Scarf joint - finish bright?

[djtil]

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/djtil/planked-mostlypainted.jpg http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/djtil/scarfjoint.jpg
I have my Fulmar planked up and mostly painted. I would like to finish the sheerstrake bright, but the scarf joints don't look great. I used West System exopy, and there is currently one coat of CPES.

Will this improve as I add coats of varnish? Do I need to veneer over this? Other thoughts?

David

[Bob Cleek]

Well, it is what it is. It's too bad you didn't have a longer plank, or put the scarf someplace less obvious. No, it won't cover with varnish. It may become a little less obvious is all. You might consider putting a name or number board along there to cover it up.

[djtil]

Bob,

It's Occume plywood. Eight feet doesn't stretch well.

This is the worst of four joints.

David

[Nomad17]

I did a Google Search on "Faux Painting" and came up with pages of sites... One of the first few entries had reference to a book and in another location, they had techniques for wood finishing and graining... That looks like the best approach! I guess in the time it would take to learn the technique, experiment with colors, test paint some samples, etc. it would be cheaper just to get more wood of the right length or veneer which would also be hard to get in those lengths. Nice job ont he boat tho... Post pictures showing what you did... your not alone...
CYA, Joe

[JimConlin]

It could be that the gap in that joint is shallow. If you still have the off-cuts of the scarphed ply, you might see whether sanding it a tad thinner will reduce the apparent booboo. Alas, there's no remedy for he grain mismatch.

[Paul Scheuer]

" Do I need to veneer over this? " - No.

I think that once you get the rail assembled, and maybe an accent stripe ( I'm partial to a 1 in. red stripe), a high gloss on the shearstrake, and your numbers, you won't be able to see it.

If you really think it needs to be treated, hand painting or saw dust in epoxy will never completely hide the joint, so I'd mask off and keep the edges crisp.

Next time, a little step at the end of the scarph wouild eliminate the problem.

On the subject of accent stripes, (red, of course), paint only the plank face, not over the lap. Sunlight will reflect the color down onto the beautiful white freeboard and make it appear pink. Not a good look.

[djtil]

Next time, a little step at the end of the scarph wouild eliminate the problem.
Originally I was going to do this, but I did a test piece and found that it didn't take much to cause a small crack to develop at what is basically an end butt joint in the thin first layer of veneer. It probably would not have been a structural problem, but I was afraid of cracking the finish.

As for veneering over the sheerstrake, I was thinking of this because I do have a couple of 18' long Jatoba boards (same wood as the stem). I was going to use them for rub rails at the top and bottom of the sheerstrake. I could edge joint them for width and resaw to get full length veneer.

Otherwise I could paint the sheerstrake (dark green?) and finish the rubrails bright. I don't think I could wodd grain or faux finish to get much improvement.

David

[stef]

How about a little marquetery (sp). My brother inlaw has done some very nice inlayed veneer coffee tables and such.

1.Lay out where the scarf is shown in the photo to the plank on the opposite side. I would also look for the scarf on the other side (if it is as noticeable) and lay it out on the side shown for some degree of visual symmetry.
2.Cut out top layer of veneer from plywood at these points (say 3/8 wide x 1/16 deep) and inlay either a close color match or a contrasting wood. Sand to suit contour then continue finish.
3.Eye ball the effect and maybe add another strip along the plank or make the inlay another geometric shape other than a rectangle. I will leave the asthetics to others. This will look like a cool design feature rather than an oops.

Strip canoes and kayaks use accent strips below the gunwale but on a plank this size it would be over kill and not to mention alot of work.

Or you could cover it with a logo.

Best regards,

Stefan

[bamamick]

Just my opinion, djtil, but I think that it looks fine. It's been my experience that stuff like that 'disappears' after you've seen it a few dozen times. The standard eight coats will lesson the effect somewhat, and it is, after all, a boat.

If that's the worst that she ever gets then you're not using her enough.

Mickey Lake

[Steve Lansdowne]

I agree with Mickey. The builder knows about all the "mistakes," which all boats have, and obsesses about them. The rest of the world is so taken with the overall boat that they don't focus on it. Rather like one's first grey hair.

[djtil]

Good thought with the nameplate, Ian (and beautiful Acorn). My state registration numbers need to go up near the bow. Good way to hide the two worst joints. Then, if the full varnish finish helps a little, I should be OK. I can always paint over later if not.

David

[Bob Cleek]

Like I said, put a name or number plate over it... I realized it was plywood. That's why I said it was too bad he didn't have a longer plank. A real mahogany plank at this point would have been the right thing. If you use plywood, you will have to live with scarfs, that's all. I still don't know why people do. What's the point? Same work. Less money for real wood. No delaminantion worries. If you are going to all the trouble to build a wooden boat, why not do it the easy way? Got me. Nice boat, though.

[John B]

Another option would be to paint the first 18 inches , detail in a ogee curve with either a bead or even just a paint line , and keep the rest of the sheerstrake varnished. Sweet.

[Spissgatter W-9]

Another way to look at it. No matter how expert or talented, the Navajo artisan make an error intentionally in his creation. This is in respect for the Gods who are perfect. We mortals do not want to offend the Gods.

Me? Not likely that I will cause even the slightest irrigation. However, judging from the rest of your handiwork, it is a good thing that you made that wee error. You came periously close to pissing off some powerful beings. Nice Job! ;)

[marsbar]

djtil, I wouldn't stress about the visible scarf lines. My "Ellen" has similar bright finished sheer planks with scarf lines at the bow. Like dovetail joints, they are a testament to the craftsman's skills....If you still can't live with it, the nameplate seems like a good option.

[Wild Wassa]

djtil, Faux painting is rough, but basic photographic retouching is nearly invisible, it could be done if you like the detail. I'd spend 20 minutes or less on the recutting (scribing) and blending of the grain on the scarf shown.

The grain can be retouched, over the filler. It can be recut using a fine litho film scriber (if you can locate one) or using any suitable fine graver. If you use a graver (rather than a scriber) the raised bur will need to be lightly sanded off.

The background colour to hide the filler, I would use an artists oil paint. To colour over the filler (only). I'd start with 'Juan Yellow' (it is a pinky coloured yellow not unlike the light filler that I see) as a starter, then perhaps a warm wash (thinned Raw Sienna) or two over the top of that (if needed). Then the grain is scribed, you can see that the grain on each plank will basically allign and appear to be just a 'fiddle', if done well. Oil straight out of the tube is then rubbed into the new finely scribed grain (so little oil paint is used there will be no need to even dilute the oil paint during this stage), after the background paint has set. 'Raw Sienna' appears to be the colour needed to match the grain and is rubbed in, using a cotton bud.

That's how I'd do it (if I had a need). Having used an oil base as your background, oil based varnish or a poly/oil blend varnish will go on well.

Do not allow the oil paint to touch the existing wood, although you did say there was CPES on the timber. One doesn't want a darker halo to form and undo good work.

Warren.

[ 07-05-2005, 04:01 PM: Message edited by: Wild Wassa ]

[gert]

apply a full length mahogany bead along the lower edge and a nice fat solid rub rail thats lipped over the top edge of the strake, both bright finished and paint the offending plank forest green :D

You could also apply one of those pretty little curly-cue things you see on the Pathfinders/whalers top strake, I've always liked that touch. (dont know what their called, but I suspect if a pc of dark 1/8" veneer were used it would work well)

Carina is painted for this very reason

[Scott Rosen]

Even if the scarph was less noticeable, the grain patterns don't match well. As disappointing as it may be, I think you should consider paint. I don't think it's a good candidate for a bright finish.

But, if you have to have some varnish on the sheer, consider this: The Herreshoff 12.5 has a molded sheerstrake. http://www.havenbuilders.com/myhaven/sheer/mysheer6b.jpg

You could mill a nice subtle molding out of mohagony lumber, about 1/3rd the width of your sheerstrake; fasten it to the outside of the strake so it cover the top third--kind of the way you would attach a rubrail. Then varnish the molding and paint the strake.

[djtil]

Thank you all for your thoughts. I now have one more problem, sorting though all these good pieces of advice, to decide what is going to work best for me. It seems they all have their advantages.


You could also apply one of those pretty little curly-cue things you see on the Pathfinders/whalers top strake, I've always liked that touch. (dont know what their called, but I suspect if a pc of dark 1/8" veneer were used it would work well)Ogee? I have seen that too, and thought it looked good. Would I need to veneer over the areas at the for & aft ends, or just paint the middle section and varnish the end areas?

David

[gert]

I would bright the middle areas and paint the ends. Do a dark cardboard cut-out and pin it in place to see how it looks, then fiddle with it.

The fun part of wood working is hiding your mistakes.
I have whales coming out of my bathroom floor base board and inlayd bats (the flying type) on the corners of my dining room table to hide the short mitre.