Cutting strips for strip building

[Lance]

What is the best set-up on a table saw to cut the 1/4" strips from the 3/4" thick cedar boards
I will be using for strip building a boat? Do I just move the fence that distance away and
get after it or do I need to make some kind of auxiliary fence attached the the saw's
fence? If so describe or direct where I can find info on this matter.

[cs]

We just had a good discussion on strips. See this link. (http://media5.hypernet.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=005697)

But to your question. You may want to rip your strips a little thick than plan down to size. You will aslo want a feather board on your saw and plenty of in feed and out feed support. BTW I'm ripping my own also.

Also the generic terms "building a boat" wont cut it here. You have to give us details. Beleive me it is for the betterment of all involved.

Chad

[NormMessinger]

How much of a saw are you working with, Lanny? Be very very careful until you know what your are doing. If you tell us about your equipment and your experience level and we can tailor our help better.

Best wishes.

--Norm

[Lance]

Sorry I didn't give more details. The skiff I'm building is called a Railbird Skiff and was featured in WB several years ago. I purchased the plans from the Philadelphia Maritime Museum and along with the WB article I started the project. The WB article explained how to build the skiff using traditional lumber such as 3/8" Jersey Cedar for side planking and bottom. However, I was encouraged to strip build the rockered bottom and use plywood on the sides. I lofted the plans full size in order to create the body plan from which I constructed the frames ( eleven ) These frames were then set up on a building form along with the two stems. I have finally finished planking the sides with 1/4" marine Aquatex plywood and I'm ready to start on the bottom. I purchased some Atlantic Coast Cedar to use for the strips. These strips will be 3/4"x 1/4". My table saw is a 10" contractor type with a large platform and a very nice fence. I purchased a new thin kerf saw blade from Rockler made especially for ripping. Hope this is enough information.

[NormMessinger]

Ah, good. You're all set. I was afraid from your question your equipment might match the level of experience it suggested.

As Chad said it is not a bad idea to rip them slightly over .25 and plane them to size if you have a thickness planer. Otherwise, allow a little for sanding after you get them on the boat. I rig a roller support on both sides of the saw carefully aligned so they do not tend to draw the plank one way or the other. I don't bother with an auxilary fence but of course the longer your fence the easier it will be to keep your plank flat against it. Pay attention. You shouldn't need it.

Your narrow kerf blade will save you more than it would seem.

The link Chad gave has some good information but it will be clear that there is not just one satisfactory way to rip a board.

Best wishes.

--Norm

[Kevin G]

Lanny:

I would appreciate hearing about your progress on that skiff. I just ordered and received the plans for the Railbird skiff from the Philadelphia Maritime Museum. It would be a sharp boat for messing around in the local marshes.

Kevin

[Todd Bradshaw]

Just meddling, but what was the rationale for using a strip bottom on a flat bottomed skiff? It can be done of course, but having built stripped Driftboats with rockered flat bottoms, plywood would seem to me to be easier to use and is probably more impact resistant.

[ 10-15-2002, 08:48 PM: Message edited by: Todd Bradshaw ]

[David Tabor (sailordave)]

In addition to fingerboards I put a 4 foot by 6 inch fence of 3/4" ply on the metal fence that is on my Delta Contractors saw. This gave me something to clamp the vertical fingerboards to to hold the wood down as well as support it over a longer distance. Use fingerboards in front and behind the blade also. And I'll put in another vote for ripping them oversize and then planing ONE side to get uniform thickness. Also, rip about 5% more strips than you think you need if you can estimate accurately, if not, add 10% more! This way you can pick through them for color or knots/defects etc. Good Luck

[Bruce Hooke]

Just to clarify one point from David's post: a fingerboard coming down on top of the stock behind the blade is fine, but any fingerboards coming in from the side MUST be in front of the blade, otherwise they will force the wood into the blade...

[ 10-16-2002, 09:20 AM: Message edited by: Bruce Hooke ]

[Lance]

Thanks for all your input and ideas. To answer the question about "why strip bottom on a flat bottom boat?" Correct me if I'm wrong, but I wouldn't consider the Railbird skiff a flat bottom boat. The skiff has a rockered bottom and the arced bottom has a constant curve over its entire length. I suppose one could torture 1/4" ply to make fit, or use two layers of say 1/8" ply. Another idea is instead of the arc bottom, use a slight "V" design. The skiffs that were built at the Philadelphia Maritime Musuem had the bottom planked with five boards that were caulked. These skiff were built using 1/2" Jersey cedar for the sides and 1/2" or 3/8" Jersey for the bottom. I thought strip building the bottom would keep the skiff light and yet maintain the fair curve of the bottom.

Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.

[Todd Bradshaw]

OK, now it makes sense. The only discription I could find on the web just said flat-bottomed.

[gert]

You could bring your boards (preplaned to the thickness that will become the width) to a millwork shop that has a gang rip or put two identical thin kerf rip plades with a spacer between in your saw and cut the ripping in half. I have personaly done this with three blades and it works very well assuming a good saw and feather boards. Planing after would be optional if the thickness is uniform and saw marks are fine enough. Ripping them on the band saw would minimize waste; and again if everything is tight the quality should be there.

[edsr]

Lanny - When I have to rip long pieces for shear rails, skegs and little planks, say for a cradle and the like, do what Norm says with the infeed and outfeed supports. Additionally, find a good straight piece of 1" square steel pipe, 8'or 10' long and you have the makings of a relly good rip fence helper. Double face tape and stick this to your existing fence making sure it is tight to the sawtop so that nothing can get under and cause kickbacks. A little paint and wax will keep the steel from rusting and this fence will never wear out. You can place this fence where ever it will do the most good. Why 1" steel, It's cheap, accurate, durable, doesn't flex, mounts and un-mounts easily and lasts forever. Another must have accessory are push sticks. Get a piece of 2x6 about 8" long and cutout a piece off the edge approximately 1/4" x6" leaving a notch. Round off the corner above the notch to make a comfortable hand fit. This is a sacrificial part, after using up the push notch throw it away and use a new one. The feature of this push stick is that it can push down and forwrd at the same time and you don't expose your hand to the blade. LOL

edsr