Seconded.

: Joe

The thing I like about the internal strong back is when you get to the glassing of the deck and hull, you can place the strongback back inside and bungie the two halfs together while epoxy is still green. This ensures a near perfect final fit of the deck and hull. Can you do that with an external strongback?

Tom

: With an external, the forms are in place when you glass the outside of the
: hull and the outside of the deck. Are you talking about glassing the
: inside then replacing the "fish skeleton" and letting it cure?
: If so, how do you prevent it from sticking to the glass? Tape or something
: like that? Based on Ross Leidy's work, it looks like the external poses no
: problem in this regard, while retaining its many advantages.

: --SF

Tom,

I'm with Scott, an external strongback allows the OUTSIDE of the hull and deck to be glassed together on the forms and strongback. So if you're talking about glassing the outside I don't see the question. But if you mean that the hull and deck can be glassed together on the INSIDE while still on the forms and strongback, then I don't understnad and need follow up informaion on this to see if the internal has an advantage in this area that I am not aware of. Sounds like the modification you wrote about in another message on this thread of adding a ply support to the 2"x4" is a good and simple upgrade to make it more stable. I am a carpenter and have been for more years than I would ever admit to, so I just know most 2"x4"'s too well to use them for a support foundation in this way. To others who like to, more power to them, I'm sure it works fine sometimes.

Like you said:

"I was very pleased with the results. I still let the strongback with all stations set on the stands for several days before aligning things just to make sure it wasn't going to shift any more. Then once everything was aligned and in place I waited a couple of more days to make sure no sagging or movement."

It's important to at least let the 2"x4" settle before using.

Joe