Making my first board. Taking pictures as a I go and will have a website developed on my process later this summer.
Question. I’ve seen some folks use 1/4 inch slats and other say 1/8 inch. I’m using red wood top and bottom. My ribs are placed every six inches and the the 1/8 seems like it might do, but there is some flex. It pretty much like 1/8 means more layers of cloth and 1/4 means less? Thanks for taking time to answer.
These applications down below have seriously contributed to my building process!
So what if I’m reading your message correctly…It sounds like I could use 1/4 slats then apply epoxy resin without fiberglass cloth. Or use 1/8 inch slats and gain the strength of the fiberglass cloth.
Thanks, it’s my first board and I’ve been wondering about the strength of the fiberglass/epoxy resin.
Thats looking really good so far. I take it you’ve been around Tree to Sea forum? Jedail’s hollow board template maker programe is excellent, though I’ve not got aropund to using it for a real board yet.
I’d agree with Afoaf with the 1/4" being sufficient without glass, but What are you planning to do for the rails, cove and bead (Rich Blundell style) or cork and ply (Paul Jensen Style)? Your choice there might influence whether you want to add glass (and go thinner on the planking). I’ve never done the cove and bead thing but get the feeling that there is probably more strength and resistance to damage in the cork and ply method.
Do keep posting your progress, I love watching wood boards come to life.
I would start with 1/4 inch. After shaping and sanding, you will have a lot less than 1/4 inch left in many places. On the bottom, part of the plank thickness provides the “meat” to carve your rails from.
I think you’ve made a good point there. Really appreciate all the good input. I’ll put together a website that will hopefully detail the process later this summer.
I agree, 1/4 is much safer for your first time. I sanded at least an 1/8 of of an inch off many places on the board (near the nose and tail, and near the rails)
I think most of the top middle of the board could safely be 1/8, because it requires very little sanding. Maybe the bottom middle could safely be 1/8 depending on what you want to do with your bottom contours, and if you already have most of the bottom contours built in to the hangers or not.
The nose and tail areas get a lot of meat taken out, more than you think. Keep in mind if you will be working with a spokeshave and block plane you will be capable of taking out a very thick shaving which is good for saving you time, but you have to make sure to get the tool down to a much finer setting when you start to get to the shape you want. Heck, a block plane can take anywhere from .001 shaving upwards of 1/16 of an inch at a time.
Also, when you are gluing your top and bottom planks to the frame, they go through a pretty strenuous compound curve. You can hear the wood crack, and adjust to the shape when you pull them in, especially on the top. I wouldn’t want to risk a crack in the planks. I have seen 1/4 planks crack a couple of times, so 1/8 could be that much worse. Also, red wood is much more brittle than say, white cedar, so you may want to use some hot steamy towels on the planks before you glue them on.
