puzzle joints don't quite fit

Hi,

Anyone ever have an issue with puzzle joints that don't fit?  This is my third CLC build and I've never had a problem before, I usually just clean the puzzle joints up with a bit of sanding to get the rough fibers off and they snap right together.  This is a Kaholo 14 deck, and one side of the rounded key-hole shape joint fits all across the joint (e.g., the left side of each rounded keyhole), but the other side (e.g., the right side of each rounded keyhole) is about 1-1.5 mm too wide so I can't get the joints to snap together.  I have never experienced anything like it, CLC kits always fit perfectly.  I thought for a while that I must be mistaken so I tried flipping one of the pieces over (in case it is an asymetrical puzzle joint which I've never seen before) but same problem.  I even walked away for a few hours (to try to mimize the unladylike words that I might have been saying at the time) but same thing when I tried again. 

I was hoping that my spokeshaves would fit inside the joint pieces to shave off the excess areas, but they are too big.  So I guess I'll be using 60-grit sandpaper.  My plan is to match up the pieces as best I can (one side of each rounded keyhole) and then use a very thin pencil point to mark the part that needs to be removed.  I'll try one first of course to see how this works.  Probably will not be the prettiest joint, but hopefully it will be mostly covered with the deck pad.

Any other ideas?  Am I missing something? 


6 replies:

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RE: puzzle joints don't quite fit

Kathy,

Before you do anything else, call the CLC support number (410-267-0137) and let them know what is happening. Even though the CNC process is a usually very accurate, it's still complex enough that glitches happen. What you're describing should not be occurring, and like you, I've never seen it happen before (and by my latest count I've bough some 30 feet of puzzle joints from CLC).

So before you start hacking at the wood, give CLC a chance to make it right.

Laszlo

 

RE: puzzle joints don't quite fit

See my other post about my puzzle joint problem. Not only are my puzzle joints pretty bad looking, the center seam in my Peeler bottom doesn't match up and left a 1/8"+ slot running fore and aft. I should have asked for a replacement. I called CLC and they said not to worry about just an 1/8". Now that it is glassed (inside of bottom) I not only have bad looking puzzles but a seam that isn't pretty at all. It's not consistent in color and looks like a botched up job. If I go with Sea Dek for the bottom, it will cover the puzzle but I'll have to paint the bottom prior to hide the center. I'm beginning to think a regular scarf or butt block joint may be better.      Any comments. Thanks.

RE: puzzle joints don't quite fit

klitz,

My first reaction is  - how about some pictures? Based on just your verbal descriptions it doesn't sound bad at all, but you obviously hate it. It also sounds like you've got 2 different issues going on. One is puzzle joints, the other is the centerline seam.

As far as the puzzle joints go, you sound as if you have a different issue than Kathy. Her joints just plain don't go together. The fingers and holes are different shapes. Yours sound as if they fit together fine and just ended up vertically misaligned. That's an assembly problem, not a manufacturing problem. I used 1/2" ply with puzzle joints cut by CLC for my 18' schooner. It took a bunch of work to get the joints to join flat - a couple if hundred pounds of carefully distributed weight, some shims, etc. and even so I had a minor stairstep. But it was not a CLC issue, it was me not being able to control the wood sitting level.

But, now that you have it glued, you have to work with what you've got. My suggestion is that since it's the same prep work for paint and varnish right up to the point where you put on the primer or varnish, just press on for now and don't worry about it. Then, just before  decision time, invite some friends over and just happen to let them see the boat. Tell them you want to paint it, but that the wood looks so nice maybe you want to varnish it and you can't make up your mind. Their reactions will tell you how good your puzzle joints really look.

Good luck,

Laszlo

 

 

RE: puzzle joints don't quite fit

I appreciate your input. My puzzles fit well,,, it was the guy gluing them that didn't insist on a perfect level fit. This was my very first attempt in 72 years at a project like this. My Peeler bottom puzzle joint is as smooth as silk after unthickened epoxy and sanding. The problem is, I went through the surface veneer and produced a dark layer.

The other center seam issue, is a case where the epoxy filled the void but some cured on the surface and some leaked. So, I had to add some more later and I have different colors of cured epoxy. It is all very smooth and once painted, should all look uniform.

I think I will paint it and take care of the cosmetic issues. I wish the manual made a big note that the puzzles have to be flat. I had alot ot weight on the joint but maybe a board screwed down over the joint would have been better.

I'll see if I can get some photos posted.  It will all work! Thanks, Ken.

RE: puzzle joints don't quite fit

Kathy, I would give CLC a call, the joints sound off a bit too much, maybe they can ship you new ones.  If not, I recall mine were a bit off too, I spent a few hours sanding them to fit, I did two boats at the same time and they were both off.  It took some work, everything was fine though, nice tight fit.  Even if you over sand they will be fine, there is enough glass on the joints so they will be super strong.

Klitz - dont worry about the seam fore and aft.  1/8 inch is fine, and that is the glue which is stronger than the wood!  When that is all you are looking at, it stands out a little.  Once everything is in, you wont even remember that!  Also the color difference just makes it show that it is natural wood, again, with seats in, it will actually look nice!  Keep in mind the difference in color with thickened and straight epoxy when you are filling voids etc.  if I did another Peeler, I might glue the two bottom panels together first before adding the doubler.  this way you are positive of a tight and level fit.  But, after you have several layers of glass on bottom and deck, it doesnt really matter.  When I screwed my doubler in, it lifted the panels up on one side, so there is an 1/8 inch ridge about 3 feet long in front of the middle seat.  I couldnt see it until I turned the bottom over.  I stressed over that for a few weeks!  LOL!  just remembered it!  No big deal now.

RE: puzzle joints don't quite fit

I just had this problem with the long puzzle joint that joins the two forward halves of the bottom panel to the stern section of the bottom panel on a Kaholo 12. The joints were slightly misaligned so that the outside tab on both sides overlapped about 3/32". Enough so that trying to hammer them down would crush and damage the edge of the joint a little and then the sheets would not lie flat, but have a slight buckle. I talked to CLC about it and decided to just take some 80 grit paper and reshape the outer joint using the slightly crushed edge as a guide (!) :) Came out ok, but I think that amount of misalignment is a bit disconcerting. Everything else fit very well, but I also had a very long shallow bite taken out of the bottom of my starboard side-panel by some sort of cutter error. It was subtle and I didn't notice it until after the panel was fully assembled, cleaned up and I was planing the edge of the sheer clamp. Sent some pics to CLC and they are replacing the panel and sheer clamps. But this will cost me a couple days gluing up new puzzle joints, sheer clamp scarfs, gluing the sheer clamps and planing. Wish I had noticed it earlier :/

So I'm going to be taking a very close look at the rest of the pieces :) Mostly bulkheads, transom and internal stringers.My eyesight aint what it used to be tho...

And despite some setbacks, as always, CLC is a great company to work with....

--

eric

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