Leave wires in or not?

mtompson · 2 May 2013 8:41 pm

Looking around the web at lots of stitch & glue projects, some people leave their wires in, just cutting the ends flush. Other people only glue between the wires then easily remove the whole wire.
Which method is preferable?
Many thanks...

beaker · 2 May 2013 9:45 pm

I've done some of both. I'd recommend tacking between the wires, then pulling them out. There are bound to be a few that get embedded. For these, I hold an end with pliers, and heat it up with a disposable gas lighter. The wire comes out with a satisfying pop. It's then much easier to do a neat finishing fillet, without your filleting tool bouncing off the wires. When you do the fillets, it will neatly fill the holes.

I left a few in on the transom of my wood duckling. They are slightly tricky to sand flush, as the copper is harder than the plywood. It could look good in a visual reference to a copper nailed boat kind of way.

On balance, I think it's less work overall and a better finish to pull the wires out.

mtompson · 2 May 2013 10:01 pm

Thanks 'beaker', great stuff.

Paul · 3 May 2013 4:14 pm

Beaker is right it is very difficult to cut the wires flush and any sanding tends to wear through the veneer before dealing with the wire.

When removing the wire I use a soldering iron to warm the wire.

mtompson · 5 May 2013 8:24 pm

Thanks Paul, sold on tacking between the wires.

wilddog · 3 Mar 2014 9:45 am

I have just been tacking between the wires on my Skerry build.

The plans/manual tell me to mix a thinner seam epoxy for the lap joints and then to squeeze it all in with a syringe, but that had the feeling of a fingers & thumbs faff to me, so instead I have mixed a mustardy filet mix and applied to the the lap joints between the wires in the usual way, finishing it flush to the panel edges with a squared off-ish (ie. not round) filet tool. Looks to have worked rather well. Far less messy than using a runnier mix prescribed I should imagine. Ihave no runs on the insides of the boat at all, but this is partly due to using a heavier gauge wire to pull the panels together – my copper wire kept snapping. I have found that as long as you work the thicker mix well into the bottom of each joint, it goes in very easily and does not ooze a flow all over the place. This method is pretty quick and very clean. I have used the same mix to tack the stems as I could just see a runnier mix ending up all over the floor!

My work shop is still barely above 10ºc so I am planning to leave the tacks for a good two days to set completely before popping the wires and filling in the gaps. The aim is to be able to flip the hull back over and filet/glass the insides of the stems this coming weekend!

My mustardy mix is 1 pump load of resin & activator + 1 1/2 scoops of wood flour to 1 scoop of silica. My standard scooper is a free plastic coffee scoop that came with a tin of ground coffee.

#1 2 May 2013 8:41 pm

Leave wires in or not?

#2 2 May 2013 9:45 pm

Re: Leave wires in or not?

#3 2 May 2013 10:01 pm

Re: Leave wires in or not?

#4 3 May 2013 4:14 pm

Re: Leave wires in or not?

#5 5 May 2013 8:24 pm

Re: Leave wires in or not?

#6 3 Mar 2014 9:45 am

Re: Leave wires in or not?

Board footer