This isn't really a boatbuilding question, except that there used to be
a boat stored in the building I am working on, and it *is* by the water

However, you guys are pretty good problem solvers and I hope you can help.

I am finishing up rebuilding a barn/shed on family property to make a
small apartment.

The original first floor (about 25 years old now) was 2x6 tongue and
groove, laid over 4x6 on about 3 foot centers. I had planned to sand
the wood floor and put several coats of poly on it. The wood has some
character and will look OK.

This building is on the shore, and was knocked off its pilings a few
years ago. I jacked it back into place and bolted it more thoroughly down.

My problem is where the edges of the 2x6 come together on the top
(inside) there is a gap between most of the planks of between 1/16" and
up to 5/16". I had originally thought about filling the cracks with
epoxy and a filler, then decided it would look like ****. I've tried
cutting tapered splines to drive in the cracks, but some of them
(cracks) vary so much in width over a 14' run, that I am afraid of not
having enough embedment to be leaving wood in the crack after sanding
the floor.

I thought of routing the worst of them out to say 1/2" wide by 1/2" deep
and laying a spline of a different color wood (I have a lot of
Australian Hard Cypress left over from another job, and the upstairs of
this one). I thought that would give an effect sort of like a teak and
holly sole on a boat

I am not all that conversant with a router and the first test groove did
not come out well. I tried cutting the 1/2" x 1/2" groove in one pass,
with an Oldham Viper bit, the box mentioned starting from an exposed
edge. I have an old Craftsman 6 amp router that says it is 25,000. rpm

From reading other posts, I see it might have been better to set my
"fence" up on the left side of the groove, but what else do I need to
do? If I have to make three passes with a different depth every time it
obviously makes the job that much slower....

I had thought to run the bit down the center of the existing crack, thus
taking some meat out of each side, but might the differing
characteristic of the different planks affect the cut?

Are there Dado kits for skilsaws (7.25 circular handsaws)?

Any other ideas?

--
I am building my daughter an Argie 10 sailing dinghy, check it out:
http://home.comcast.net/~jonsailr

I would put two/three blades on my skillsaw and cut a caulking groove 1/4"
deep. Sand the floor to a fine finish, mask the edges of the groove and
apply black Sikaflex, quickly pull off the masking tape and your 'ships
floor' is done.
...Ken

I have similar directions on my website www.island-teak.com


"Jonathan W." wrote in message
. ..
This isn't really a boatbuilding question, except that there used to be a
boat stored in the building I am working on, and it *is* by the water

However, you guys are pretty good problem solvers and I hope you can help.

I am finishing up rebuilding a barn/shed on family property to make a
small apartment.

The original first floor (about 25 years old now) was 2x6 tongue and
groove, laid over 4x6 on about 3 foot centers. I had planned to sand the
wood floor and put several coats of poly on it. The wood has some
character and will look OK.

This building is on the shore, and was knocked off its pilings a few years
ago. I jacked it back into place and bolted it more thoroughly down.

My problem is where the edges of the 2x6 come together on the top (inside)
there is a gap between most of the planks of between 1/16" and up to
5/16". I had originally thought about filling the cracks with epoxy and a
filler, then decided it would look like ****. I've tried cutting tapered
splines to drive in the cracks, but some of them (cracks) vary so much in
width over a 14' run, that I am afraid of not having enough embedment to
be leaving wood in the crack after sanding the floor.

I thought of routing the worst of them out to say 1/2" wide by 1/2" deep
and laying a spline of a different color wood (I have a lot of Australian
Hard Cypress left over from another job, and the upstairs of this one). I
thought that would give an effect sort of like a teak and holly sole on a
boat

I am not all that conversant with a router and the first test groove did
not come out well. I tried cutting the 1/2" x 1/2" groove in one pass,
with an Oldham Viper bit, the box mentioned starting from an exposed edge.
I have an old Craftsman 6 amp router that says it is 25,000. rpm

From reading other posts, I see it might have been better to set my
"fence" up on the left side of the groove, but what else do I need to do?
If I have to make three passes with a different depth every time it
obviously makes the job that much slower....

I had thought to run the bit down the center of the existing crack, thus
taking some meat out of each side, but might the differing characteristic
of the different planks affect the cut?

Are there Dado kits for skilsaws (7.25 circular handsaws)?

Any other ideas?

--
I am building my daughter an Argie 10 sailing dinghy, check it out:
http://home.comcast.net/~jonsailr

The sikaflex idea has some merit. I suspect that if you measure the widths
of your cracks over the period of a year, you would notice some variation.
If you fill those crack with wood, you are likely to pop the inlaid wood
out as either the 2 x6 or the inlay expands.

If you are still intent on inlaying with wood, I suggest making a "fence."
This is nothing more than a straight piece of wood sized so that when it
is screwed into the adjacent floor joint, the router base can ride along
it and cut your groove. Since the screws are in the joints, they are
invisible.

The other part of the eqation is that you must use a solid carbide up
spiral bit such as this one:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...69469?v=glance

(repaste the URL if it is broken)

Any other bit will wander and plug up with shavings. Event with this bit
it is best to take multiple passes.

You will have no option except hand chiseling the last 2" of each joint
near the wall.

I hope this helps

I wonder how tough it would be to take up portions of the old floor and
reinstall with tighter tolerance. You would then only need one extra custom
board for the space created.
.....probably the hard way...but...

Good luck

"Jonathan W." wrote in message
. ..
This isn't really a boatbuilding question, except that there used to be
a boat stored in the building I am working on, and it *is* by the water

However, you guys are pretty good problem solvers and I hope you can help.

I am finishing up rebuilding a barn/shed on family property to make a
small apartment.

The original first floor (about 25 years old now) was 2x6 tongue and
groove, laid over 4x6 on about 3 foot centers. I had planned to sand
the wood floor and put several coats of poly on it. The wood has some
character and will look OK.

This building is on the shore, and was knocked off its pilings a few
years ago. I jacked it back into place and bolted it more thoroughly down.

My problem is where the edges of the 2x6 come together on the top
(inside) there is a gap between most of the planks of between 1/16" and
up to 5/16". I had originally thought about filling the cracks with
epoxy and a filler, then decided it would look like ****. I've tried
cutting tapered splines to drive in the cracks, but some of them
(cracks) vary so much in width over a 14' run, that I am afraid of not
having enough embedment to be leaving wood in the crack after sanding
the floor.

I thought of routing the worst of them out to say 1/2" wide by 1/2" deep
and laying a spline of a different color wood (I have a lot of
Australian Hard Cypress left over from another job, and the upstairs of
this one). I thought that would give an effect sort of like a teak and
holly sole on a boat

I am not all that conversant with a router and the first test groove did
not come out well. I tried cutting the 1/2" x 1/2" groove in one pass,
with an Oldham Viper bit, the box mentioned starting from an exposed
edge. I have an old Craftsman 6 amp router that says it is 25,000. rpm

From reading other posts, I see it might have been better to set my
"fence" up on the left side of the groove, but what else do I need to
do? If I have to make three passes with a different depth every time it
obviously makes the job that much slower....

I had thought to run the bit down the center of the existing crack, thus
taking some meat out of each side, but might the differing
characteristic of the different planks affect the cut?

Are there Dado kits for skilsaws (7.25 circular handsaws)?

Any other ideas?

--
I am building my daughter an Argie 10 sailing dinghy, check it out:
http://home.comcast.net/~jonsailr