triming the sheer strip

Jim in Texas · Post by **Jim in Texas** » Fri Nov 19, 2004 8:29 pm

I am now stripping my huron cruiser and I am ready to start filling the sheer line in at the bow and stern ,canoe craft says to use a sharp chisel to trim the sheer line .Is this how everyone else is doing it or is there a better way ?And does everyone use a short strip as a baton to mark the sheer were it needs to be cut?Thanks for anyone's help on this

Glen Smith · Post by **Glen Smith** » Fri Nov 19, 2004 9:45 pm

Hi Jim, I use a long, thin flexible batten to mark the sheerline. I use a "box cutter" knife (retractable blade) to cut the sheerline a hair wide of the line. The final sheerline is planed/sanded after installing either the inwales or outwales (depends which you choose to install first).
I am sure there are other good methods also.

reinbilt · Post by **reinbilt** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 8:50 am

Jim, Like Glen I also use a utility knife to cut my sheer. Don't try to do it in one pass. Go over the line 4 or 5 times. On another forum someone suggested using what I think is a fairly new tool on the market that has a small spinning bit in it. This tool is used by drywallers I think to cut out openings for switches and recepticals.

Mike in B.C. · Post by **Mike in B.C.** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 12:07 pm

I had good results using a dozuki saw to trim the shear. This, of course, assumes you have one available, but it is very easy to control the cut by sawing at a low angle along the trim line (with the teeth nearly parallel to the surface being cut). if you cut the entire shear in one pass without breaking off any chunks, the waste piece ends up giving you a perfect stencil for tracing out a steam-bending form for your gunwales later on (if you require one).

Enjoy...