What about countersink carriage bolts

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Chris
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Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2004 4:32 pm
Location: NorthWest Germany
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What about countersink carriage bolts

Post by Chris »

While I´m waiting for my ordered my brass countersink bolds, I´m thinking about the "How to" installing the seats in the best manner. A boatbuilder from Bavaria told me, that he always countersunk the carriage bolts. He stzressed, that it is important to make a perfect right angle drill, even when the inner gunnels are angular, like on the Freedom 17. I took a look on my Mad river Canoe Duck Hunter 16" and found, that they drilled in a right angle trough the gunnels and it looks like they have bend the carriage bolts directly under the bolt head, so that the bolt heads are lying flat on the surface of the inner gunnels. What would you prefere to do?

I found somewhere in the net (didn`t know exacly where), that it is easy to drill the right holes in the right angle, if you clamp the seat on top of the the gunnels in the perfect right position, and than drill trough both seats and gunnels. Is it a good idea to make it this way?

Just added a coat of epoxy on the gunnels and decks today to seal them against moisture - looks great, exept for two areas of the inner gunnel which shows some dark areas (ash) , which became visible after putting the epoxy on - these spots wasn`t visible while sanding and not when cleaning the gunnels finally with laque thinner :rolling eyes - that´s wood -as my neighbor says... But all in all I´m quiet satisfied so far.

Have a nice evening - here in Germany the spring started these days and I could work today an yesterday in the garden at temperatures between 15 - 20° C - nice feeling to work in a t-shirt after the long winter in the garage :big grin

Bye

Chris
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Glen Smith
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Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada

Post by Glen Smith »

It is best to drill the holes vertically plumb, not at an angle. I haven't heard of the method you mention with the seats on top of the gunwales, but I think it should work. I drill a counterbore hole so that the carriage bolt heads don't stick up above the wood. Apply epoxy to these holes for protection.

Yes, that's wood! It might require more than one coat of epoxy to saturate the grain in some areas.

We won't have t-shirt weather here for at least another 6 weeks!
itfitz
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Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2005 9:13 am
Location: Key West

Post by itfitz »

we have tshirt weather here from about January til about mid-december. And about 2 weeks of winter in betweem, but thats the price you pay to live in Paradise.
Just a cheese burger in Paradise
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hoz
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Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2004 11:57 pm
Location: Indiana

Post by hoz »

I leave my carriage bolts stick up proud. Just set them with a wap of the deadfall hammer. Different strokes... :rolling eyes
someday I'll fly, someday I'll soar
The Gutt Clan
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Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 4:32 pm
Location: Rochester, NY

Post by The Gutt Clan »

You could probably use the holes in the seats as a 'jig' to drill the holes in the gunwales. You could also drill a hole through a block of wood, then cut the corresponding angle to your gunwales off the bottom of the block. Then you can use the block as a drill guide rather than the holes in the seat. Depending on how thick your seat stock is, you may need a pretty long bit to get through both the gunwale and the seat and any intervening 'air space'.
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