Wooden Boat People
By McKenzieDriftBoat.com
Cutting Techniques
Hi ,
Last week I received my signed copy of Roger Fletcher's awesome literary masterpiece. I noticed an illustration of cutting the side panels with a capenters saw. I am wondering if this the preferred method in cutting the sides ? Seems it would be tough to keep my lines straight.
Had a couple of additional questions, I am going to build "The Bridges" drift boat :
1. I am thinking of using a table saw to cut the bevels for my frames. (best method?) Any insight is appreciated, tried to search some archives to find the answers with no luck. Most likely user error searching on my part!
2. Is it nessasary to glue and bolt the frames together or will the bolts be sufficient?
3. Has anyone had any luck using a square orbital hand sander, doing there scarf joints?
Thanks,
Matt
Views: 566
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Baker on
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Hey Matt,
I use a circular saw for cutting my sides. I use one of those cheap blades made for plywood and O.S.B. I just get a new one about every other boat. I use a guide made from 3/8 x 6" x 8' O.S.B. I also made a zero clearance base for my saw from U.H.M.W. Kind of a poor mans Festool. It seams to help with splintering.
I cut my bevels on the table saw, one side straight then use a taper jig and cut the other side to match.
Definatly use glue on those joints, they get stressed a lot when you are putting it together, most people use counter sunk screws instead of bolts on the joint.
On the scarf joint I assume you will be using the sander to clean up the cut. It would take days to actually make the scarf with a finish sander like that. I have used both a quarter sheet and a R.O. sander and much prefer the random orbital for clean up after cuting the scarf with a hand plane.
I just made a jig for cutting scarfs with a router, have cut four so far and really like how it is working, they still have to be finished with a sander as the router bit wont make the feather edge it kind of tears it. I will post a pic. when I get back to it.
Hope this helps.
Mike
http://www.bakerwooddriftboats.com
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Permalink Reply by larry Hambley on
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Mat,
A circle saw is the best way to go for cutting sides. I had good luck with a battery powered 5" saw with a fine blade. The saw is light and no cord to hang up. Set blade depth to just clear the wood. You will be surprised at how easy it is to follow guild lines.
Use glue! Epoxy, or at least waterproof polyurathane.
Good luck.
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Permalink Reply by Brad Dimock on
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Sam Manning drew the illustrations that show the old hand tools. He's a wonderful man and a fabulous illustrator, but a bit of a luddite regarding power tools. As the other folks say, a power saw is fine, with a good plywood blade.
1) since the frame bevels are also being cut at a tapering angle, you either need to make an angle jig for the table saw as Mike mentions, or freehand it--kinda dangerous. I prefer to cut them on the band saw.
2) I'm in the minority opinion here, but I just use bolts. Seems like it they fail, there's something pretty serious happening that glue wouldn't have stopped either--like a really big crash. I've built a few boats where the precise plans were actually off by a little (or a lot!) and I had to change the angle of the frame during or after assembly. This is a lot easier if they are not glued--just loosen the bolts, adjust the angle, retighten the bolts.
3) I've done it with a belt sander but not an orbital. Seems like it would take a very long time. Mike's jig looks very cool!
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Permalink Reply by Lawrence E. Long on
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Matt:
Circular saw is fine for cutting panels- blade just cutting through PW.- Also used to cut the bottom panel curves. Side panels clamped together and trued up with a jack plane- they will be perfectr matches.
Bakers router jig looks good- but a jack plane and a lowangle block plane will also do the job very well if you don't have a router.- Baker's shop looks neat ( "never trust a man with a clean shop") saw that quote somewhere.
Good luck
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