Gluing chines

[Rational Root]

I did spend some time figuring out how to glue the chines logs in place. At about 14 foot long, they are quite unwieldly, and epoxy is slipperier that a slippy thing in slippy sauce. It's all very well saying the screws will hold it in place, but as you try to position the end at the transom, or perhaps at the stem, and the other you suddenly find this wisdom somewhat incomplete, as your epoxy starts to set.

One simple solution is to screw it in place staring at the middle without glue. Then mix up the epoxy suitably stiffened with amorphous silica. Only then do you unscrew the aft half of the chine, whack on the glue, then screw it back in place. The other end is suitable tamed. Then unscrew the forward half, apply the glue and replace it. Simple. It's like having a strong patient helper at the other end.

I got truly sick of stripping the head off the (expensive) bronze screws, so now
I use square head deck screws dipped in molten bees wax to hold things together. Much stronger than Bronze. And square heads just don't strip out. When it's suitably set (which may be several days, it's cold out there) I will replace the galvanised deck screws with Bronze.

I am assuming that there will not be so much epoxy in the existing screw hole that it prevents me inserting the bronze ones. Wish me luck.

[gert]

What kind of epoxy are you using? (would recomend "cold cure") It shouldn't be kicking off especialy if it's cold where you are. Keep it in a paint roller tray while your using it.
Good Luck.

[Rational Root]

What kind of epoxy are you using? (would recomend "cold cure") It shouldn't be kicking off especialy if it's cold where you are. Keep it in a paint roller tray while your using it.
Good Luck.

This is the first time I tried to mix up epoxy in the cold, so it actually behaved quite well, but in the past large batches of well thickened epoxy have not always been good to me (http://davesboat.blogspot.com/2008/05/epoxy-batch-gone-off.html)

It seems to have set up good and hard, but I will leave it a few days to make sure before I start replacing the screws.

I have a dark blue tarp over the boat, so I would guess that during the day whatever sunshine there is will help the process along.

[gert]

Don't keep mixed epoxy in a cup type container.
Leave "stressed" joints clamped or screwed at least 48 hrs.
Finish your bronze screws by hand (and buy domestic - "cut" SB screws) I too have had to dig out headless shanks, not fun.

[Yeadon]

The paint roller tray tip is something that I'll keep in the back of my mind ...

[AstoriaDave]

Root, are you applying epoxy to the chine log or to the frames it will intersect? The latter is by far easier and more controllable. Also, it is SOP to dry-fit a chine log, from A to Z (frames), using the fasteners that will stay in the boat, and then to lather up the frames with thickened resin, and go for it. With the dry-fit screw placements, it will go on slick as greased pig lipstick, and you will have ample time to form good fillets from the squeeze-out. Simple dimple.

[Rational Root]

Root, are you applying epoxy to the chine log or to the frames it will intersect? The latter is by far easier and more controllable. Also, it is SOP to dry-fit a chine log, from A to Z (frames), using the fasteners that will stay in the boat, and then to lather up the frames with thickened resin, and go for it. With the dry-fit screw placements, it will go on slick as greased pig lipstick, and you will have ample time to form good fillets from the squeeze-out. Simple dimple.

That's more or less what I did, except I used deck screws to draw it all together. The bronze ones are not up to that. I've waxed the screws, so I'll swap them for bronze ones shortly.

[Rational Root]

That's more or less what I did, except I used deck screws to draw it all together. The bronze ones are not up to that. I've waxed the screws, so I'll swap them for bronze ones shortly.

For what it's worth, the waxed deck screws came out without even a struggle. They have been replaced by bronze and the second chine is now glued and setting.