Disclaimer: This is the English avatar (not exactly a translation, though close) of a Spanish-language blog. I am not a native English speaker, so I would ask readers to bear kindly with this attempt (possibly too bold) and the mistakes it will entail and to accept the apologies for them I offer in advance here.




domingo, 15 de marzo de 2009

Edge Split


It's in my character to worry about stuff that can go wrong when trying to build something (and I understand that the first qajaq build has done just that to guys tougher than yours truly). Every now and then, I breathe deep and repeat the Construction Mantra "Keep building and it may not be a problem after all". Kind of works a reasonable number of times, but not with the problem shown in the picture. That one has me worried for real.

It's, I guess, what you call "edge split" or "grain runout" or some other technicality, wood fibers separating along the grain direction at the piece's edge (outer upper edge of the right gunwale in this case) or something like that. In any case, I understand it weakens the piece, it unfailingly drives splinters in my hands whenever I lower my guard and it's mighty ugly. I also believe it happens in a bad location, the central part of the boat, where the gunwales will bend the most and where shaping them is not going to take away any more wood from the upper edge.

I am wondering how to deal with it. I am considering liberally pouring epoxy thickened with sawdust or Titebond III in the cracks, then apply some/a bit of pressure and see what happens. Of course, I worry about what that will do to the gunwales flexibility...

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