More work has been done on my rescue boat. I couldn't decide if I wanted to use wood or plastic tubing to build the super structure. A trip to the hardware store for something else was all it took. I found 1/2" CPVC tubing. The id is 1/2" and the od is 5/8". This tubing is used instead of copper 1/2" for plumbing. It is rated at 100psi at 180 degree F. It's used both for cold and warm water. Only problem was I had the wife's Beetle and an 10 foot long piece wouldn't fit in, plus they wanted way to much. So a trip to one of the Home Horror stores the next day got me what I needed. 4 pieces of 4 foot long pieces. They would definitely fit.
So on with the build. In order to mount the tubing I would need to fasten it to the wood blocks I had epoxied into the foam. I drilled a 1/2" hole for the dowels.

Next was to make up the first part of the super structure. The pipe has been cut to the varying lengths I needed and laid out with the 45 degree fittings.

A couple of cross members in the back to catch the boat.

The cross pieces had "birds mouth" cuts made in them so they would fit the mating pipes.

This is how I made the end cuts. I'm using a 5/8" end mill to cut the pipe. You have to take it slow or the cutter edge will catch the pipe and break it.

I made a quick jig to help align the two cuts.

Here I'm lining up the first cut so I can make the second cut on the other end.

Over all view of what I did in the pic above.

The first time I tried to hold the pipe in the vise the cutter pulled the pipe out of the vise. Not wanting to crush the pipe I added a piece of dowel into the pipe so the vise wouldn't crush the pipe when I tightened it up. Make sure the dowel is pushed in further, out of the way of the cutter, before cutting.

The back end dry fitted.

The front dry fitted.

And here's what the whole thing will look like when in the water bringing back the race boat with a dead engine. There's much more to do as far as the superstructure is concerned. I need to add a few more pieces of pipe yet.

That's it for now.
Bernd