Hi,

I'm a newbie to boatbuilding and I want to build a dinghy for a start.
I have stiched together the first two sheets and now I want to put
fillet to glue them together. The thing I'm not sure about is if it is
important that the stitches don't get covered by the fillet.

Or should the stiches get fully covered with the fillet? What is best?
I have researched a lot but have not managed to get a clear indication.

Thanks a lot for your help,
Markus

wrote:
Hi,

I'm a newbie to boatbuilding and I want to build a dinghy for a
start. I have stiched together the first two sheets and now I want
to put fillet to glue them together. The thing I'm not sure about
is if it is important that the stitches don't get covered by the
fillet.

Or should the stiches get fully covered with the fillet? What is
best? I have researched a lot but have not managed to get a clear
indication.

Assuming the stitches are close to the edges as they should be, cover
them up. But you'll want to stitch together *all* pieces of the
hull - not just two - before filleting.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On 1 Oct 2006 05:41:51 -0700, wrote:

Hi,

I'm a newbie to boatbuilding and I want to build a dinghy for a start.
I have stiched together the first two sheets and now I want to put
fillet to glue them together. The thing I'm not sure about is if it is
important that the stitches don't get covered by the fillet.

Or should the stiches get fully covered with the fillet? What is best?
I have researched a lot but have not managed to get a clear indication.

Thanks a lot for your help,
Markus

Construction details vary: when I designed and built a pram dinghy,
from dim recollections of how the RAF SAR crew built one outside the
boathouse at RAF Gibraltar long before, I had cut cardboard chines for
an inch per foot model to get the panels looking half way sensible,
then from drilled holes, stitched the scaled up chines with copper
wire. I taped the outside seam with glass, then clipped the twist off
the stitches on the inside and taped that too.

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

wrote:
Hi,

I'm a newbie to boatbuilding and I want to build a dinghy for a start.
I have stiched together the first two sheets and now I want to put
fillet to glue them together. The thing I'm not sure about is if it is
important that the stitches don't get covered by the fillet.

Or should the stiches get fully covered with the fillet? What is best?
I have researched a lot but have not managed to get a clear indication.

Thanks a lot for your help,
Markus

Usually the stitches are close enough to the edge to make covering them
necessary. On the other hand, in a very pointy bow, you might find that
covering the stitches would require a bigger fillet than you want to
make. Generally, covering the stitches is a good plan, as then you can
put the cloth tape down into the still-wet fillet and wind up with a
stronger joint.

Patrick

I built my first stitch-and-blue driftboat in appox 1983,
after reading a Dynamite Payson article in Wooden boat
magazine. I've built quite a few since.

I used to slobber epoxy putty all along the joining edges
and then pull my wires tight, and then use a soldering
gun to heat the wires (24 hours later) so I could pull
the wires out prior to making fillets.

Stitch and glue usually means your're trying to glue
flat plywood panels together, prior to fiberglassing
everything together in a more permanent step.

I guess it all depends on your building method.
If you build any vaguely dory-shaped boat
around temporary trapezoid-shaped ribs,
then you don't need to stitch at all. Just slobber
the side-panel/bottom-panel chine edge with epoxy
putty and then put the bottom panel on, and weight it down
with car batteries, boxes of clamps, 5 gallon cans
of drywall mud, what ever you have. I don't stitch
nuthin no mo meself. The final fiberglassing steps
are what makes it strong.

If you are determined to stich, use nylon strap ties
and bigger holes.
They're generally easier to pull out.
And it all ends up buried under a bunch of
fiberglass anyway.

Markus,

The two most prevalent 'theories' are based on Metal WIRE. Which 'side' you
use should really consider the MATERIAL of the wire. When first used, the
typical stuff was steel 'bailing wire', or some such. There were probably
any number of people who had RUST problems INSIDE the fillets, after the
boat was complete . . . hence the 'remove' school and the 'car battery
heating' technique. Someone came up with the brilliant idea to use COPPER
wire . . . no rust possible {maybe some green oxidation residue ??} so why
not leave it in ?? However, no one bothered to mention this to the 'battery
boys' so the technique is used on ALL metal wire.

Personally, 99 percent of the time I don't use wire. For the rare occasion I
have a problem making a portion of a seam 'fair' . . . I use 0.041 SS Safety
Wire. I have never had any problem just pulling it out 24-hours later. From
an engineering and 'chemical' standpoint, I'm with the most recent 'group'.
'They' recommend the use of 'Nylon Ties'.{In fact, I've gotten a few
packets - at a VERY steep discount - to have in my supplies inventory}. A
rather simple thermoplastic material {the cheap ones probably not even
Nylon}, that can be 'adjustable' {with some 'tinkering'}for tightening &
loosening. Available in a wide range of sizes & colors. No rust, no
corrosion, no 'meathooks', compatible with the epoxy matrix, and sandable.

Regards & Good Luck,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop

PS - The 'inside' or 'outside' question ?? If you are going to sheath with
glass/epoxy . . a moot point. Do WHATEVER you must to get a FAIR seam/curve.
Even if it is a mix of 'positions' due to tensions, etc. Easily filled in
when fairing & sanding the hull . . and invisible when sheathed . . even if
'clear coated'.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi,

I'm a newbie to boatbuilding and I want to build a dinghy for a start.
I have stiched together the first two sheets and now I want to put
fillet to glue them together. The thing I'm not sure about is if it is
important that the stitches don't get covered by the fillet.

Or should the stiches get fully covered with the fillet? What is best?
I have researched a lot but have not managed to get a clear indication.

Thanks a lot for your help,
Markus