This was my first build and also it was a done primarily as a way to help students apply the skills they were using in my shop class. We can all study books and the internet until we are blue in the face but real learning is solidified in the application of that information. I was looking for a unique way to get my students engaged, excited, and applying skills in a real world situation. The project was solely funded by donations and grants. Overall it was a great experience for both the students and myself and we will take what we learned from this project and start a new one next year.
Construction was done using hardwood ply for the sides, pine ply for the floor, ripped 2x4's for all the spar work, 5mm underlayment for most parts of the roof, and hardboard for the interior curves that I could hit with the underlayment. All wood ends and key parts were sealed with paint thinner: polyurethane (1:10) before continuing. We left the build with a flexible aluminum roofing product, flex sealant on the sides. All wood ends and key parts were sealed with the mix before continuing. We used a PD4045 for power distribution and a 30amp shore power inlet.
So that's where we ended up. Not too bad for our first time through. It was quite the challenge to balance aspects of the construction, teaching, and supervising student work. Not to mention making sure that everyone keeps busy and that what they are learning is documented and can be adequately seen by the administration. Not too shabby for a first-year teacher and it only gets better from here.
Thanks for tagging along and I will come back to this thread from time to time to add details and insights on the images. --Michael