Dome building: Topping out.

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Time to use the table saw in anger in cutting glue blocks. The wheeled stand is remarkably user-friendly. BTW: Anyone struggling to park the table saw + stand should put their foot on the yellow plate as if it were a normal sack truck. This works a treat. Where, before, I was struggling to nudge the wheeled stand forwards under the miter saw.

The latest view of the dome skeleton after the ribs opposite the slit were adjusted to the correct height and aligned.

I took the pointless [underside] carrying handle off the miter saw stand to allow the table saw to roll cleanly underneath. The miter saw needs to be set with the miter handle well to the left, or right, to allow the table saw to rest against the curved, pivot casting for minimum projection.

Rather than cut two slim, triangular blocks per rib, I cut wider, spacing blocks to fit between the ribs. These were screwed to the slit top board  providing much greater strength. They also avoided splitting the blocks when screwed into place.

I used off-cuts of 2" x 6" x 4" high and cut the bevels to the angles measured with the speed square. The outer ribs required 55° angles which I cut on the vertical on the miter saw. The 2"x 6" block was clamped firmly upright to the back saw fence with a Bessey F-clamp using batten bridges and blocks to avoid accidents. Rather amazingly, the 12" blade could easily manage a 4" deep, vertical cut. Thin packing between the fence and block ensured perpendicularity of the acutely angled cut.

Monday: Still plodding on fitting mitered blocks between the tops of the ribs in "sub-tropical" 70-75F heat. There is quite a serious difference in level of the ribs at the corners of the slit frame. This would cause the covering panels to tip sideways at the top. So I have raised the lower ribs as much as possible to reduce the problem.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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