STICKING TO THE JOB

Although I shall be using epoxy later, as directed by the Selway Fisher plans, I'm also given the choice of another type of glue that will make planking a bit easier task. 

   It seems that epoxy - of which I know nothing, yet - can be a bit messy and is a heck of a job to clean up. The use of Balcotan 100 is recommended for the planking, however, this has been replaced by Collano Semparo 60. A take over from another company occurred and they re-branded.

I'm told this is more economical and not so messy, which is good as I'm a 'sticky-failure'. I have used it on the hog lamination and the stem. I thought this a good place to start rather than leave it to the planking stage.

Certainly it seems easy to use - the usual health precautions are necessary - and although there is no smell at all to disturb family and neighbours, do not inhale vapours (if you Americans can ignore the 'u' in words like 'colour' and 'vapour' it may help you decipher my ramblings).

The 60 in the glue's name means you have 60 minutes before it sets ... no panic there then! I found it easy to apply, and didn't think I had spread it too thickly, but, here are two points:

   1. The glue swells on curing which is excellent for filling any gaps.

    2. A little goes a long way: when I left the glue to cure, there was little to no overspill. The odd bit I wiped off with a cloth. The next morning showed me how much it oozed out when under pressure.

This isn't a problem as it's out in the open where I can sand it off, but I really don't want it all over the planking though; neither do I want too little.

Another problem with glue overspill is sticking the piece of work to the moulds. Don't forget this stuff really sticks, the joint becomes stronger than the wood it's made from. To get over this I put masking tape over contact edges (below)

Sarah, at Robbins Timbers, said they would take back any glue I don't use, which is just as well as I've bought enough for a fleet of boats.

I continue with the unending task of beveling the edges of the moulds.

This includes bevelling the edge of the transom and stem to take the lie of the planks.

I plane out notches at intervals of six inches and will then join all the notches into one bevelled edge. I use the block plane on the stem, but I find a spokeshave works better on the particle (Sterling Board) board and plywood transom.