I did my Walrus using a box beam strongback that was left over from a Spring Run. It's 6" square, made from 1/2" particle board with 3/4 x 3/4 cleats full length on the inside corners. It's absolutely straight, heavy enough to stay put, plenty strong for the task, and about $15.00 to build.

Onto this square strongback, 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" cleats are attached, and the forms are attached to those. Cutting 19" off the bottom of the forms as they were drawn in the book allowed me to get all of them from less than a single sheet of plywood. I have pix, but would rather play in the shop than learn how to post them Let me know if you are interested and I can email them to you on Monday.

: My main
: concern is ending up with a banana boat. Any suggestions on avoiding this?
: I guess it's kind of moot, since the chances of my actually finding a
: straight 2x4 at any length around here is slightly less than none.

: Alan