the joints cut I glued them up with Resorcinol (Aerodux 185) and clamped them firmly. Resorcinol is the gold standard adhesive for structural work. It is what they use to glue up BS 1088 marine plywood and to build wood airplanes. It’s waterproof, boil proof, freeze proof etc. It leaves a purple glue line. That’s how you know resorcinol was used. Cleans up with water.

[John Stone]

This morning I unclamped the locker frame. I performed some light sanding and took the frame to the boat. I crawled into the locker and set the frame in position. I marked where to cut the dado. But the boat yard shop was tied up. I purchased the 5/8” ID hose for the vent line. But that’s about all I could do there. I drove back home and cut the dado on my table saw. It’s not technically a dado. more like a recess. Regardless what the technical name is it allows the frame to drop down into the molded lip molded into the locker. Next, I used the router to radius the top edge of the frame—the part that makes contact with the underside of the seat. Last, I counter sunk some fasteners to reinforce the dove tails snd installed iroko wood plugs. I don’t think it is necessary. The dove tails are super strong and create a huge surface area fir the resorcinol adhesive. But nothing too strong ever broke.

[John Stone]

I took the new locker frame to the boat today. It only took a few passes with a bull nose plane and a little tweaking with a cabinet makers rasp to achieve an excellent fit. I’ll bed it tomorrow with 3M 4000UV.

[Jim Walsh]

Very nice. I’m pale green with envy. On the 17th I’ll be Kelly green with envy.

[John Stone]

LOL.