need suggestions on finishing cedar strips adjacent to gunne

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Jim Dodd
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Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2006 11:08 pm
Location: Iowa

Re: need suggestions on finishing cedar strips adjacent to g

Post by Jim Dodd »

HI kitisi

I glue and screw the decks and inwhales, and just glue the outwhales.
Your idea of leaving your gunnels a little high should work. As long as you glue your gunnels, preventing moister from entering the bottom side.
I've had the best luck sealing the gunnels with epoxy mixed with fillers !

I 'll see if I can still post a pic.ImageImage

Jim
Keep your paddle wet and your seat dry!
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Cruiser
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Location: Bowmanville, Ontario

Re: need suggestions on finishing cedar strips adjacent to g

Post by Cruiser »

I fitted my decks, then used the standard approach of using mixed epoxy to saturate the edges, then thickened when I positioned the decks. I did use darker cedar dust to make an accent line, as you mused about, and I really like the effect.

Image

This was the unfinished deck after epoxy and a light sanding. There was a small gap, so that wet part is just filling the small crack with epoxy to stabilize it.

Image

And this was the finished product ... I didn't actually use any fasteners for the decking ... just a close fit, light pressure in, then a very light clamping horizontally.

Fitting the decks to be a close fit is fiddly, but totally worth IMO ... if the epoxy holds the rest of the boat together, I figure it's plenty strong enough for the decks.


Brian
kitisi
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Joined: Mon Sep 13, 2010 5:21 pm

Re: need suggestions on finishing cedar strips adjacent to g

Post by kitisi »

Thanks Jim and Brian nice job on the finishing and installing the gunnels i hope mine will turn out half as nice
Ken
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Patricks Dad
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Location: Warrenville, Illinois

Re: need suggestions on finishing cedar strips adjacent to g

Post by Patricks Dad »

I think that applying the gunwales a bit short of the sheerline and sanding the hull down to match the gunwales is the way to go. The exposed hull edge (and gunwales) should then have a couple good coats of epoxy on them (let the hull wood soak up as much as it can take). Once you varnish over the whole thing it will be impervious to water intrusion and easily maintainable.
Randy Pfeifer
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