The last few days have been taken up with preparing the new steel stress panel for the boot front.  This included painting the external surface of the timber frame with aluminium paint where it abuts the stress panel, marking out the steel for cutting using the hardboard template, cutting the panel and trial fitting.  The trial fitting needed to be repeated a couple of times but finally today I was able to start drilling the holes for the screws and coach bolts that will attach it it to the frame.

Steel stress panel being prepared for fitting to the boot front. The large cut-out accomodates the central gangway.