lofting battens

[Alan]

Anyone have any good ideas for materials for lofting battens?

The ones they talk about in books may be fine for a 30'
boat. But, I am lofting a small, round bottom boat. The batten needs to bend a full 90 degrees with a radius of only 3'. Everything I have tried breaks.

Help, please!

[Paul Girouard]

You could use tramel points for a smooth set radius , or maybe this thread will help :

http://www.woodenboatvb.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=61466

I'd think the tramel points would be better in your situation , or so it would seem from here.

Here's cheap easy tramel set up , a shelf standard , pick a slot that fit's your raduis and yer in business,

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b299/PEG688/June113.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b299/PEG688/June112.jpg


The batten will give you a fair curve the tramel a true set radius ,

good luck:)

[Keith Wilson]

For very flexible battens, go to a hobby shop that caters to model airplane builders. They sell small clear straight-grain spruce battens pre-made, in lengths up to four or five feet, and generally very reasonably priced. Some folks use them for airplane parts, but we know better. ;)

[Todd Bradshaw]

I use one of those skinny fiberglass rods, like old people use for putting those red warning flags on their tricycles. The round shape is a little harder to weight down (I use map tacks into the floor) but they will make that kind of bend.

[Richard Smith]

Think about vinyl or aluminum siding parts and pieces, as well as pvc type piping, etc. Or, check out the available stock in your local harwarware store's molding and/or metal working sections.

You can find longer/tougher push pins here http://www.shoplet.com/office/db/AVTCPAL5.html

[mmd]

Go to an auto windshield shop and get a piece of scrap lexan. You should be able to get a piece about 4 - 5 feet long. Cut it into 1/2" strips on your bandsaw or tablesaw. Sand the cut edges flat. Use them on edge, striking your line along the glossy factory surface.

[eastern270]

I bought some peices of 1/4", 3/8" and 1/2" square pvc from mcmaster carr and it work great for small tight radius. I also bought some 1/8" thick x 3/4" wide pvc. Most only comes in I think 6' lenghts maximum. Hope this helps.

[siewertdesign]

Go to West Marine or sailmaker and find a fiberglass sail batten, constant thickness, not tapered. Plenty of widths and lengths.

[Woody Woodside]

Find a plastics supplier, and find all the short battens you need in their scrap box, the offcuts are already 'batten' size, no cutting required. A good plastics supply will have a wide variety of plastics differing in flexibility, usual price for scrap is about two bucks a pound. When you need longer battens, just solvent weld two oe more layers together staggering the joints. Eight feet or so is what most plastic comes in.

[Alan]

Everyone: Thanks for all the great suggestions. I'll try a couple and let you know how it goes.

[Charles Burgess]

Go to West Marine or sailmaker and find a fiberglass sail batten, constant thickness, not tapered. Plenty of widths and lengths.


Excellent recommendation!!

[paladin]

Isn't this the third or fourth time this subject has come up in recent weeks....? Previously...I reported that I purchased a couple of rolls of the edge trim laminate, the type with a sticky tape on one side covered by a "waxed" paper that peels off....it's about 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch wide, or can be wider....just keep sticking pieces of it together until you get to the required stiffness.