adhesive for splining

[PAComet]

Plan to spline 3/8" thick wrc bottom with 1/8" thick strips of the same wood, prior to sheathing.

- should I bother cpes-ing or precoating the splines with epoxy?

- since the splines will be tight (as I understand the process) I'm worried an epoxy would starved.

- if these splines are lightly tamped in, should I worry about the quality of the bond with the planks?

Thanks

[boylesboats]

If you use epoxy, the spline should be slip fit..

[michigangeorge]

I doubt 1/8" WRC will give you any strength. Seems like it would split easily at that thinness (thickness?). High quality ply would be a better bet if glued with epoxy. As much as I hate the stuff, I have made up a sample using 5200 as a spline and it seems indestructible. Nasty sh-t to work with though.

[gert]

Go to your hobby shop and get some 1/8" modeling plywood; it's relativly cheap and perfect for this application. And epoxy it in.

[boylesboats]

Better off having splines at least 1/3 thickness of planks you're working with..
Let's say 1/8" - 3/16"..

[Bob Smalser]

This is a spline reinforcing a miter joint:

http://www.newwoodworker.com/graphics/photos/artlstips/makesplines/finit.jpg

This is another spline in an edge joint:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/3262802029_151e72be6c.jpg?v=0

This is a beveled carvel seam caulked with cotton. Some owners remove the cotton, glue soft cedar wedges in its place, and call them splines instead of wedges.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2595357/306698154.jpg

Which are we talking about?

[PAComet]

wedges- it would seem. Your pictures are always worth 1000 words Bob.
To reply to the earlier posts- the Comet's bottom is double planked- upper layer being transverse to the lower carvel planks for strength. these wedges will not be there for structural support but to lay a foundation for sheathing.

[Bob Smalser]

Plan to spline 3/8" thick wrc bottom with 1/8" thick strips of the same wood, prior to sheathing.

1)...should I bother cpes-ing or precoating the splines with epoxy?

2)...since the splines will be tight (as I understand the process) I'm worried an epoxy would starved.

3)...if these splines are lightly tamped in, should I worry about the quality of the bond with the planks?



1) No.
2) Use epoxy with a high-adhesive thickener. Resisting clamping pressure is one of its purposes.
3) No. With epoxy, lightly tamp them in. They only have to touch.

You can also use 3M 5200, which in its cured form has more "give" and is fully compatible with the epoxy in your sheathing. But it needs uniform and relatively high clamping pressure.

This is assuming that sheathing your hull is a viable repair at all. I'll assume her outer planks are totally worn out and the boat's total dollar value, even when fully repaired, doesn't equal the cost of new planks... ...I'll also assume she lives in an area of relatively uniform humidity, and she's either a dry-sailed boat or a moored boat that rarely gets hauled.....And I'll assume your planks from garboard to sheer form a crossgrain expanse of less than 4 feet, and they are of vertical grain stock.

Otherwise you could be hastening her demise rather than prolonging her life. Once you glue, there's no going back, and you can forget about easy repairability. Stick around here and you'll eventually meet a whole parade of carvel owners who have had the boat out of the water for extensive repairs and want guidance on rehydrating planking gaps as large as a half inch, which may be a PIA but is usually no big deal. In your boat, those simple gaps are likely to be cracked glue joints or planks, as sheathing that may have worked with occasional short-duration haulouts may fail badly when the boat is ashore for longer.

Usually it's a better idea is to only glue one side of the wedge in to repair and fill the shrunken and deteriorated plank edges and then recaulk with cotton, forgoing sheathing. It retains the original engineered gasket design to accommodate shrinking and swelling, and is also considerably less expensive.

[gert]

They should realy give Bob his own section on this site:

Bob's Boat Building & Wood Technology 101 ;)

[PAComet]

Yes they absolutely should give Bob his own section!
Bob- The Comet I'm working on has 9 bottom planks, including the center, which is a 1x6 of cedar. She was a freebie (with condolences, as her previous owner knew she needed much more work on her and $$ than I'd ever get back out if I had to sell). I am replacing 4 of the nine planks with A&btr clear vertical wrc (which will be as encapsulated top and bottom). The shortest of the 9 planks are the two on each side closest to the sheer, and will only have the bottom coated, plus over all will go the xynole sheathing.
She will be dry-sailed.
Total beam is under 60".
Nice to know I can use the 5200 for the wedges. I have 3 cans of the stuff but have heard many negative comments on this site, so haven't used them.

[Bob Smalser]

... 9 bottom planks, including the center, which is a 1x6 of cedar.

.. I am replacing 4 of the nine planks with A&btr clear vertical wrc (which will be as encapsulated top and bottom).

... xynole sheathing.

...She will be dry-sailed.

...Total beam is under 60".



It sounds like a small enough boat for sheathing to work for you.

But I'd avoid leaving her in the water for more than a couple weeks at a time.

[Rigadog]

"Lucy!... You got some splinin' to do...." :D

[CaptJamieJ]

"Lucy!... You got some splinin' to do...." :D

That deserved more credit than it got!

Made me laugh.