Hi jasperson,
Quote:
here are my questions:
– what drill bit makes the cleanest cut: spade or hole?
– from searches here on Swaylocks, I gather I want to make the hole for the inserts as tight fitting as possible, correct?
– the advice I’ve read here concerning epoxy and leash plugs is not always consistent. do I want to fill the hole a little, let things set up, then push in the plug, then try to stuff some more epoxy around it? or would it be enuf to fill the hole maybe 1/3 or a bit more, shove the plug in so the epoxy squishes out, clean that up and call it a day?
– what kind of epoxy should i use? i’ve seen recommendations for the every day 5-minute stuff. will that work okay?
– any other tips you might share so i can make the job look as good as possible given various limitations of skill and even common sense, most days?
Let’s see - in order;
A spade or paddle bit- well, once you get into the glass, it may start to chatter some, and that can get very ugly. Very fast. oval holes going in directions you don’t want. Please be kind and don’t ask how I found that out.
A hole saw will do a nice job, although you want to be careful that the pilot drill isn’t set too far beyond the saw teeth. The problems with that are kinda obvious, but you’d be surprised how often somebody forgets it.
Also, tape around the body of the hole saw, so you have the depth gauged and don’t go too far. Please don’t ask, etc.
But that just cuts you a cylinder, that you need to pop out of the hole somehow, a situation that can also have its problems. So, what I’d suggest is what’s called a Forstner bit (http://swaylocks.com/swaylopedia/index.cgi?Forstner_Bit ) which is made for drilling flat bottomed holes in wood. If you can find one with a bit of a sawtooth edge along the bottom, that’s ideal.
If the plug is kinda small diameter, say under 3/4" diameter, and as I recall some of the windsurfer foot strap mounting plugs are that sort of size, then a brad point woodworker’s bit is nice. Better yet, you can get them cheap, and you can get stop collars for 'em to get the depth of the hole just right. Your better quality woodworkers stores will have 'em.
How big a bit? Well, as Uncle D says, you want a few layers of cloth in there too, resin alone won’t do an especially good job, particularly if you are using the handles as handles. You’ll pop 'em out the first time the wind catches it.
So, maybe 1/8" to 3/16" larger than the diameter of the plug itself is gonna be good. Same goes for how deep to make the hole, though you want it to stand a little proud of the deck, so you can sand it flat. Setting it deeper than the deck is inviting problems with resin leaking into the plug, etc.
Now, as you’re using cloth in there, you have to do it all in one shot, you can’t put in a little and then do the rest, it’ll really mess with the cloth. Oh, and what I’d do is use a syatem like you’d use when replacing an FCS plug- tape down the cloth over the hole, cut an X in the cloth with a razor blade over the hole, wet out the cloth and pour some in the hole, stick the plug in and let it dry, with the pug just flush or a skosh high. Sand and hotcoat/gloss. Use clear resin if you’re doing it this way, or you can have a shot at pigmenting it if you’re feeling brave.
What kind of epoxy? Like Uncle D said, the RR or Fiberglass Hawaii will work fine, or the System Three or the RAKA. Or the stuff your friendly neighborhood surf shop sells as an epoxy ding kit. The five minute stuff though, or most of the hardware store flavors - well, some are not recommended for use around wet condidtions and I found out ( the hard way, of course) that the five minute flavor tends to turn a cat-urine-yellow in the sun after a while. Which probably isn’t an effect you want.
Quote:
any other tips you might share so i can make the job look as good as possible given various limitations of skill and even common sense, most days?
Uhmmmm- take it slow and careful. Screwups are forever, and even if it’s gonna be under a pad, you’ll know it’s there.
Tape the top of the plugs carefully so that resin doesn’t get in while you’re installing 'em.
The screws you use to hold the straps on? Put a little wax on the threads before you screw 'em in: the stainless screw threads and the brass or stainless inserts or even plain plastic in a threaded plug can gall together and make it misery to get out someday if you don’t.
Make a jig or pattern working from the centerline/stringer to locate your holes. That way, they will be symmetrical. They may be in the wrong place, but they’ll at least be symmetrical. 1/4" plywood and double-stick tape are a good way to go.
Hope that’s of use
doc…
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