Dragon's Teeth

Jim D · Post by **Jim D** » Fri Jun 18, 2004 10:21 pm

I know someone out there can post a pic, but I will try and describe them, or at least the ones I made!.. Dragon's teeth are used to clamp outwhales in place in the area of the deck, where it is difficult to use a C-clamp or bar clamp... I took two scrap pieces of wood 1/2x3/4x20in.to each of these I fastened with glue and screws, two wedges each 2in long, cut to a 45 degree, They are fastened about 3in. apart, and at one end of the strip, both slanting the same direction, up and away from the center of the strip.... Confused yet?... Tape with masking tape the side away from the wedges, this side will be in contact with the outwhale, this prevents the Dragons teeth from being glued to the outwhale... As the outwhale is being clamped to the hull, clamp the Dragons teeth so the wedges are at the end of the outwhale. The first clamp is placed holding The inwhale,deck, and outwhale, in that order, together. The wedges then provide a clamping surface for C-clamps, or bar clamps... If you can make sense of that, you are either good or lucky, maybe both!!!... I hope someone can post a pic!!!

Jim D · Post by **Jim D** » Fri Jun 18, 2004 10:31 pm

Oops! Correction!! clamping order is inwhale, HULL, outwhale, and DRAGON'S TOOTH... This is done to both sides, in fact to both ends, so you will need to make 2 SETS of teeth.

Dean in Eureka, CA · Post by **Dean in Eureka, CA** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 1:08 am

Hey Jim,
I got confused before you even asked if I was confused yet, but it wasn't as confusing as doing a search for dragon teeth clamping jigs, let me tell you. I got all kinds of mythology types of answers.

If I understand you correctly, the teeth don't bite into the outwale, but provide a parralel clamping area from one side of the canoe to the other, right? In other words, I guess you could say that the teeth face away from the boat, right?

So if I got all this right, you would take a strip of wood and glue sandpaper to it and the sandpaper goes up against the outwale. ( I threw in the sandpaper in place of the masking tape, because I wanted all the grip I could get and if I get sloppy with the glue, I'll have the masking tape already applied to the outer edge of the outwale) On the other surface of this strip of wood, there are at least two triangular shaped pieces of wood attached to the strip, with the point of the triangle facing midship. Then you take two of these jigs, each comprised of a strip of wood with sand paper (OK, I give! Masking Tape it is) on one side and the "Dragons Teeth" on the other side and place them on opposite sides of the canoe. The clamps hold fast onto the "Dragons Teeth", Right? The angle of the "Tooth" depends the accute angle of the end of the canoe, Right?

So the clamping order would be DT jig/outwale/hull/iinwale/deck/inwale/hull/outwale/DT jig, Right?

OOPS! where did your deck go?

Anyone even more confused now?

We need a picture on isle four!

Jim Dodd · Post by **Jim Dodd** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 7:19 am

I'm really sorry for all of this!!.. You have the jig or Dragon's teeth on OK. NO sand paper, as the jig is held in place with a clamp... Now with two wedges on the strips, you need three clamps, one to hold the jig to the hull, and two to span across the deck!... I know! More confusion!!.. As for the order from the inside out, inwhale,hull,outwhale, jig. Then the clamp is holding this all together. GOOD LUCK!!!..

Erik, Belgium · Post by **Erik, Belgium** » Sat Jun 19, 2004 3:04 pm

hi Jim,
I thought you e-mailed me a picture of the dragon teeth before, but I can't find it.
If you send me a picture on my e-mailaddress (you've got that one right ?), I 'll post it on this message board via my website.
Happy building,
Erik

Jim D · Post by **Jim D** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 8:44 pm

Sorry Eric, my scanner isn't working or I would... Thanks for the offer!!!

Dean in Eureka, CA · Post by **Dean in Eureka, CA** » Sun Jun 20, 2004 11:46 pm

Hey Guys,
Don't let this thread die, until we get a picture of those elusive dragons teeth, OK?

jcolten · Post by **jcolten** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:46 am

Jim D,

I'm having a dickens of a time visualling these things .... if have some hardcopy photos that you'd be willing to mail me I'll scan them, post them and return them

John in WI · Post by **John in WI** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 12:08 am

If I understand correctly, they would look something like this:

Code: Select all

            _    _
         _/ /    \ \_
        |  /      \  |
       _/ /        \ \_
      |  /          \  |
     _/ /            \ \_
    |  /              \  |
    / /                \ \
   / /                  \ \
  / /                    \ \
 / /                      \ \
/ /                        \ \

(Ok, maybe if you squint and hold your head at the right angle....)

- John

jcolten · Post by **jcolten** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 12:53 pm

that explains it very well .... thanks

my mind's eye was seeing it with the teeth pointing inward .... duh!

Juneaudave · Post by **Juneaudave** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 11:39 pm

You guys are killing me with these "Dragons Teeth" :D

Jim D · Post by **Jim D** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 6:21 am

Sorry everybody,I've been on vacation,cleaning up Iowa rivers,had a great time,worked with great people!!.. Now back to the dragons teeth, John, you have it!!.. It's not a real good illustration, but it works!!!.. I will photo my teeth, properly clamped in place, and send to J Colten!.. This is truly a slick jig once you understand the machanics!!!... Jim