mounting stations to strongback - to bolt or to screw?

Welcome to the new Bear Mountain Builders Forum - an interactive internet service we provide to encourage communication between canoe and kayak builders
Post Reply
User avatar
Michel vd Hoven
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 5:15 am
Location: The Netherlands
Contact:

mounting stations to strongback - to bolt or to screw?

Post by Michel vd Hoven »

Hi all,

Next weekend I plan to mount the stations of my Osprey solocanoe to the strongback. Drawings indicate that stations are to be bolted to the wooden support blocks.
Canoe craft uses screws in stead to fix stations to the wooden support blocks.

What are the pros and cons of both methods, and which would you prefer (why).

Thanks for any input.

Michel, The Netherlands
User avatar
ealger
Posts: 387
Joined: Sat Aug 14, 2004 5:14 pm

Mounting stations

Post by ealger »

Michel, I use #12 wood screws to mount the station 1- 1/2" square blocks to the 3/4" strong back top and 1- 1/2 #8 round head screws to mount the 1/2" station molds to the blocks. I usually use 2 screws on the molds but you could go with 3. I've never had a mold or block come loose.
Ed...
Ed Alger
User avatar
Scot T
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2004 2:45 pm
Location: Victoria, B.C., Canada

Post by Scot T »

Hello Michel, I used basically the same setup as Ed except that I made L shaped support blocks out of waste pieces (left over from the making the stations) and screwed them to the strongback and then the stations to them. I just used #12 wood screws for both connections and didn't have any problem. There really isn't that much stress put on the individual station molds so, in my opinion, bolting them on might be "over kill" and unnecessary work. I'd spend the time making sure that everything is level, square and fair rather than drilling holes for bolts.

Just my two cents worth not an expert opinion.
sedges
Posts: 325
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2004 5:37 pm
Location: georgia

screws and bolts

Post by sedges »

I sctew 1 1/2 square block to station. Block has two 3/8 holes to match same on strongback. Staion then bolted to strongback with two 1/4 bolts. Allows adjustment with shims and its easy teo get stations out from canoe(except in the ends) when taking it off the strongback.
User avatar
Patricks Dad
Posts: 1476
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:11 pm
Location: Warrenville, Illinois

Post by Patricks Dad »

We used screws (we had a big tub of drywall screws left over from a basement finishing project...) I would think that using bolts would introduce registration problems and difficulty to fine tune. With screws, you can easily adjust and rescrew should you need to chanage anything when you are setting up the stations. I can't imagine there would be any structural issues with screws.
Randy Pfeifer
(847) 341-0618
Randy.Pfeifer1@gmail.com
Woodbark
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Feb 25, 2006 7:43 pm
Location: Pickering, ON, Can.

Post by Woodbark »

BOLTS AND NUTS would definitely be necessary if the materials you're using could'nt hold SCREWS very well or maybe if you're using metal (angle) for your station blocks (you never know what people will come up with, as a matter of fact, a strongback built of nice rigid angle iron is not outrageous if you have the stuff laying around) I believe an aluminium ladder would probably make a good easy to handle strongback.
** IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED -- TRY DOING IT YOUR WAY **
GEORGE.
User avatar
John Caldeira
Posts: 22
Joined: Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:40 pm
Location: Dallas, Texas
Contact:

Drywall Screws

Post by John Caldeira »

I use drywall screws to attach forms on an external strongback. Clamps temporarily hold the form in exact position, then the scew holes are pre-drilled. Two or three screws are driven into the bottom of each form. Very solid. I can't think of any significant disadvantage to this method.

John

Image
Fred G
Posts: 51
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2005 3:27 pm
Location: Haslett, MI

Post by Fred G »

I agree with using screws. It's much easier to adjust the stations if you need to. Drywall screws work fine as you will screw through the station molds into your 2X2 supports.
User avatar
Doug
Posts: 476
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 7:59 am
Location: London, Ontario, Canada

Post by Doug »

I used lag bolts with (large) washers. I drilled over sized holes in the molds, this allowed me to adjust / aline the mold stations.

Doug


.
"Some people hear the song in the quiet mist of a cold morning..... But for other people the song is loudest in the evening when they are sitting in front of a tent, basking in the camp fire's warmth. This is when I hear it loudest ...." BM
User avatar
Bryan Hansel
Posts: 678
Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 6:36 pm
Location: Grand Marais, MN
Contact:

Post by Bryan Hansel »

I've always used screws. I clamp the forms into place, adjust them as needed, clamp harder, screw-em in place. Quick and easy and painless. Three words that I really like.

I'f I have a helper, I usually skip the clamps.

Bryan
User avatar
Jim Dodd
Posts: 1359
Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2006 11:08 pm
Location: Iowa

Post by Jim Dodd »

I screw my mounting blocks(2x2x12) with deck screws to the stongback, and either bolt, or clamp my forms to these.
This allows me to adjust the forms to the centerlines. Many times I have to go back and adjust, How would I easily do this if I screwed my forms to the mounting blocks?
Jim
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
User avatar
KARKAUAI
Posts: 362
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 3:06 pm
Location: Hickory, NC / Princeville, Kauai, HI
Contact:

Post by KARKAUAI »

I screwed 2"x2" blocks to the strongback and screwed the forms to the blocks...everything worked OK, but instead of cedar for the blocks, next time I'll use something not quite so soft...?pine. I think it would not be as likely to allow for fore/aft tilting of the stations as the soft cedar. Probably not critical, but something to think about anyway.
A hui ho,
Kent
pwstndrf
Posts: 68
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Saginaw, Michigan

Fastening Mould Plates to strongback

Post by pwstndrf »

One more way to do it. :eyebrows I made angle brackets, 3/4"stock, 4.0" high x 6.0" wide with a gussett for strength and accuracy (90 degrees). Then fastened them to the mould plates. Using strips of cardboard (the back of writing tablets) as shims It was easy to level and adjust the mould plates with minimum effort to the wire I strung between the Stem Moulds (see Ted Moores Canoecraft).
Like others I used recycled Drywall screws. IMHO, Lag bolts, carrage bolts and even # 12 Screws are Overkill.
jcolten
Posts: 30
Joined: Mon May 10, 2004 12:12 pm

shim material

Post by jcolten »

Using strips of cardboard (the back of writing tablets) as shims It was easy to level and adjust the mould plates with minimum effort to the wire I strung between the Stem Moulds (see Ted Moores Canoecraft).
playing cards make great shims for this purpose:
* thin for fine increments
* uniform thickness
* not very compressible
Post Reply