joining cedar strips

When building a Shearwater Hybred or like deck, some of the strips must be glue joined (ene-to-end).  What is the "best" joint strategy for construction ease, strength and durability?


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RE: joining cedar strips

Butt joining strips has close to no strength, but it may not matter, since much of the strength in a strip deck is in the cove and bead joints (the sides of a strip) and even more in the fiberglass that you will use to cover both sides. From an enginnering standpoint the strips, in a sense are there to take up space and hold the two layers of fiberglass apart and so create a truss and so make the surface more rigid.

Having said that, when I was building one of Nick Schade's doubles (25 feet long) I made a carriage that ran in the miter slot of my bandsaw that enabled me to cut 8 or 10 to 1 joints in the strips which I glued up as I was putting the strips on. I'm not sure it made a difference, but it did make me feel better.

RE: joining cedar strips

I used my chop saw and used a 30 degree angle, to give more surface area for the glue. As said previously, the fiberglass is the real strength.I tried pregluing the shear strips,at full length,on the bench, and had little luck with the joints holding. I just butted them together with that 30 degree and glued them in place. Clamps are your friend ! I was skeptical about the strength of the boat, until I glassed it. It is much stronger than I expected.

RE: joining cedar strips

I've scaffed strips both ways and both work. One gives you a short vertical line finish and the other gives you a longer oblique line say at 8:1. I cut them with a bandsaw and finish with a block plane, or belt sander held on its side.

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