Build Day

Loading the van

Today was the day. After two long weeks of planning and fabricating, we we're finally going to site to build Tube Cubed.
The morning was the earliest start we had had. At studio for 7:15am, the day began by finishing off putting the inserts into the tubes and PVA-ing the insides of the tubes as well as touching up on some of the varnish. We then set about dismantling it and cleaning up. The tubes were once again arranged in their rows to make it easier to construct once we reached Dunham Massey. The van arrived soon after 8:00am so we loaded up and were soon on our way, travelling in convoy of three cars, a van and a group of people on the buses.

It might be a bit on the small side . . .

Once we reached Dunham Massey, we were slightly more awake and as I was travelling with Siobhan and Fran, I arrived before the van so we headed over to site with the model. The van came soon enough so we set about unloading every thing and after three trips in the quad-bike-trailer-vehicle, everything was onsite ready to be built.

First thing first was getting the bases level and in the right place. This involved using the spirit level and one of the frame pieces while we shifted them around and put rubber squares underneath them to stop it from sitting in standing water when it inevitably tipped it down.

The team looking somewhat confused

While this was going on, we had a team bolting the frames together ready to be put in as soon as we were happy with where the pavilion was going to stand. 

The official way of testing structural stability

The frames went in quickly and to secure them, we wedged pieces of rubber between the frame and the base. Before we went any further, we had to make sure it was structurally sound. This involved team members hanging and swinging off it and generally making like monkeys!

Needless to say, it passed.

After that it was Tube Time. As we had practised, we started with row A and were working our way up but some of the tubes had got mixed up in transit so it turned into a bit of a free for all. I escaped around the back to make sure that they were all level with each other and the bases.

It's Tube Time!

I see you!

It didn't take long to get them all in, although we still had a couple of problem holes to sort out. These took the longest to do and to make a long story shorter, we took turns to try and get the holes in the frame wide enough to get the tubes into for most of the day. Our techniques included filing, sanding, chiselling and even drilling and none of them seemed to be having much effect whatsoever. 

Whilst this was happening, or rather, not happening, we were having problems around the back. It looked messy and we were told that it may even pose a health and safety risk due to the nails that hadn't been put in properly. We needed to sort it and sort it is what we did. 

First things first and that was to get the pins nailed in all the way. This called for some serious quality control and any nails that hadn't gone in straight or couldn't go in any further but needed to were pulled out and put in again.

Once this was done, we then got onto tidying up their appearance by sanding down the surface and applying a new coat of varnish.

We secured the tubes in place by placing pieces of rubber between the tubes and the framework. This was to stop them moving or being taken out. 

The frames were still being filed and sanded when we began discussing how we were going to brace it because, despite wedging rubber into the nooks and crannies, it still had a bit of a wobble going on. It was talked about on the previous night and metal rods were considered although we didn't have much of an idea of how to attach them.
A group was sent to B&Q with strict instructions of what to get. They returned with metal rods, nuts and other bits and pieces that were needed, including some new files which were received with open arms to those who were still filing holes. These new files got the job done and there was plenty of celebrating when the last of the tubes went in. 
The guys who were working on the bracing got one rod in before we had to leave and the difference it made was noticeable straight away.

Soon it was time for team photos and to go home due to lack of light but the plan is to come back on Tuesday to finish off the bracing and securing the tubes in place.

The finished article

Some of the original design team

There was obviously something more interesting than
the camera!

Nearly there . . .

Second to last day before the build and being in the Shed all weekend has completely screwed up our body clocks so now none of us really know what day of the week it is. Time has, to quote the immortal words of Jen, gone out the window!

We planned the day so that we took shifts between working on the pavilion and working on our portfolios.
SamSam headed straight over to the workshop with Joe to finished CNC-ing the frame. This was then bought to the small team of us in the wood-workshop to be chiseled, filed and sanded to within an inch of it's life. This would then be ready to varnish.

The CNC machine in action

Over the weekend, we had also glued six plywood layers together to create a thick beam for the base. The slots for the frame needed to be chiselled out to make sure the frame fitted well. This was also done in the workshop before taken back over to our storage container.
Lunch time came with a shift change so while I spent the afternoon catching up on some blog entries and portfolio, other team members were slaving away to finish the varnishing and the inserts.
As we had finished varnishing the inserts on Sunday, they could then be fitted properly by pinning strips of rubber/scrap lino flooring around the edges. This was so that they wouldn't fall out of the tubes.

By the end of the day we were nearly ready for the test build.

All hands on deck

Some of us became very attached to our tubes. . .

Once again, another early start for the Tube Cubed team. The plan was to meet at 8:45 and start the cutting of the tubes. Joe had made a list of the lengths needed so once we had sorted them into the rows and made individual cutting lists. We had three teams up and sawing and were finished soon after lunch time.
As all the tubes were all different we had to measure each diameter individually. This was recorded on the cutting sheets which were kept and Joe was able to make the appropriate adjustments to the drawing of the frame. 

We weren't going to let the guys have all
the fun!

Teamwork was crucial

Once cut, the tubes were labelled with the grid reference according to our drawing and the ends sanded down to give a clean finish to them.

Organising the tubes into their rows was fun. A lot of them were already pretty much together as they were cut by the same teams but we needed to group them together and separate them before we could start gluing.

Someone order plywood?

Whilst we were busy in the Shed, Taniya and Sheel headed down to B&Q to pick up some glue and brushes. Warren, our white van man stole Sam and Panicos to help him collect the 13 sheets of plywood we need for the frame. I was also able to get into contact with the rubber suppliers and ordered the sheet we needed. It was meant to be ready for today. Yesterday afternoon I got an e-mail saying it was ready so Warren, Alex and I headed up to Cheetham to pick it up, making a stop at B&Q to pick up more PVA and buckets on the way back.
We were then able to FINALLY start coating the tubes with watered down PVA as a waterproof  base coat for the varnish - which should be happening today.

Gluing Tubes

Tubes, tubes, everywhere