Tutorial on Supplemental Gluing Strips
It takes time, effort and material to add supplemental glue strips, but it is worth it.
Additional Gluing Surface
Adding supplemental gluing strips to the frame edge is necessary to produce a robust board structure. This is because the width of the frame does not provide enough surface area to generate adequate adhesive (epoxy) bonding during the strip-planking process. And, supplemental gluing strips are used to apply clamping pressure.
Semi Monocoque Structure
Ensuring proper adhesion/bonding between the frame sections and strip-planking is essential to "semi monocoque" structural designs such as hollow wood boards, and aircraft of all types.
Frame Edge Gluing Strips
Supplemental gluing strips can be added at different points in the build process. In the below photo note that not all of the gluing strips have been attached.
Attachment
Supplemental gluing strips must be attached to the full length of the spar, and to the entire edge of every frame. Epoxy makes the strongest bond between the glue strip and spar or frame.
Material
Strip-planking material (ideally scrap) rough cut to lengths measuring 1/4" x 3/16" works best. Apply glue strips to the frame edge and spar in segments. Leave a portion of the glue strip "proud" of the edge, later to be faired flush to the surface with a rasp, sanding block and/or low angle block plane.
Timing
One approach to adding glue strips is to apply the top half first, and the bottom half after the deck is fully strip-planked and the board gets flipped. The goal is to optimize the use of scrap material for the glue strips, if possible.
The next tutorial covers various construction methods for the nose and tail of the board.
Please reach out with your questions!
