Building Orca - Episode 14: Transom Frame
June 14, 2025 · 20 min · 35K views
What this video covers
Louis Sauzedde constructs the transom framework for a new build, Orca, using a lofting technique on a shop floor. To ensure stability during assembly, he blocks the loft floor off the concrete and uses plywood scraps and 2x4s as clamps to secure the timber pieces. He cuts corner knees for the transom using an Atlas Power King bandsaw, noting that the small blade allows for tighter curves than larger shop saws. Because the transom is designed with an angled planking run, he allows the knees to overhang the frame edges to ensure proper bearing, planning to dub the excess later.
Sauzedde lofts only one half of the transom, using the completed side as a template to build the second half. He uses polysulfide as a bedding compound between layers, preferring it over polyurethane for its slower cure time and easier cleanup. He drives vintage 1963 flat-head screws using a hand brace rather than an electric drill to maintain better control and alignment.
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