Pilot Holes, bedding nails & Chine install Questions

So I have most of my boat lofted.  For those that dont know I am building a 15' skiff from scratch without any plans.  Yes, I am a glutton for punishment. 

 

When I get to installing the sides I have been wondering about a couple of things.  I will be using 14ga ring shanks,  here is what I am trying to find out. 

 

1. What size pilot hole does everyone reccomend?

2. I am planning on coating the sides with resin.  If I do 2 coats would it be easier to do one coat off the boat, drill pilot holes, install the sides, and then another coat over top?

3. Is there a need to bed ring shanks with something like 5200 or will they be fine on their own?

4. Does paint go on before or after FG resin?

 

Thanks guys, 

 

Andrew

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Mike Baker on June 9, 2011 at 5:14pm

Hey Andrew,

I love Skiffs, built a 16x54 and use it ten to one over my drift boats (lakes are closer and more convenient for me).

Pilot holes; I use 1/16" in fir and 5/64 in oak.

Epoxy; most folks like to do the coats before attaching the sides cuz the panels are flat and it is much easier. I like to do one coat before assembly then the rest of the coats after so the nails are covered with epoxy.

No need to bed the nails (not sure you could).

Paint goes on after epoxy. If you are 100% sure you are going to paint and are using Doug fir panels you may want to consider using a fairing compound in the epoxy. It will help you be able to sand the sides smooth as Doug fir grain is very rough and uneven.

Good luck and remember we love pictures!

Mike

http://www.bakerwooddriftboats.com/

 

Permalink Reply by Christian Lazarides on June 9, 2011 at 6:55pm
I would like to say depending on what kind of ringshank you are using, some of them break and or bend very easily. If it was me I would get a set of digital calipers and measure the shank of the nail and use a bit that size or just smaller deepening on what kind of wood I was going through. Softer wood you can get away with a smaller hole and harder woods will require a hole the same size as the un ringed shank. To avoid splitting. I would highly recommend stainless square drive screws instead. By simply adjusting the torq setting on your drill you can minimize punch through.
Permalink Reply by Andrew on June 9, 2011 at 7:35pm

I do have some SS screws that I was going to use else where.  I will have to experiment with the pilot holes I guess & see what works best. 

 

The sides are Okume as the DF that I could get here is garbage. I could not decide between painted or unpainted so I am going paint a portion of it.  I was thinking that doing the first coat while flat and then doing the other with the sides attached makes the most sense.  I want the nails covered up like you suggested. 

 

I will add some pictures.  Like one of my smart a$$ friends said it looks more like a cut up book case than a boat at this point. 

 

Nice boats Mike.

 

Andrew 

Permalink Reply by Christian Lazarides on June 9, 2011 at 7:44pm
How thick is the plywood you are using?
Permalink Reply by Andrew on June 9, 2011 at 7:49pm

6mm

Andrew

Permalink Reply by Christian Lazarides on June 9, 2011 at 8:06pm
There is a kind of drywall nail that if I remember right is slightly ring shanked and as a bonus has a bit of a concave head face to accept drywall mud. Might want to look into those. Check with someone who specializes in selling drywall and plaster, do not wages your time with big box stores.,

I was able to look it up, they are called Phosphate Coated Drywall Nails
Permalink Reply by Andrew on June 9, 2011 at 8:14pm

I know which ones you are talking about, but they are black and unsightly.  They are also prone to rust. I dont think that those are what I want to use.

These are the ones that I am using in 1.25" 14ga

Lee Valley Tools

Permalink Reply by Christian Lazarides on June 9, 2011 at 8:18pm
Yeah they are black I don't know about rust cause I have never seen them through drywall mud. I just figured if you are going to paint and not see them they would fill better with the epoxy
Permalink Reply by Andrew on June 9, 2011 at 8:25pm

I actually have a box of them already and I know they rust.

 

Only a portion of them will be painted so I think that I will stick with the bronze ones. 

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

Andrew

Permalink Reply by Dave Z on June 9, 2011 at 8:34pm

Si bronze ring shanks, 1/16th for a pilot hole for a #14.   Although, I was shipped a box of #12 adn they don't bend.  so I'd use #12 from now on!  No 5200 on the frames up the sides (thats me, others do bed.  I'm lazy and don't like the cleanup of 5200.)  Epoxy your outside panels while they are flat.  do a coat, sand it flat, do another thin coat, sand it flat, leave it alone.  Build your boat, then varnish or paint.  I don't see the need to epoxy over the nail heads.  i don't think it buys you anything.  MUCH easier to epoxy and sand while flat.   My 2 cents, everyone does it different.

 

Permalink Reply by Andrew on June 9, 2011 at 8:43pm

Thanks Dave.  Definitely more than one way to skin a cat, err boat.

 

A  

Permalink Reply by Don Hanson on June 10, 2011 at 8:10am

  If you do coat with epoxy after you put the boat together...find yourself a way to 'tilt' the boat as you work on it.  It's so much easier to work downwards on a close to horizontal surface, or to adjust the surface to a convenient attitude to sand, grind, paint.  I use the exposed trusses in my shop with a barn door track and a block and tackle set-up.    Some shops have rotating 'building jigs' to orient the project at whatever angle seems best for the work being done.  You aren't 'locked-in' to working on the boat in an upright/upside down position..you don't have to climb inside to do the inner bottom on your hands and knees...

  Don Hanson

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