Laminate trimmer to cut a kayak deck?

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canoecrafter
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Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2015 8:22 am
Location: Rice Lake, WI

Laminate trimmer to cut a kayak deck?

Post by canoecrafter »

I'm building a Resolute kayak and will be stripping the deck soon. Rather than running a couple covering boards over the inwale along the edges of the deck, then fitting the rest of the straight deck boards into those curved strips, I'd like to try a much simpler covering technique.

I'm hoping someone has tried this and can advise me.

I plan to strip the deck with straight strips longitudinally starting from a central king plank and stripping outward. I'll simply run the strips past the sheer line an inch or so. When all strips are on and the deck is covered, I plan to zip off all the overhanging strip ends with a small handheld router and laminate trimming bit, always cutting with the grain. The roller on the router bit will ride along the sheer of the hull which will have recently been glassed.

I'll cover the trimmed edges with the outer gunwale epoxied on at the final step.

Any problems I'm overlooking?
When people figure out what's important in Life, there's gonna be a big shortage of canoes.
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Jim Dodd
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Re: Laminate trimmer to cut a kayak deck?

Post by Jim Dodd »

I've not done this, but I can see trouble with splintering the strips on the deck, and possibly burn the cloth and resin on the hull where the roller rides.

I'd be more inclined to use a coping saw, a plane, or a japanese saw rasp.



Good luck !

Jim
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
Rick in Pender Harbour
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Re: Laminate trimmer to cut a kayak deck?

Post by Rick in Pender Harbour »

I use this method to build decks on Wee Lassie canoes, and almost always have small problems with chip-out.
It may be that my router bit is getting a bit dull, but that may be an issue. As far as the bearing marking the hull, the outer gunwhale should cover that....

Happy New Year All

Rick
oysterbayboats.ca
canoecrafter
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Re: Laminate trimmer to cut a kayak deck?

Post by canoecrafter »

Thanks for the input; I think I'll go with straight strips and the router technique and save myself hours of fitting straight strips to curved cove-and-bead strips.

Rick, did you put masking tape on the Wee Lassie deck boards before using the router to try to minimize chip-out from the laminate trimmer bit?

The trimmer-bit lower bearing rubbing on the hull should be no problem; the bearing isn't powered but merely rides on the lower surface--so there will be no burning.
When people figure out what's important in Life, there's gonna be a big shortage of canoes.
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Jim Dodd
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Re: Laminate trimmer to cut a kayak deck?

Post by Jim Dodd »

Good point on the router bit !
My mind was wrapped around a solid bit.
Good luck !

Jim
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
Rick in Pender Harbour
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Re: Laminate trimmer to cut a kayak deck?

Post by Rick in Pender Harbour »

No - I don't know why I never tried tape on the deck surface, but I'm just starting a pair of wee lassies, so will have a chance to try it. Will let you know in a couple of months.
rgds

Rick
oysterbayboats.ca
canoecrafter
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Re: Laminate trimmer experience

Post by canoecrafter »

The router and laminate trimmer bit worked nicely to trim the white cedar deck on the Resolute kayak without chipping the deck strips. I didn't add tape to the deck boards and I went very slowly. I used the small router in "climb-cutting" mode to reduce chip-out problems and cut from the center out towards the ends. I had also put a layer of duct tape on the hull where the trimmer's roller bearing would run.

Because the deck is not perfectly perpendicular to the hull at the sheer, and because of the thickness of the duct tape, the trimmer didn't cut exactly at the hull, but left about 1/16" proud--perfect for finishing off with a sanding block.
When people figure out what's important in Life, there's gonna be a big shortage of canoes.
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