Thursday 29 March 2012

Rubbing strakes part 1

This afternoons efforts so far...
1) Removed port rubbing strake. Couldn't undo screws so had to lever off. Fortunately there was no strength left in the wood so it came off reasonably easy. Getting the old screws out was a different matter as on this side they are brass and had gone very yellow.

2) Remove and sand down old filler. The old strakes were bedded in what looks like P38. I chiseled most off then used sander to flat.

3) Cut rebate into back of wood.  I had intended to use the router but in a flash of inspiration I used the table saw to cut part way through and then turned 90 degrees and cut again.  This a) reduced the amount of sawdust and b) gave me some nice strips to use as headlining support.

I have now started to fit the strakes, however even with pilot holes they have started to split with the pressure of the curve.

3 comments:

  1. Hi Phil, what timber are you using for the new strakes? Andy

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  2. Hi Andy, I think it is Iroko. The general advice from various people is to steam it in a drain pipe before springing into place. No rain forecast for today so looks like the house is going to lose a down pipe for a while :)

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  3. Hi Phil, yes steam is best. It will take a while to get it hot enough and then you have very little time to apply it before it cools off. Alternative is laminating but that would be messy and no way of clamping along whole length. Good luck. A

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