puzzle joints

Builder's Forum
1

I'm just starting my Peeler Skiff build and have a question or two on the puzzle joints. I have the 2nd side and transom left of the major glue ups. Some are better than others. I have been doing a dry run on top of plastic and they fit perfect. Then I butter up both puzzles with sauce like epoxy mix, connect, lay a piece of plastic on the joint with a board. Then I tap hard with a mallet and then pile on close to a 100 lbs of weight for a 24" joint. Then I tap again on top of the weights. My work table is 1/2" ac plywood over 2x4's on 24" centers. I'm leaving them 24 hours at 68-70 degrees. Some are pretty flush and some have a little stair stepping as John Harris describes.

Is this good enough. With alittle sanding and alittle filling, the joint will become pretty smooth.  New at this, thanks, Ken.

2

Sounds like you are doing everything correctly Ken.  My Peeler was the first time I used Puzzle Joints and my results sound the same as yours. Sanding the cured joints will get rid of some of the uneveness but you will quickly sand through the thin outer layer of the plywood if you try to correct a large stair step. I did this on several of my joints - fortunately ones on the outside of the hull where I was going to paint anyway. I just left the interior ones a bit proud after easy sanding and somehow they came out ok after the interior fiberglassing was comlete. I think I will try "peel ply" on my next build - a modified Skerry - over the interior (bright) side puzzle joints. Sombody tell me if this isn't a good idea. I had the most trouble with the puzzle joints when assembling the reat seat panels which make up to be very wide and floppy until epoxied together.

http://www.clcboats.com/shoptips/epoxy_and_fiberglass/peel-ply-release-fabric.html

Good luck with your build, glad you have started. Peelers are great skiffs.

3

Thanks Robert. I'll check them over closely,, since the 2 sides are mirror images of each other, I'll use the best match for the inside where it will be clear finished. My outside will be painted also like yours.

Question: The manual is not clear on this,,,,,, once I'm sure the seats are going to fit, are their puzzle joints glued up on the work bench or in position in the boat?? If glued up out of the boat, the entire seating assembly would go in as a unit when the glue is dry.  Please comment.

How is the outboard working out for you? Is the 15 a good fit for the Peeler? John Harris had commented that some owners thought it might be too much. I would think the reserve power would be nice in certain situations. Thanks in advance, I appreciate your input.  Ken

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Ken:  I built my Peeler over the winter and got it in the water in June.

Try not to fixate on all the mistakes.... I sure made plenty.  If the puzzle joints are not exactly flush, sand down a little, but, don't go through the plywood layer.  I suggest practicing on a scrap piece so you know how much sanding you can get away with.  Then, apply some pure epoxy (no filler) to smooth it over a little.  By the time you put layers of epoxy and fiberglass over the hull, you won't notice anything.

SEATS:  The first, second, third, fourth time fitting them, they not sit down on the bulkheads and tank sides without my inclination of forcing them to bow out the sides (not a good idea).  The most important thing is to keep on planning off the side edges so they lay flat onto the bulkheads and tank sides.  Otherwise, when you glue (peanut butter) the tops and lay down the seats, you might not get a good seal underneath....of course this is a problem because it won't be water-tight.  Remember, once the seats are glued down, you can't go back underneath to fix it.

I think you had a question on whether you puzzle piece the entire seats together first before you install them?  YES.  But, as I mentioned, you'll go through this happy dance in dropping the assembled seats in, checking to see if there are any high spots on the bulkheads and/or tank sides (yes, there will be some), take it out, planning the seat side again, fitting again, planning some more, fitting again... and so on..... it really was a P.I.T.A.!

- Also, I suggest putting a layer of fiberglass on the seat tops BEFORE you install them.  It'll take out the flex when stepping on them.

INSTALLING BULKHEADS:  Try to get them exactly vertical even though the pre-drilled holes may not align correcting.  Also, it'll drive you nuts, but the tips of the bulkheads may not be flush with the top of the board sides.  Don't worry, you can saw the tips off later on AFTER you install the rails... no worries.

I'll check this forum in case you have any questions..... I made alot of mistakes but recovered and the boat turned out great!

SUE

5

For the puzzle joints on the outwales and seats I used clamps with some stiff solid wood scraps.  So i just glued them up on my saw horses, supporting the lengths and leaving the joints to be accessable to clamps.  They came out perfect.  For the large joints I used the weights on my build table and some came out better than others.  So, a light sanding and non thickened epoxy to fill gaps or steps will work fine.  If on the painted side you are not happy with the look, you can use faring compound to make them perfect.

on all of my puzzle joint builds none of the wide ones came out perfect.  They are much stronger than a scarf joint though, and even if you sand through a little of the edges of the plys it wont weaken much at all.  You could always lay up some 4 0z cloth on the inside seam that would be clear and you'll never think about it again.

I fit my seats first without glueing them up.  The fitting process took forever!!  they seem to be about an inch too wide overall.  So I kept taking a little off at a time.  It was much easier to remove and place back in three pieces and line up the joints close as all the adjusting is on the outsides.  Then when I had them almost perfect I glued them up and had a helper to do the final adjustments.  You want the whole unit to just drop in and sit on all bulkheads and supports without forcing any of it.  It is one of the longer processes of the build.  I didnt glass my seats, im not sure if it is necessary, the side ones are nicely supported with the tanks and fillets, I might put another stiffener on the center seat, that one seems a little flexy.  In retrospect, I would have doubled the cross support piece which will take out any of the flex.   

6

 

 

When I assembled my Peeler the manual and step-by-step directions had not been written so I thought long and hard on how best to assemble the rear seats. Laying the loose seat panels in their respective places the puzzle joints were considerably off  when lining up. I decided it would be easiest to assemble the seats on the bench (with some extra sawhorses for support of the wide parts). I glued only the puzzle joints laying over my assembly bench in stages until the completed seat was totally glued up. I next tried fitting it and realized that some adjustment would be required. Since I had no reference line for where the top of the seat should fall on the hull sides, I created one by laying a stick across the port and starboard seat fronts and extending it’s bottom edge line to the hull sides plus 9mm for the seat thickness. You now have a seat top line across the sides and transom to work toward. After many hours of careful filing of the frame slots and seat edges (I had to use my block plane to shave down the seat sides) It finally fit. The seat must lay absolutely flat across the seat fronts and sides before you fillet it in place. You can get quite annoyed lifting and replacing the seat panel in and out after a few hours (wearing out your helpers patience – you really need a helper to install the large seat). Slow and careful does the trimming and fitting.

 

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Thanks for the help, it does make a difference