[PSUBS-MAILIST] In my search for a simple, cheap pressure hull ...

["Michael B. Holt" <mholt@richmond.edu>]

I went to talk with Dermott, who lives three doors away.  Dermott is
assembling parts for a helicopter, and we trade notes on the problems
of high-end scavenging for expensive bits of metal.

I asked him if he could fabricate for me frames of aluminum (his
favorite metal for obvious reasons).  I explained that I wanted
to build a faceted plywood hull (like Captain Nemo's Nautilus),
and then render it circular by plastering it with fiberglass.

Dermott suggested I build the frames out of aluminum, link them
with "C-channel" riveted or welded to the frames, and then cover
the whole with metal mesh.  Over the metal mesh would go the
fiberglass.

He warned me that using it might require the use of breathing
gear because of the fumes from the chemicals.  

I think I remember reading about glass-over-metal mesh as a hull
material.  I know a small German sub from the 1960s was almost
like that.  But does anyone else recall a boat more recently
made like this?  Maybe I'm remembering a buoy or something ....




Mike