TOON BARGE
SEPT 2006
I STARTED BUILDING THIS PONTOON SALVAGE BOAT OUT OF RECYCLED SCRAP METAL IN THE SUMMER OF 2002 WHICH WAS A YEAR BEFORE I BOUGHT MY DELL COMPUTER. AFTER BUYING THE COMPUTER, I POSTED A PICTURE OF THE PONTOON SALVAGE BOAT AND EVERYONE IN COMPUTER LAND TOLD ME I BUILT A SUBMARINE. MY PLAN WAS TO RAISE SUNKEN CATS THAT WERE LOST WHEN WINTER FREIGHTING BECAUSE OF BAD ICE. BUT SINCE I HAVE 12 YEARS OF SCHOOLING (WHICH DOESN'T MEAN I HAVE GRADE 12) AND TOTALLY AFRAID OF WATER, I MADE A LOT OF MISTAKES ON THE DESIGN. THE PEOPLE IN COMPUTER LAND POINTED THEM OUT AND AFTER 15 000 REPLIES OF DON'T PUT IT IN THE WATER, I DECIDED IT WAS NOT A SALVAGE BOAT. SO NOW WE HAVE REMOVED THE LIFT GANTRY AND GOING TO MAKE IT A PONTOON DECK BOAT INSTEAD.
MORE TO COME AS WE BUILD IT.
SEPT 2006 THE BEGINNING OF THE PONTOON BOAT.
TO MAKE THE PONTOON BOAT EASIER FOR OTHER BOATS TO COME ALONG SIDE, THE SIDES HAVE TO BE SQUARED OFF.
SINCE WE HAVE NO BUDGET FOR NEW STEEL WE MUST RECYCLE STEEL FROM OLD FUEL TANKS. SO ABOUT AN HOUR WITH THE "MANLY" 72" TORCH AND THE TANKS READY TO BE CUT IN TO USEABLE STEEL PIECES.
SINCE THE STEEL HAS SPENT IT'S WHOLE LIFE AS A ROUND SHAPE, ONE MUST USE THE LOADER TO GET IT TO STAY IS IT'S NEW SHAPE WHILE WELDING IT IN TO PLACE.
WITH THE TOP ALMOST FINISHED, IT WAS DECIDE THAT WE HAVE TO ENCLOSE THE AREA BETWEEN THE PONTOONS SO THE BOAT WILL CARRY MORE WEIGHT ON DECK. BUDDY BARRY CAME OVER WITH HIS LOADER AND WITH MY LITTLE LOADER, THE PONTOON BOAT WAS FLIPPED OVER.
NOW WITH ALL THIS CROSS BRACING TO ENCLOSE THE PONTOON BOAT IT HAS NOW BE GIVEN THE NAME "TOON BARGE". LOTS OF WELDING AND ONLY 3 WEEKS TO COMPLETE THE BOTTOM.
MORE STEEL IS NEEDED TO ENCLOSE THE ENDS OF THE BARGE PART OF THE BOAT AND THE ENDS OF FUEL TANKS WORK VERY WELL.
I WAS ABLE TO DO SOME NICE UP HAND WELDS ON THE ENDS OF THE "TOON BARGE" AND IT SURE LOOKS GOOD.
TO GET THE BIG SHEETS OF STEEL TO LAY FLAT BUDDY BARRY CAME OVER WITH HIS BACK HOE TO DO A LITTLE DOWNWARD PUSHING WHILE I WAS OVERHEAD WELDING INSIDE THE "TOON BARGE".
WHEN IT COMES TO PAINTING, I'M KNOWN FOR SPLASHING THE PAINT BECAUSE THICK IS BETTER. LOL
FLIPPING THE "TOON BARGE" BACK OVER ONLY TOOK 3 MACHINE SINCE THE SNOW WAS EXTRA SLIPPERY.
I LEFT ONE OF THE TOP PANELS OF THE "TOON BARGE" SO IT WOULD BE EASIER TO DO THE FINAL WELDS ON THE INSIDE OF THE BARGE PART OF THE BOAT. THE WOODEN DECK WILL GO ON TOP OF THE BEAMS.
MORE STEEL TO FINISH THE PROJECT, GLAD I'M NOT BUYING THIS STUFF BRAND NEW.
THE WIND WAS SO BAD IN THE "KINGDOM" THAT I WHIPPED UP A WALL IN AN AFTERNOON. JUST ADD ANOTHER WALL PLUS A ROOF AND THE NEW SHOP IS BIG ENOUGH FOR THE "TOON BARGE".
MORE TO COME AS WE HEAD INTO WEEK 6 OF THE BUILDING.
THANSK