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Re: Inner wall template cutting

PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 7:39 pm
by tony.latham
BTW, what are the dimensions of your hatch spars? Looks like they are a bit thicker than the rest based on the square you have cut.


I glue them up out of oak and they are close to 2"x2". Probably overkill.

T

Re: Inner wall template cutting

PostPosted: Thu Mar 23, 2017 9:43 pm
by kokomoto
tony.latham wrote:
BTW, what are the dimensions of your hatch spars? Looks like they are a bit thicker than the rest based on the square you have cut.


I glue them up out of oak and they are close to 2"x2". Probably overkill.

T


Sounds perfect. I'm no engineer, so I rely on overkill.

Re: Inner wall template cutting

PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 8:27 am
by noseoil
I used red oak (some hard wood) for the galley spars which will have screws in them. Have to pre-drill for all fasteners, but it's stronger & will hold up to the threads better.

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The larger piece has the "conduit" (springs) drilled through the face to feed the hatch for wiring (speakers, 3rd brake light, back-up lights, running light, etc).

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Re: Inner wall template cutting

PostPosted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 9:42 pm
by kokomoto
That spar looks plenty stout. I used white oak on the door frame for the same reason. That stuff if like iron. A bit pricey though. :NC

Re: Inner wall template cutting

PostPosted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 8:22 am
by noseoil
Oak is still a better choice when it comes to strength, durability & holding fasteners over extended time periods. A soft wood just won't hold as well. Poplar is considered a "hard" wood, what I used for most spars due to good strength & lightness, but it doesn't have the strength of oak for screws & general toughness. Our solar panel mounts & the hatch spars are both red oak.

White oak is even better, but I had access to red oak, so easier to use for me. With red oak, the pores are open & it's like a drinking straw with water, with white oak the pores are plugged, so it won't wick water as easily. Both are pretty good for higher strength in a spar.