October 12, 2009

Build a Dinghy: Part 18

To put the guardrails--rubrails, guards, pick your term--I had to soak them in water for a few days. I used a piece of gutter to do this, blocking the ends and filling with water. Then I weighted the wood to keep it submerged.
When I tried dry fitting them, they crackled alot at the transom, where in addition to a good bend, the rails also have to twist to follow the sheerline. Soaking them made them pliable. I then clamped them in place, then let them dry for three days, removed them, applied glue and put them back. This is every boat builders favorite shot: every clamp in the house (almost--49 clamps; I own 58!).
Youc can see in the top pic how the rails over hang the transom. After teh glue dried, I cut them flush using my Japanese flush cut saw. Using the boat to make cuts that way ensures a perfect fit every time.

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