While I´m waiting for my ordered my brass countersink bolds, I´m thinking about the "How to" installing the seats in the best manner. A boatbuilder from Bavaria told me, that he always countersunk the carriage bolts. He stzressed, that it is important to make a perfect right angle drill, even when the inner gunnels are angular, like on the Freedom 17. I took a look on my Mad river Canoe Duck Hunter 16" and found, that they drilled in a right angle trough the gunnels and it looks like they have bend the carriage bolts directly under the bolt head, so that the bolt heads are lying flat on the surface of the inner gunnels. What would you prefere to do?
I found somewhere in the net (didn`t know exacly where), that it is easy to drill the right holes in the right angle, if you clamp the seat on top of the the gunnels in the perfect right position, and than drill trough both seats and gunnels. Is it a good idea to make it this way?
Just added a coat of epoxy on the gunnels and decks today to seal them against moisture - looks great, exept for two areas of the inner gunnel which shows some dark areas (ash) , which became visible after putting the epoxy on - these spots wasn`t visible while sanding and not when cleaning the gunnels finally with laque thinner :rolling eyes - that´s wood -as my neighbor says... But all in all I´m quiet satisfied so far.
Have a nice evening - here in Germany the spring started these days and I could work today an yesterday in the garden at temperatures between 15 - 20° C - nice feeling to work in a t-shirt after the long winter in the garage :big grin
Bye
Chris
What about countersink carriage bolts
What about countersink carriage bolts
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www.natur-im-sucher.com
www.natur-im-sucher.com
- Glen Smith
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
- Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada
It is best to drill the holes vertically plumb, not at an angle. I haven't heard of the method you mention with the seats on top of the gunwales, but I think it should work. I drill a counterbore hole so that the carriage bolt heads don't stick up above the wood. Apply epoxy to these holes for protection.
Yes, that's wood! It might require more than one coat of epoxy to saturate the grain in some areas.
We won't have t-shirt weather here for at least another 6 weeks!
Yes, that's wood! It might require more than one coat of epoxy to saturate the grain in some areas.
We won't have t-shirt weather here for at least another 6 weeks!
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- Posts: 35
- Joined: Thu Oct 21, 2004 4:32 pm
- Location: Rochester, NY
You could probably use the holes in the seats as a 'jig' to drill the holes in the gunwales. You could also drill a hole through a block of wood, then cut the corresponding angle to your gunwales off the bottom of the block. Then you can use the block as a drill guide rather than the holes in the seat. Depending on how thick your seat stock is, you may need a pretty long bit to get through both the gunwale and the seat and any intervening 'air space'.