attaching gunwales

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carles
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 9:54 am

attaching gunwales

Post by carles »

Hello Everyone, I have a question on inside and outside gunwales, do they have to be attached with screws and epoxy? Or can you just use epoxy,seems to me the screws won't have much bite into the quarter inch planking anyway. Thanks in advance Carl
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Patricks Dad
Posts: 1476
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:11 pm
Location: Warrenville, Illinois

Re: attaching gunwales

Post by Patricks Dad »

If you intend to remove the gunwales in the future (as part of a repair), you should consider using a bedding compound and screws to hold them on. But if you want them to be permanently attached, you can put them on with thickened epoxy without screws (coat the glued surface with unthickened epoxy first to saturate the bare wood, wipe off and then apply thickened epoxy to the surface).

WRT screws, through the hull, the "bite" your looking for isn't into the 1/4" planking but into the other gunwale....

I have not used screws on any of the canoes I have built (just epoxy as described above)... this is a topic of some debate with different people having a bias in each direction. Both work fine.

best of luck on finishing your build
Randy Pfeifer
(847) 341-0618
Randy.Pfeifer1@gmail.com
Chipper1959
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:21 pm
Location: Cowansville Qc Canada

Re: attaching gunwales

Post by Chipper1959 »

I'm in the process of attaching my inwales. I glued my outwales on using epoxy and screwed the inwales on using brass screws. The screws are evenly spaced and countersunk so as to look "pretty". I made sure to use screws long enough to bite into the outwale at least 3/4"....(2" screws were perfect in my case).
I used brass screws because I didn't want to have to countersink and plug holes to hide regular screws....I thought the brass screwheads would look ok.

If you use brass, use extreme care when choosing the correct size pilot hole. The screws strip and/or break quite easily. I drilled my holes, then inserted a regular steel screw of the same size all the way in to create threads in the wood. I then remove the steel screw, and installed the brass screw,(after waxing it with an old candle).

Good luck.
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Patricks Dad
Posts: 1476
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:11 pm
Location: Warrenville, Illinois

Re: attaching gunwales

Post by Patricks Dad »

Silicon Bronze is commonly used screws for gunwales. They are not as soft as brass. If you leave your screw heads open to the elements, consider coating the inside of the holes with epoxy first to seal them from water that may seep in between the screw and the wood (note that the screws will be difficult to remove if you immediately put the screws in the wet epoxy. You can let the epoxy set up and remove the screws just before it's too cured and then put the screws back in (coated with wax) later.
Randy Pfeifer
(847) 341-0618
Randy.Pfeifer1@gmail.com
carles
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2012 9:54 am

Re: attaching gunwales

Post by carles »

Thanks for the advice will consider all suggestions, Carl
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