Batten?

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bert304
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 6:26 pm
Location: Mohrsville
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Batten?

Post by bert304 »

This might be in the wrong place but Where do I purchase a batten? I have been looking around for one and can not find one. I have been using a piece of 1/8 thick wood. I would like to get one for the sheer lines.
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frugal
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Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 12:54 pm
Location: Oshawa, ON

Post by frugal »

It would appear that you already have one. Your 1/8" wood should work nicely. I have a fairly long flexible metal ruler that I used for my forms. For all of the work on the shears, etc. I used a long strip of wood that was 3/16" x 3/16". This came from when I made my strips and ended up with a strip too thin (I was using 1/4" on the boat) so I rip sawed it in half again.
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BowneCR
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Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2008 9:56 am
Location: Bloomington, IL

Post by BowneCR »

The best battens I have found - much more flexible, and more durable than a wood strip, albiet, much shorter-Go to the toy store and buy a cheap kite - the little fiberglass sticks used to frame the kite make great battens for lofting forms. You are limited by the size of the kite, but lofting a curve for station mold only takes about 24 inches of batten. All the kite sticks I have found are made of plastic and can be bent to an S curve without breaking. They are also small enuoght in diameter to be held down by a common thumbtack. I have lofted 3 of the boats in Canoecraft using the tables of offsets and a kite stick.
James Hanrahan
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Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:48 pm
Location: Wiarton Ontario

Post by James Hanrahan »

For drawing the molds,Old hacksaw blades make good short battens, Old bandsaw blades cut to 2 to 3 ft make good longer battens. hope this helps
James
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Jim Dodd
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Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2006 11:08 pm
Location: Iowa

Post by Jim Dodd »

Do you mean Bandsaw blades ?
That's a good idea James !
Jim
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
sedges
Posts: 325
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2004 5:37 pm
Location: georgia

plexiglass

Post by sedges »

I use a strip of plexiglas to draft the molds. If you are actually lofting out a boat full size clear cedar works great. Cross-section would depend on what kind of curves are required.
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