Thread: creating large radius in ply joinery

Have a look for bendy ply. No it's not a joke.

It bends in rather tight radii and once epoxied sets in place. It was designed for that sort of thing.

cheers,

P

Do you mean you want to create a compound curve?

I think you can buy those corners from places like Caporn in Mona Vale. Probably others too. Won't be cheap.

Hmm - haven't tried it - but what about cutting some triangular pieces the length you need out of a 50mm rough sawn board thicknessed or jointed on one face (which will become the inside)

So you end up with two 45deg corner with the clean face between them and the rough sawn face represents a 90deg angle. However as the rough sawn face will be rounded anyhow you can have some width of the rough sawn face still visible on the 90deg corner. but can have some of the rough sawn face visible as it will need to be rounded anyhow.

Adjust the angles as necessary and rebate the 45deg angles to the ply thickness. Then you can round the face with a plane or router and adjust to match the ply with a plane or a sander.

MIK

On some of my chine designs, I use a "soft" chine treatment. I use two methods, one is molded in a single layer, much like Dudley Dix's method, which is pretty much just a molded chine. The other uses solid lumber bisecting each station mold at the chine, then another piece is glued to it. This "chine log" is pared down to form an easy radius after planking. With the added advantage of having the planking and chine log flush on the inside of the boat, so tape can just lie in place and moisture can't be trapped along the upper edge of the log.

Then of course is the "rabbited corner post" method, with is a standard cabinet building practice. A section of square stock is fitted in each corner, with laps to receive plywood faces. The corner stands proud and is rounded over, making a cabinet that's much easy on the hips if you get tossed into it during a slosh in foul weather.

The other problem is that the radius is quite large relative to the normal 50mm (2") or slightly smaller commercial timber sizes.

MIK

Originally Posted by PAR

Then of course is the "rabbited corner post" method, with is a standard cabinet building practice. A section of square stock is fitted in each corner, with laps to receive plywood faces. The corner stands proud and is rounded over, making a cabinet that's much easy on the hips if you get tossed into it during a slosh in foul weather.

Hi PAR,
I have often admired this type of joinery in fact couple of my boats have had it (not my work). However I don't recall seeing it on compound curves. Is this method used on premium builds I would imagine enormous patience and skill required.

Cheers Mike