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Make deck nails flush before glassing?
I was very careful not to bang my deck with the hammer when banging the beautiful nails down through the deck and into the sheer clamps. But because I was so careful, they're not flush and smooth the way I normally like nails to be in the non-boating world. Will the minor elevation disappear under glass and epoxy? Or should I carefully use a punch or something similar to bang them a bit flatter?
To be as clear as possible (mud?) I can drag my hand across the surface of the boat and not cut myself on them, so they're against the wood, but I can feel them.
2 replies:
RE: Make deck nails flush before glassing?
When I built my Chesapeake17lt I used a punch to set the nails slightly.
I think if you did leave the nail heads you whould be tearing a lot of sand paper trying to sand the deck smooth.
RE: Make deck nails flush before glassing?
» Submitted by George K - Sat, 7/10/10 » 6:33 PM
Bob (a saint, huh?),
It's possible to leave the nails the way they are and get a flush feeling deck by building up the epoxy on the nail line. It'll take a few fill coats but will feel smooth to the touch. A nail set is an option if you have one with a large head. If you want to use your hammer to get them a bit more flush, and you dent the deck slightly, that's not really a problem unless you put a visible crease around one that can't be lightly sanded or brought back up with a hot, damp towel. I've known some people to use a wet towel and an iron to raise the grain back up.
Hope this is a bit more clear than mud!
George K