The best size for staples is none; don't put them in so you don't need to pull them out and have to patch those thousands of holes. Make a half-inch plywood sheet a little bigger than the boat sides. Put the 3/32-plywood flat on the table and an inch larger than needed. Lay the 'ladder' on the 3/32 plywood and mark where all the 5/8 sticks will be. Apply epoxy to the marked areas and to the 5/8 spruce 'ladder'. Put the 'ladder' back on the 3/32-plywood. Nail a few small blocks at the ends of the ladder and through the 3/32 to keep things from squirming around. Be sure to put plastic sheet or wax paper under the wood blocks so they won't stick to the 'ladder'. Put a sheet of plastic over the 'ladder' followed by the half-inch plywood. Pile cinder blocks, bricks, sand bags, water jugs or what have you to press down tight; about 800 pounds total of cinder blocks worked great for me. Let cure a day or two, then remove the weights and trim the 3/32 plywood with a router. That's one boat side. When you do the other side, do remember: You want one left side and one right side. (Yeah, been there, done that.) For the bottom skin, assemble the boat sides, firewall frame and cross-members with epoxy per the plans. Trim the longerons flat with the cross-member per the plans. Before putting the skin on, brace the 5/8's cross-members with 2X4's to support the weights you will be piling on top. Be sure to put a sheet of plastic between the 5/8 spruce and the bracing. Epoxy will drool down and could easily attach your boat to the bracing. Clamps at the fire wall end will keep the 3/32-plywood from squirming around. Put 4-inch wide strips of 1/2 inch plywood on top of the 3/32- plywood at each of the cross-members, then add weights. Do not put weights on the unsupported 3/32-plywood. You can use the same technique for the spars also.
Sid Wood, KR-2 N6242 Mechanicsville, MD [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Stowers Sent: Monday, March 29, 2004 9:42 PM To: krnet Subject: KR> Staple Size What is the best size staples to use to skin the boat? Jerry Stowers Duncan, Ok. www.angelfire.com/ok5/kr2s [email protected] _______________________________________ to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to [email protected] please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
