Hairie's Okwata 15 X 26 LC

[hairymick]

Mick,
I'm looking at the pic above of your splice and it looks like you've got a trick up your sleeve for making the splice. I can't quite figure out what's-what. I see what looks like some additional pieces of wood, screws, and plastic. Could you tell me your technique here?

G’day Scott,

The additional wood is just scrap ply to stop my lead ingots from marking the panels.

The screws are to hold the ply down flat while applying the woodflour in the splice.

I set out one panel in place, screw it down to hold it in place and apply the splice. Then I lay its mirrored panel on top, with plastic or wax paper between to stop them sticking together and do the second one. This makes the panels identical to each other.

All the screws do is hold the panel flat to stop the woodflour from running underneath. With the second panel, I run the screws right through the first panels. Guarantees a flat even splice – every time. The small screw holes are easily filled and are a small price to pay for a perfect splice joint.

[Oldsparkey]

Mick.....

I have to ask after looking at this picture.


That is a mighty wide gap between the panels you want to join. When I do mine they are butted together then some plastic over/under them and a light weight placed on top till everything sets up.
If I think the panels will or might move then they are held in place with some push pins or clamps depending on how I think they will act. All of them are away from the butt joint. I just don't like making more holes in the boat then necessary. Unless Matt tells me to and then I still don't listen to him , as you know.

Plus you said you are using wood flour with the epoxy to do the joint , all I ever use is epoxy and fiberglass with/over the joint as tight as I can get it. Am I missing something here.

Chuck.

[jem]

I think it's a case of close up shot making the gap look bigger than it is.

[hairymick]

Chuck,

It is a macro shot. The actual gap is about 1/8" or 3.2mm.

I set mine at that gap and it gives me near perfect panel alignment as per the joined panel length QA checks. It also allows for any very small imperfections in the trimming for length. I don't have the skills or the patience to work the ends to get a perfect joint as in your method. Anything less than perfect in panels hard butted together looks like crap to me and would drive me nuts.

This way, gives me a little room to manoeuvre and still have the joint looking acceptable. (to me anyway.)

I believe that a gap filled with woodflour is probably stronger than two panels glued end to end with epoxy only.

Re the couple of screw holes. The heads are about 4mm (3/16) diametre. This is about the minimum size required for stitching using very small zip ties, A couple of holes for the screws to assist me to hold the panels perfectly flat in the panel splice is neither here nor there to me. and makes the whole process that much easier.

With the extreme summer humidity here, the panels will not lie flat on their own, long enough to get a good joint/splice. There is just no other way that I can think of to do both panels at the same time. Even with the weights as close as 1" from the splice, the ends still bow up and away from the bench top.

[hairymick]

Oh yeah,

Minus the screw holes , unless I misunderstand completely, This is how Matt recommends to do it in the build instructions.

[jem]

Oh yeah,

Minus the screw holes , unless I misunderstand completely, This is how Matt recommends to do it in the build instructions.

you mean people actually read those

[Oldsparkey]

Matt an Mick .....

Thanks Guy's , I am educated now and that micro shot sure looks BIG. Next time I will have my glasses on for a better look.

Mick I know what you are saying about the humidity and how it effects the panels , same problem over here. One way I found of beating it is to use the instruction packet as a weight over the plastic covering the panels ( If I can't find a small brick ) , it might be to much weight but it does work in a pinch.
I found the package to be a much better counter weight , if one is needed. Sometimes it works really good as a small step ladder or stepping stone. I never knew someone who actually read it but some folks do like long novels.

Chuck.
PS. Just picking on Matt , Folks always read and understand all of the building process listed in the instructions before starting the boat , it makes the job a lot easier.

[hairymick]

Matt & Chuck,

Thanks guys. I have learned my lessons well. I have tried deviating from Matt's build instructions and drawings a couple of times now. Both times, I have come to grief and come away with less than ideal results.

Other builders with more experience and skill than I have may well be able take short cuts and/or work differently to as advised. For the average builder like me however, it is way better to stick to proven methods and with the very good drawings and instructions provided. For me, it has proved time and again to be cheaper and easier in the long run and I wind up with a better result. I KNOW Matt's methods work and that is good enough for me. If I want something different to what is in the plans, I will ask Matt to draw it and am very happy to pay the little extra for the service.

[jem]

Thanks for the positive feedback but don't label me a genius. I learn the hard way by trying and screwing up!

I'm an engineer by day and they say the best engineers are lazy so they find the easiest way to do things.

[hairymick]

Matt,

I call it as I see it and give credit where it is due.

Got home form w@#k tonight and went down the back to do a little more in the cool.

All hull panels are now butted and will complete the splices tomorrow. So far, this one is going together real easy. Your QA checks are spot on and tonight, they helped me find a silly mistake I made when cutting. Easy fixed at this point. I cut Panel 1B, the back bottom panel was 5mm too long. Still not sure how I did that. I think I may have been a little heat stressed when I marked out. My excuse and I'm sticking to it.

All going well, will mark and cut the temp frames tomorrow ready to start stitching on Sunday. Oh yeah, been playing with hatch ideas - again. I think I have something pretty neat sussed out.

I am trying to take my time on this but am getting real excited - again and just want to get stuck into it.

Hello, my name is Mick and I am an epoxy junky.

Had my resin fix for tonight. more tomorrow.