Buffalo board - how easy to cut.

[Northener]

I intend to replace the deck boards on my cruiser stern NB with buffalo board or Hexagrip. How easy is it to cut the boards to shape? The suppliers I’ve found on line will only cut straight lines and only a rectangular shape (ie with 90 degree angles). I need to cut curves for the rear corners.

Also, does anyone know of a supplier close to Swindon?

[Tracy D'arth]

Jig saw will do it but blade go blunt quickly. Take it slowly.  Seal all the edges well with epoxy paint and it will last much better.

[LadyG]

I had mine done by the boatyard, to fit in the welldeck, included angle iron supports and welding, it looks pretty good after three years, the edges were sealed with clear epoxy.

The fitters did not paint the iron seating supports, which is a small but irritating detail, it's not a cheap job but they always seem to find a way to cut corners,, I had a pot of paint to hand, but it's going to rust at some stage.

[Jon57]

9 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I had mine done by the boatyard, to fit in the welldeck, included angle iron supports and welding, it looks pretty good after three years, the edges were sealed with clear epoxy.

The fitters did not paint the iron seating supports, which is a small but irritating detail, it's not a cheap job but they always seem to find a way to cut corners,, I had a pot of paint to hand, but it's going to rust at some stage.

Boats and rust go together in various amounts I’m afraid .🥴

[Puffling]

Adding to @Tracy D'arth's comments, to avoid the top layer of phenolic coating fraying at the cut edges, switch the "pendulum" action on your jigsaw off. I found the reciprocating action of the blade promoted messy edges.

The cleanest straight lines are always with a circular saw, but again edge fraying has been a problem when I've cut buffalo board. Best if you work with the saw on the 'wrong' side (smooth side if yours is dippled on one side only). Even better, borrow a saw guide rail and take advantage of the lip covering the cut line. No fraying at all done this way.

[David Mack]

4 minutes ago, Puffling said:

The cleanest straight lines are always with a circular saw, but again edge fraying has been a problem when I've cut buffalo board. Best if you work with the saw on the 'wrong' side (smooth side if yours is dippled on one side only). Even better, borrow a saw guide rail and take advantage of the lip covering the cut line. No fraying at all done this way.

All of which is fine if you are cutting straight square edges. But I have to cut some floor panels for the front well deck, and the outer edges are both curved and angled. That's going to be fun!

[Puffling]

4 minutes ago, David Mack said:

All of which is fine if you are cutting straight square edges. But I have to cut some floor panels for the front well deck, and the outer edges are both curved and angled. That's going to be fun!

Curved and angled at the same time is certainly a challenge. And I'm presuming you'll be using 18mm or thicker. If it were me, I'd try my cutting technique out first on some scrap ordinary ply of the same thickness, as phenolic ply is not something you want to waste.

[Tony Brooks]

27 minutes ago, Puffling said:

Curved and angled at the same time is certainly a challenge. And I'm presuming you'll be using 18mm or thicker. If it were me, I'd try my cutting technique out first on some scrap ordinary ply of the same thickness, as phenolic ply is not something you want to waste.

 

I think that I might be tempted to cut a 90 degree cut around the curves and then make a guide for so the angle can be put on with a suitable router bit.

[Tonka]

4 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I think that I might be tempted to cut a 90 degree cut around the curves and then make a guide for so the angle can be put on with a suitable router bit.

I did when making cupboards out of lite ply for a camper van conversion 

[David Mack]

9 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I think that I might be tempted to cut a 90 degree cut around the curves and then make a guide for so the angle can be put on with a suitable router bit.

Yes. I was also thinking that cutting oversize and planing down might be the way, although probably time consuming.

[LadyG]

3 hours ago, Jon57 said:

Boats and rust go together in various amounts I’m afraid .🥴

Especially if you don't cover raw steel with paint.

Or instead of using s/s you drill some holes then fill with posidrive screws instead of doing a decent job.

Edited July 24, 2023 by LadyG

[Tonka]

4 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Especially if you don't cover raw steel with paint.

Or instead of using s/s you drill some holes then fill with posidrive screws instead of doing a decent job.

Don't stainless steel screws come with a posidrive head

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I’m sure taping before cutting is supposed to help minimise torn edges. 
 

 

[Tony Brooks]

4 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Don't stainless steel screws come with a posidrive head

 

Of course they do, but this is LadyG. However, we don't know if whatever used rusted.  Then there is stainless steel and stainless steel. A2 stainless may well eventually rust if in frequent contact with dirty water.

[Tonka]

Just now, Goliath said:

I’m sure taping before cutting is supposed to help minimise torn edges. 
 

 

Also turning the board upside down so the jigsaw cuts on the up. Turning the reciprocal off helps as well

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

And finer/more teeth on the blade will help. 

but will be slower

Edited July 24, 2023 by Goliath

[blackrose]

4 hours ago, LadyG said:

The fitters did not paint the iron seating supports, which is a small but irritating detail, it's not a cheap job but they always seem to find a way to cut corners,, I had a pot of paint to hand, but it's going to rust at some stage.

 

And yet you questioned the wisdom of me making my bench supports from 6mm aluminium angle on the basis that the boat's made of steel so everything else should be... 

 

All I know is that 3 years later they're still great and I will never have to paint them or deal with rust. Sometimes you have to think outside the box.

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by blackrose

[Tonka]

3 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

And yet you questioned the wisdom of me making my bench supports from 6mm aluminium angle on the basis that the boat's made of steel so everything else should be... 

 

All I know is that 3 years later they're still great and I will never have to paint them or deal with rust. Sometimes you have to think outside the box.

 

 

You do know aluminium alloy corrodes. Below the rear toilets on aircraft is always a good area for corrosion. 

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Looks like the water there has already rusted a big hole 🤡 

 

 

 

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, Tonka said:

You do know aluminium alloy corrodes. Below the rear toilets on aircraft is always a good area for corrosion. 

 

 

Aluminium may corrode but only under certain conditions and certainly not to the same extent as steel. My understanding is that it corrodes to a certain superficial depth and then stops because the aluminium oxide layer actually protects the metal. You do know that don't you? Just look at all the unpainted aluminium motorcycle cylinders that are exposed to rain, grit and salt from the road. If they really corroded as easily as you're suggesting I'm sure they wouldn't make them from aluminium. What about solar panel frames? The list goes on....

 

I built an aluminium generator locker 12 years ago which has been sitting outside exposed to the elements and that hasn't corroded at all.

Edited July 24, 2023 by blackrose

[magnetman]

Is it worth using a downward stroke jigsaw blade for this job? 

 

I accidentally bought some of these once and they seemed annoying I think they are for formica or cheap worktops. 

 

Might be good for the phenolic ply. 

 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-t101br-softwood-plywood-jigsaw-blades-100mm-5-pack/15283

 

 

 

 

[blackrose]

I'd cut the curves with a jigsaw as others have suggested, but cut the straight lines with a decent handsaw.

[magnetman]

The OP implies that the straight parts are going to be cut by the supplier of the board. 

"The suppliers I’ve found on line will only cut straight lines and only a rectangular shape (ie with 90 degree angles). I need to cut curves for the rear corners."

[blackrose]

 

7 minutes ago, magnetman said:

The OP implies that the straight parts are going to be cut by the supplier of the board. 

"The suppliers I’ve found on line will only cut straight lines and only a rectangular shape (ie with 90 degree angles). I need to cut curves for the rear corners."

 

Ok fine then, but I didn't read it that way. For me the implication seemed to be that because the suppliers would only cut straight lines and rectangular shapes the OP would do the whole job themselves.

 

Different people perceive the same thing in different ways.

[Northener]

Thanks for all the info. I currently have 3 deckboards, the centre one is rectangular and wouldn’t be too much of a problem, but the two outer ones taper slightly towards the rear of the boat and each have a curve on one corner. As I would really like neat boards I think I’ll try to find a professional to cut them for me from a template. 
Incidentally, the boat is aluminium and 20 years old and shows no signs of corrosion. No anodes needed either.