If you had to choose...

[cparkerc]

If you had to choose wood screws for your stitch and glue skiff from the local hardware store, what material would it be made of? The screws will be under glass. I seem to remember reading something about stainless rusting under glass because it was cut off from the air? Another thread that i read made light of using drywall screws. The screws are for the frames which i have glued in place with epoxy/silica/wood flour filets. The boat will be trailered and not in the water for any extended time.

Thanks for the help!

Carrington
Fort Collins, CO

[cparkerc]

Good point Gary, I don't know if i actually need the screws in addition to the epoxy filets, is it overkill?

[Lewisboats]

a-yup!

[Thorne]

In some cases you are better off not using any fasteners, but if you must use big box fasteners, use SS. The drywall screws have no shear strength, and will rust out creating pockets of rot in the boat seams.

[mobjack68]

I made a kayak few years back. Was supposed to be stitch and glue. I made wider glue surfaces, used drywall screws to hold each seam until the epoxy set and then removed the screws filling the holes later. Didn't worry about SS or steel....

[switters]

For starters, welcome from Fort Collins!

Your question was answered, the screws are surprisingly easy to get back out even if you are using them to hold ply on frame.

PM me and I'll give you a call if you want. I'm building here in Fort fun also. I would like to trade notes on where to buy epoxy wood and tools. I have some small wooden rowboats and will be launching my sons pirogue out at Douglas Lake the 22nd of this month.

[cparkerc]

Thanks for the replies, i guess i don't need to use the screws after all. I was assuming that more was better, and that the screws would give me a little extra insurance.

Switters, PM on the way.

Thanks

Carrington

[JimD]

What are you building, precisely? If its a stitch and glue design what were you going to put the screws into in the first place? Note: drywall screws break off super easy. Make sure you remove any well before full cure. Accidently forget to remove any and they are likely there for good - not a good situation.

[ccx2]

What are you building, precisely? If its a stitch and glue design what were you going to put the screws into in the first place? Note: drywall screws break off super easy. Make sure you remove any well before full cure. Accidently forget to remove any and they are likely there for good - not a good situation.

Thats correct, been there done that. Use a heavy decking screw A drywall screw WILL break off.

[cparkerc]

Jim, it is the Rascal by Paul Fisher. I secured the frames with the drywall screws prior to filetting them in. I was not planning on keeping them there. I was going to replace them with something more suitable. From the responses, it seems that they aren't necessary anyway. I can remove them easily, they are in the wood only, not the epoxy. Does that make sense?

Thanks

Carrington

15' RASCAL MOTOR DORY/SKIFF This is a simple and very easily built motor dory for use with outboards up to around 50 hp in size. She can either be made by wrapping the pre-shaped sides around the frames, fastening on an external chine stringer and then putting the bottom ply on oversize, or, by simple stitch and epoxy methods using pre-shaped ply bottom and side panels which are given on the drawing.
She can be fitted out very much to suit your own requirements and she could take a cuddy or small cabin. She uses 7 sheets of 9mm ply and has a length of 15’ and beam of 5’6’’.

15' Rascal Particulars

LOA

15'4.58mBeam5'6"1.68mHull Mid Depth1' 9 1/4"0.54mDraft5 1/4"0.13mApprox. Dry Weight275 lbs125 kgEngine2-8 hp (up to 50 hp) Speed15 knots with 9 hp

Hull Shape

Flat bottom single chineConstruction MethodsStitch and tapeMajor plywood requirements for hull7 x 9mm sheetsGuidance UseUp to 6 adults - estuary/coastalDrawing/Design Package2 x A1 drawings + Additions and alterations included with the plansPanel shapes for 18' x 6' (5.49 x 1.83m)

[JimD]

Jim, it is the Rascal by Paul Fisher. I secured the frames with the drywall screws prior to filetting them in. I was not planning on keeping them there. I was going to replace them with something more suitable. From the responses, it seems that they aren't necessary anyway. I can remove them easily, they are in the wood only, not the epoxy. Does that make sense?

Thanks

Carrington

Carrington, yes, that makes sense. Sort of quasi stitch and glue. I built one of Paul's dinghy's just about as you built Rascal. Mr Fisher is my favourite contemporary designer.

[Todd D]

I would use silicon bronze. I use silicon bronze for any fastener that will be in potentially wet wood.

[cparkerc]

Thanks Jim, I appreciate your replies. This is my first attempt at building a boat and the Rascal seemed like a good one to start with. Mr. Fisher has been great, he responds to questions very quickly via e-mail.

Unless I hear differently, i may just forget the screws and let the epoxy filets do their job. I probably made them 2-3 times larger than i needed to anyway!

Thanks to all,

Carrington

[The Bigfella]

Why not just buy your fasteners from Jamestown via the internet? I do - and they ship them half way around the world to me... cheaper than I can buy them locally too.