Wooden Boat People

By McKenzieDriftBoat.com

Finishing exterior screws

I picked up the Meranti ply and getting ready to learn a new skill, scarfing. After a couple of practice trials I should have learned what not to repeat on the Meranti.

Question: final finish of the screw heads, silicone/bronze, to fill or leave bright. My thought is that if I ever need to replace a side panel will I hate myself if I putty over the screw heads? I can just flush them to the wood and glass/6 oz/varnish to leave them bright. If I putty them before I finish the side I will have one more layer to chip out of the crosses. Plus to putty them I will need to counter sink the screws into the 1/4" side panel which will reduce the wood under the screw, can't be a good thing.

How do you others see this?

Thanks for any input.

John

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Josh Case on March 27, 2014 at 8:25am

John-

I counter-sunk and faired my screws on the exterior. I would hope that I never have to pull a side panel. Any damage I may inflict I would likely scarf in a repair. I am building a Briggs Dory for reference.

-JC

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Permalink Reply by AJ DeRosa on March 27, 2014 at 9:30am

Many builders, especially the old ones, use ringshank nails to attach panels. They can be sanded flush and look great when left bright. Can be used with or without adhesive between frame and panel. Can't imagine not using adhesive here. Some builders, like Jon Olstrem, used nails to fasten everything including shear rails. It works.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Baker on March 27, 2014 at 2:06pm

Plus one for the nails. I like to hammer mine below the surface (you can actually slightly countersink the hole with a brad point bit run Backwards) then fill the hole with epoxy then epoxy the whole boat. The nails are not as bright this way and blend in real nice with Meranti.

Mike

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Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on March 27, 2014 at 2:11pm

I too like the nails. I have found that a small pilot hole will reduce the bending that can sometimes occur. I have also found that you can install some of the frames several ways, some of them in the wrong places. I have also learned that it is darned near impossible to pull ring shanks but it is possible to shear them with a kitten's paw tool ground very thin and applied between the frame and the plywood. The heads fall off and when you place your frames in the correct places your nails won't be going into the same holes as before.

Amazing what you learn while building a drift boat!

Rick N

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Permalink Reply by Lawrence E. Long on March 28, 2014 at 5:09am

John: Silicon Bronze Ringshank nails-faster, just as strong as screws and lots cheaper. I like to "set" them

just flush with the PW using a flat head punch and hammer after they are driven home.

Good luck

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Permalink Reply by Dave Z on March 30, 2014 at 7:26pm

#12 or #14 by 1" or 1-1/4" Si Bronze ring shank nails. No glue on side panels. I'm not very neat with the polysulfide or 5200 stuff, and like a clean looking interior. I don't know that glue up the frame sides does much. I set my nails about 4" apart. I don't set them flush into the panel, just paint or varnish right over em. I do use a pilot hole on frame side members and into hard wood. Especially on #14s.

I'm using more and more nails for everything. bottoms, skid shoes, transoms, side panels, etc. Been running short on fasteners but have a few pounds of nails left!