Pine for Hatch Boards?

[Rich (P303)]

If you don't want to go nautical...how about poplar? It is that whitish greenish lumber. Comes in a 1 x12. It is a hardwood. Readily available. You can stain it... then put on a half a dozen coats of varnish. Or paint it with a good marine urethane.

White pine will check. It is soft and will dent.

 

[Hermit Scott]

Old Teak

My boat had a sacrifical cloth covering over the teak boards for the hatch. The boat sat for at least 5 years maybe more. The boards have a little weathering but could easily be restored. It has a sand pouch in the bottom to keep it from flapping in the wind too much. However it does not look as good as having just wood.
Ross, or someone with wood expertise, Most of the teak was removed from my boat and stored inside for the long period it sat with out being used. So it all looks really good. I want to mount it back on but first I want to cover it in a really good coating. I do not want a glossy look though. I know a glossy look would probably last the longest, but what would last the longest that is not glossy. I'd like it to look just stained.

 

[Ross]

Re: Old Teak

Hermit I don't own any teak but Cetol seems to get the most votes here.

 

[bonaroo5698]

i made mine out of 1/2" plexi. worked out nicely. i got smoked grey tinted plastic. this way, people can't see in very well, but you can see out. very tough. you can bang it with a hammer and it won't break. just a thought for you.

 

[HukilauMike]

i made mine out of 1/2" plexi. worked out nicely. i got smoked grey tinted plastic. this way, people can't see in very well, but you can see out. very tough. you can bang it with a hammer and it won't break. just a thought for you.

How do you work lexan? Can you use standard wood tools?

 

[Ross]

How do you work lexan? Can you use standard wood tools?

I have been using my power saw and HSS drills. Burrs I trim with my pocket knife. It doesn't show any tendency to melt under the saw or the drill. Plexi is a bit worse for that. I picked up a piece of 1/2 lexan today about 8x20 inches. Supported at the edges with a long span, it flexes about the same as 3/4 inch hard pine, probably less than soft pine and a little more than oak. It is without question strong enough and will not require any refinishing.

 

[caguy]

You might want to try your neighborhood High School.

We always seem to have a nice supply of hardwoods at our school. In fact the store room is packed and it is a large 15x15 room with 30' ceilings.
Here is a load he just received this week for which he doesn't have room. I don't know who donated it to him but it just keeps coming. The kids do some beautiful projects. He just got a really large computerized table saw, and a newer even bigger band saw than the one he had. I like to take a short cut through his class just for the smell.
You might even think about taking an adult evening class. Endless stock of wood, latest toys, plenty of room and help when you need it.
Frank

 

[Nik]

Working with Lexan (Acrylic) or Polycarbonate are slightly different than working with wood. Just some starters, for more, search the web; there is plenty of info out there. Lexan is brittle compared to Polycarb or wood. Polycarb had a higher tendancy to melt when cutting than Acrylic. Sharp tools and the proper cutting edge geometry is important with the plastics. For drilling either material the drills leading edge needs to be blunted slightly so it does not grab and chip out the back as you go through (you can break through the hole slowly and this helps to avoid this. Practice on a few test scaps first and get the feel. It would be a real B*$ch to make a hatch cover and chip the edges. If using unaltered wood / metal working tools, practice to get the speed and feed correct, should be able to do a good enough job.

Nik

 

[sailingdog]

Nik-

I think you're a bit confused. Plexiglas is Acrylic. Lexan is a polycarbonate. Acrylics are more brittle than polycarbonates, which is why polycarbonates are used in riot shields and such... not plexiglass. Also, if you're drilling holes in either, you really should countersink the holes a slight bit to help prevent stress cracks from starting at the holes you drill.

From the wikipedia entry on Acrylic Glass:

Chemically, it is the synthetic polymer of methyl methacrylate. It is sold by the tradenames Plexiglas, Vitroflex, Limacryl, R-Cast, Per-Clax, Perspex, Plazcryl, Acrylex, Acrylite, Acrylplast, Altuglas, Polycast, Oroglass and Lucite and is commonly called acrylic glass or simply acrylic. Acrylic, or acrylic fiber, can also refer to polymers or copolymers containing polyacrylonitrile. The material was developed in 1928 in various laboratories and was brought to market in 1933 by Rohm and Haas Company.

Acrylics generally have a bit higher scratch and UV resistance than polycarbonates do. Polycarbonates really need to have a UV resistant coating applied if you're going to use it for dropboards.

Working with Lexan (Acrylic) or Polycarbonate are slightly different than working with wood. Just some starters, for more, search the web; there is plenty of info out there. Lexan is brittle compared to Polycarb or wood. Polycarb had a higher tendancy to melt when cutting than Acrylic. Sharp tools and the proper cutting edge geometry is important with the plastics. For drilling either material the drills leading edge needs to be blunted slightly so it does not grab and chip out the back as you go through (you can break through the hole slowly and this helps to avoid this. Practice on a few test scaps first and get the feel. It would be a real B*$ch to make a hatch cover and chip the edges. If using unaltered wood / metal working tools, practice to get the speed and feed correct, should be able to do a good enough job.

Nik

 

[Ross]

Nik, Your experience and mine don't seem to have the same results. For the past 3 weeks I have been cutting polycarbonate and drilling hole to make window coverings. I am using the same saw to cut the polycarb that I use to cut treated lumber that is also being used. My drill bits are sharp, coated, metal working all purpose twist drills. There has been no chipping inspite of the fact that the air and the material hasn't been warmer than 55 degrees for the period. Uncoated Lexan brand polycarbonate is sold as safety glazing for exterior use as labeled by the maker.

 

[John6256]

hatch boards

I like the e pay for boat projects allso but it is way to heavy for hatch boards. You could get mohogany it looks like epay with a larger grain but is lighter.