BUTT BLOCK BEDDING METHODS

[jollyrogerroatan]

Good day all, Since it appears that using 5200 for butt blocks below the water line or may be all together is a no, no. What is the way to re-bed old butt blocks that are leaking? Any and all help is appreciated.

[Gary E]

Originally posted by jollyrogerroatan:
Good day all, Since it appears that using 5200 for butt blocks below the water line or may be all together is a no, no. What is the way to re-bed old butt blocks that are leaking? Any and all help is appreciated.If you listen to those people they are also among those who say that your boat will rot to hell if you dont drench it with CPES...

I installed butt blocks in 1978 or maybe it was 79 using 3M5200 and they are still good... As Clint Eastwood said... "ya feel lucky?" This is not to say you wont be lucky using some other goop.

[Thad]

In caulked carvel construction the block holds the butt alignment and the water is kept out by caulking, plank edge and butt seam. the block should be shaped to the hull form and lap the planks above and below. Bedding is fine if it allows the plank ends to swell against the caulk, but good fit and solid fastening is most important.

[jollyrogerroatan]

It is not a matter of making new butt blocks. The ones in place are okay in my view but are leaking. I plan to refasten the original butt blocks and bed them in what ever the current technology is at the moment.

[StevenBauer]

Jolly, I think you're missing the point. It's not the bedding that keeps the water out. It's the caulking at the plank seam and in the butt seam.

Steven

[JormaS]

What Steven said. You should be able to make the seam itself tight.

[Scott Rosen]

Butt blocks don't leak. Plank seams leak. You're asking the wrong question.

You need to address the leak in the plank seam. Then it won't much matter what you use to bed the butt blocks.

[Concordia..41]

What everybody but Gary said.

- M

[jollyrogerroatan]

Roger that. The boat is`coming out of the water in two weeks. We will give it a good look. Thanks for the input from everyone. Awhile back I saw a post that said to fill the plank ends with epoxy as the planks do not expand too much in length as opposed to width. Comments were made about rotting cotten and that CPES first on the dried plank ends and the fill the joint with epoxy. Any one care to comment?

[jollyrogerroatan]

Roger that. The boat is`coming out of the water in two weeks. We will give it a good look. Thanks for the input from everyone. Awhile back I saw a post that said to fill the plank ends with epoxy as the planks do not expand too much in length as opposed to width. Comments were made about rotting cotten and that CPES first on the dried plank ends and the fill the joint with epoxy. Any one care to comment?

[Thad]

Because planks do not swell lengthwise the butt seam is caulked hard relative to the plank seams. Paint the butts.

[Scott Rosen]

Originally posted by jollyrogerroatan:
Roger that. The boat is`coming out of the water in two weeks. We will give it a good look. Thanks for the input from everyone. Awhile back I saw a post that said to fill the plank ends with epoxy as the planks do not expand too much in length as opposed to width. Comments were made about rotting cotten and that CPES first on the dried plank ends and the fill the joint with epoxy. Any one care to comment?Only do this as an absolute last resort, with the understanding that in the long run you will be creating more problems than you are solving.

[Bob Cleek]

What everybody but Gary said... again. Your butt block isn't leaking. Your seam is leaking. Deal with the problem there. The butt block is probably fine.

[JormaS]

Don´t fill the seam with epoxy. Even if the planks wouldn´t move at all lengthwise, their width will vary slightly according to atmospheric conditions. Over time, it will brake the bond and the seam will leak.

[Dan McCosh]

Re: butt blocks leaking. It's unlikely the bedding is the problem here. Also, the seams in the butt block area are not likely to be much different than the rest of the seam. Substantial leaking coming from under the butt block is an indication that the plank ends and fastenings could be decayed, which is another problem.

[Gary E]

Ohh... go ahead and do whatever you want...

Seems that what works for over 25 years taint good nuff for these Xperts...

[Dave Fleming]

Said with a bit of tongue in cheek...
I don't care what you bed the butt block with BUT, the real reason is not getting through here.

There is a problem with the plank butts!

Get in there remove the plank end fasteners, remove the butt block and find out just what the hey-hoo is causing the leak.

Then reverse the process with new fasteners, bedding the butt block with pigs blood, donkey doo or what ever the heck rings your chimes.

Then cork the butt properly and you should be good to go.

Again, the real problem is the plank ends and more than likely the corking.
You have to fix that first.

Ya get my drift?

[jollyrogerroatan]

Roger that. I get the drift. That is`my intention, but no one has answered my first question. After reviewing and repairing the butt seam, what is the current wisdom for bedding the butt block after the seam is inspected, butt block removed, new fasteners about to be installed. Should I use nothing between the butt block and the plank ends just the wood?

[Dave Fleming]

Red Lead Paint
Dolphinite
A REMOVABLE poly compound
A REMOVABLE Sika or 3M compound

If worse comes to worst, 'bear ****e' aka bitumastic roofing compound.
This a really a product of last resort for such a repair but, if it is all you can find down there well....

If it were me, ****Epoxeeeee**** would be the last thing I would be putting in those plank butts.

See that butt block should be shaped to fit 'tighter 'n a tick' to the inside of the plank ends. The usual dimensions for the butt block have already been laid out in a previous post.

[ 09-09-2005, 08:52 PM: Message edited by: Dave Fleming ]

[Dan McCosh]

interesting to note the mention of plastic roof cement. The fiber-filled product is actually very good as a bedding compound. The only problem is that it is awfully messy to clean up. The material itself sets up as an elastic, very durable bedding compound, quite good for larger timbers and structural joints as well as butt blocks.

[Cosmo Lengro]

;)

[David W Pratt]

I have ideas on this topic, but do not dare reveal them, lest being thought a butt head.
Good luck.

[Dave Fleming]

I have ideas on this topic, but do not dare reveal them, lest being thought a butt head.
Good luck.Now here is an answer filled with insightfull wisdom and candor. :rolleyes: