Teak cockpit grate
 

I would like to add a teak cockpit grate to my Dana 24 and would like
suggestions, ideas, etc. on how to approach this. I see there are "kits" of
sort that allow one to assemble a grate as opposed to having a custom grate
made to fit. Any thoughts? Would appreciate advice on sources to explore.

Thanks

Jerry

"Gerald Atkin" writes:

I would like to add a teak cockpit grate to my Dana 24 and would like
suggestions, ideas, etc. on how to approach this. I see there are "kits"
of
sort that allow one to assemble a grate as opposed to having a custom
grate
made to fit. Any thoughts? Would appreciate advice on sources to explore.

If you have a table saw, it's a fun project.

Take a look at Fred Bingham's book, Practical Yacht Joinery,

He describes the process complete with sketches.

HTH

Lew

Like Lew said, if you have a table saw it is a very satisfying project.
Just a dado set, a simple finger joint jig and some careful mesurements.
The notches are cross cut half way through on wide boards and thin ripped
the exact width of the notch. It takes a lot of fiddling and trying with
scrap wood to get the setup right but once you are set up you can cut enough
strips for a fairly big grate in minutes. A dab of urethane glue in each
notch and tap them all together

The frame takes a bit more work but is not hard to do and you would have to
make it yourself anyway with a kit.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"Gerald Atkin" wrote in message
...
I would like to add a teak cockpit grate to my Dana 24 and would like
suggestions, ideas, etc. on how to approach this. I see there are "kits"
of
sort that allow one to assemble a grate as opposed to having a custom
grate
made to fit. Any thoughts? Would appreciate advice on sources to explore.

Thanks

Jerry

"Glenn Ashmore" writes:

Like Lew said, if you have a table saw it is a very satisfying project.
Just a dado set, a simple finger joint jig and some careful mesurements.
snip

Personally I'd use a sled and a cleat adjusted for the spacing.

Would make life a whole lot easier IMHO.

Lew

Lew,
What does "I'd use a sled and a cleat adjusted" mean?
Living in FL, you don't see many sleds, and I don't think one would fit in
my cockpit:)
MMC
"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Glenn Ashmore" writes:

Like Lew said, if you have a table saw it is a very satisfying project.
Just a dado set, a simple finger joint jig and some careful mesurements.
snip

Personally I'd use a sled and a cleat adjusted for the spacing.

Would make life a whole lot easier IMHO.

Lew

I cut my description a little to short. A sled is a jig made of a piece of
very stable plywood (I used Russian birch) with a 3 or 4" high fence set
very square mounted along the two ends. Guides fit in the table saw
tee-slots either side of the blade. Set it on the saw and cut through from
one end to the other leaving the top 2" or 3" of the fences connected. It
is a lot more stable than a miter fence.

The finger joint jig is just a piece of wood that you cut a dado across one
edge and glue a short finger in. The finger is about 2" long, exactly the
width of the dado and slightly thinner. You clamp it to the sled fence so
that it is exactly one dado width to the side of the blade. Set the blade
depth to exactly half the thickness of the teak. Lay the teak on the sled
butted against the finger and cut the first dado. Then move it over so that
the finger fits into the dado and cut the next one. The trick is to fiddle
with the position of the finger using scrap until you get the spacing
exactly the width of the dado and then don't move it until all the pieces
are cut.

I used a similar jig made up for a 1/4" dado to finger joint all my cabinet
drawers. I built the first 4 drawers with dovetails but figured that if I
want to finish the boat in this century I better use something simpler. :-)

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"MMC" wrote in message
...
Lew,
What does "I'd use a sled and a cleat adjusted" mean?
Living in FL, you don't see many sleds, and I don't think one would fit in
my cockpit:)
MMC
"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message
nk.net...

"Glenn Ashmore" writes:

Like Lew said, if you have a table saw it is a very satisfying project.
Just a dado set, a simple finger joint jig and some careful
mesurements.
snip

Personally I'd use a sled and a cleat adjusted for the spacing.

Would make life a whole lot easier IMHO.

Lew

Although they look very nautical, ours has turned out to be a PITA.
It is uncomfortable on bare feet (not an often occurrance but it does
happen) and they are a bear to strip and refinish. A slat floor looks
almost as nice and is easier to maintain.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Gerald Atkin" wrote in message
...
I would like to add a teak cockpit grate to my Dana 24 and would like
suggestions, ideas, etc. on how to approach this. I see there are "kits"
of
sort that allow one to assemble a grate as opposed to having a custom
grate
made to fit. Any thoughts? Would appreciate advice on sources to explore.

Thanks

Jerry

"MMC" writes:

Lew,
What does "I'd use a sled and a cleat adjusted" mean?

"Sled" AKA: Sliding Auxiliary Table (SLAT), is a woodworker's term used to
describe a table saw jig.

Go to library and take a look at Fred Bingham's book, Practical Yacht
Joinery.

Describes how to make a sled /w/ pictures as well as how to use it to make a
grate, again with pictures.

HTH,

Lew

.... and consider what happens when you dump the jar of peanuts. IMHO, they're
a large nuisance and i'd prefer teak planking.

Doug Dotson wrote:

Although they look very nautical, ours has turned out to be a PITA.
It is uncomfortable on bare feet (not an often occurrance but it does
happen) and they are a bear to strip and refinish. A slat floor looks
almost as nice and is easier to maintain.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Gerald Atkin" wrote in message
...
I would like to add a teak cockpit grate to my Dana 24 and would like
suggestions, ideas, etc. on how to approach this. I see there are "kits"
of
sort that allow one to assemble a grate as opposed to having a custom
grate
made to fit. Any thoughts? Would appreciate advice on sources to explore.

Thanks

Jerry

Peanuts, dog food, cat food, bottle caps, screws, washers, nuts. Quite a
collection of junk under there when I pull them up to clean them.
Unfortunately, mine need
to be stripped and refinished. ANy suggestions on how to strip them will be
appreciated.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Jim Conlin" wrote in message
...
... and consider what happens when you dump the jar of peanuts. IMHO,
they're
a large nuisance and i'd prefer teak planking.

Doug Dotson wrote:

Although they look very nautical, ours has turned out to be a PITA.
It is uncomfortable on bare feet (not an often occurrance but it does
happen) and they are a bear to strip and refinish. A slat floor looks
almost as nice and is easier to maintain.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Gerald Atkin" wrote in message
...
I would like to add a teak cockpit grate to my Dana 24 and would like
suggestions, ideas, etc. on how to approach this. I see there are
"kits"
of
sort that allow one to assemble a grate as opposed to having a custom
grate
made to fit. Any thoughts? Would appreciate advice on sources to
explore.

Thanks

Jerry