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Make 'em thicker
By:Paul Jacobson
Date: 10/6/1998, 8:48 pm
In Response To: Fairing deckbeams (Brian C.)

> Well, I finally have all the deckbeams done for my boat ( all 17 of them!)

No you don't. That's why you wrote.

> The trouble I have is that the curve is not the same on all of them, the
> amount of 'rebound' from the jig wasn't exacty predictable. So, I now have
> to fair them out. Since the curve was shallower the peak is not high
> enough even though the sides are flush with the shear clamp. I thought
> about using wedge shaped shims. They worked well when I had to shim out
> the stern, but that's another story.

> Thought? thanks in advance.

Shimming the basic idea, but instead of using wedge shaped, flat, shims. why not use thin strips ( 1/8 inch thick or thinner) to build up (add laminations to) the low deck beams. Any kind of glue will work here if you also secure the shim material with a few brads. Since the material you are adding is very thin and very flexible you should be able to hold it in place with only 2 C clamps while waiting for the glue to dry. Self-adhesive veneer would even work if the amount you need to add is rather small. Even if the adhesive eventually failed the wood would have no place to go, being trapped between deck and the rest of the deck beam.

I'd take a low deck beam, wrap another lamination on it, and then use a belt sander to remove the edges from that added strip, fairing the addition into the existing beam. The weight increase from adding 1/8 inch strips to ALL of your deck beams is going to be very little, and of course you don't have to do all of them -- just the low ones.

Paul Jacobson

Messages In This Thread

Fairing deckbeams
Brian C. -- 10/6/1998, 11:11 am
Re: Fairing deckbeams
jim champoux -- 10/7/1998, 10:03 am
or
Paul Jacobson -- 10/8/1998, 8:52 pm
Re: or
jim champoux -- 10/9/1998, 10:44 am
A description clearer than coffee
Paul Jacobson -- 10/10/1998, 8:43 pm
Make 'em thicker
Paul Jacobson -- 10/6/1998, 8:48 pm
Re: Make 'em thicker
Brian C. -- 10/8/1998, 11:15 am
Re: Fairing deckbeams
Don Beale -- 10/6/1998, 1:38 pm
Re: Fairing deckbeams
Mark Kanzler -- 10/6/1998, 11:45 am
Re: Fairing deckbeams
Jerry Weinraub -- 10/6/1998, 7:00 pm
Hum...steambending an epoxy laminated beam?
Brian C. -- 10/7/1998, 12:00 am
Re: Worth a try.
Mark Kanzler -- 10/7/1998, 12:04 am