Are These Teak Decks not Worth Fixing?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by prof_mariner

- What tool should I use to remove the old, black caulking between the planks? I've read where people use dremmel tools but I'm thinking a v-shaped chisel might work better (while making it easier to keep the gap even and straight).

The killer app for this is the Fein Multimaster with the special teak deck blade:

Teak Deck Blades for the Fein MultiMaster

Makes it easy as pie.

[sestina]

Another vote for the Fein Multimaster. Brilliant tool. I've seen a special jig made to fit a palm router for this job too.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by prof_mariner

@Cheechako - The planks seem to be bedded pretty well so I think I'll forget about screws and, as suggested, just epoxy some new plugs in.

Couple more questions:

- What tool should I use to remove the old, black caulking between the planks? I've read where people use dremmel tools but I'm thinking a v-shaped chisel might work better (while making it easier to keep the gap even and straight).

- Any other tricks to getting the caulking line straight and even?

We used to use a router... then clean well, tape off and prime then 'Sika'... once the 'Sika' was well dried just sand with a medium/fine paper... if they're that thin a belt sander may be to fierce.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by boatman61

We used to use a router... then clean well, tape off and prime then 'Sika'... once the 'Sika' was well dried just sand with a medium/fine paper... if they're that thin a belt sander may be to fierce.

Don't use a belt sander!

Teak has very soft pulp between the hard layers of wood. You have to be fairly careful with using power tools around it. Use an orbital sander and work gently across the grain. You don't have to sand it down to where it's perfectly flat -- it's going to end up being naturally ridgy no matter what you do, so quit before it gets too thin.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Don't use a belt sander!

Teak has very soft pulp between the hard layers of wood. You have to be fairly careful with using power tools around it. Use an orbital sander and work gently across the grain. You don't have to sand it down to where it's perfectly flat -- it's going to end up being naturally ridgy no matter what you do, so quit before it gets too thin.

LOL... was trying to tactfully deter the OP... someone earlier suggested a belt sander so I was following CF protocol and being polite else you'd be slapping my head... AGAIN...

[donradcliffe]

The 1986 Bennies were glued and screwed, and you should have no problems with just removing the screws.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by boatman61

We used to use a router... then clean well, tape off and prime then 'Sika'... once the 'Sika' was well dried just sand with a medium/fine paper... if they're that thin a belt sander may be to fierce.

A router with battens, low tack hot glue, and a pattern bit is the only way to go. No wobbly seams, dead fair, back to clean wood on both sides with zero original material left in the seam, and super fast too. Then I stick some grit to a stir stick and sand the seam edges for extra tooth before using TDS on the seams. The Fein will wreck your seams, so will doing it by hand.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by minaret

The Fein will wreck your seams, so will doing it by hand.

Really? You're the pro among us, so I would give great deference to your opinion on this subject. But everyone over here uses the Fein and praises it lavishly. I've never heard anything like this before. Have you tried it with the special teak blade?

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Really? You're the pro among us, so I would give great deference to your opinion on this subject. But everyone over here uses the Fein and praises it lavishly. I've never heard anything like this before. Have you tried it with the special teak blade?

Sure, in fact one of the guys in the yard just did a deck this way. He and the owner were pretty happy with the results till I showed up and freaked out on the wobbles in the seams. Guess it just depends on who you are and what your tolerances are like, one guys nice job is another's unacceptable finish. Personally I need to see seams which are exactly the same width all the way and dead fair. Only one way I know of to do that. But even then you end up using the Fein some in corners and edges. This is one of the reasons I finish by sanding, it's like sticking a longboard in the seam. To each their own. Sometimes having "the eye" is a curse as much as a blessing. The router really is much faster too, as well as doing a better job. Porter Cable laminate trimmer for me. TDS only too, it sticks like peanut butter on shag carpet. Best thing going for teak.

[Cheechako]

I think asking a non-pro to use a router (or a belt sander as I suggested too I suppose) is probably a I'll advised plan.

[haw1961]

What is TDS?

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I think asking a non-pro to use a router (or a belt sander as I suggested too I suppose) is probably a I'll advised plan.

should read: "...an Ill advised plan..." arghh!

[boatman61]

Teak Dysfunctional Syndrome..

[Saltyhog]

Originally Posted by minaret

A router with battens, low tack hot glue, and a pattern bit is the only way to go. No wobbly seams, dead fair, back to clean wood on both sides with zero original material left in the seam, and super fast too. Then I stick some grit to a stir stick and sand the seam edges for extra tooth before using TDS on the seams. The Fein will wreck your seams, so will doing it by hand.

I'll be needing to do this to the teak deck on my cockpit seats and sole. I've got a laminate router (Bosch), but not sure what you mean by battens. Do you mean a straight edge used like a fence? If so, how do you position and fix them?

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Saltyhog

I'll be needing to do this to the teak deck on my cockpit seats and sole. I've got a laminate router (Bosch), but not sure what you mean by battens. Do you mean a straight edge used like a fence? If so, how do you position and fix them?

Almost. Most seams aren't straight, unless you've got a laid deck instead of a sprung deck. I use a clean (no knots) VG fir batten that will bend fair. It must be thick enough to both bend fair and allow you to use the shaft of a tapered two flute bit as you would the bearing on a pattern bit, just beeswax the shaft. You can table saw a shoulder into your batten so the bit cuts flush at the batten edge, this allows you to get seams up close to the deck edge because you are not using an offset batten. You can get these bits in all widths from 1/16th up, to match your seam width. The necessary depth of cut is usually pretty shallow, so it can often be done in one pass without adjusting depth of cut. The trick is in cutting the batten thickness just right, and using lots of wax. Make a batten as long as the longest seam, do longer seams first, and cut it down to fit as you go. It's easy once you start playing with it, goes super fast. You can use low tack hot glue to fasten the batten to the deck temporarily, and then carefully remove it with a sharp chisel. Or, safer, you can tape off the deck first and hot glue the batten to the taped deck. This won't work if there's a lot of shape. Works great, especially for long seams on big decks. The extra set up time really pays off when you zip the router down a 20' seam and leave it perfect in one pass. A 1" x 1" is usually about right. There are of course many ways to approach this as well. Some like to scribe off the seam and use an offset batten. This is what works for me.




Freud 75-102 1/4-Inch Double-Flute Up Spiral Router Bit - Amazon.com