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Cutting floor board?

3K views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  j34035 
#1 ·
Our first winter project - We are in the midst of refinishing our Endeavour 33 floor.

We were able to unscrew and take the floor out of the boat. It is a teak & holly layer on plywood.

I would like to cut one of the boards. As we have no experience with saws and trying to make a nice cut, could someone recommend the type of saw we should try to borrow, or should we take it to a lumber yard and have it cut? We have a circular saw -and I am wondering if I bought a new blade for it would it make a nice clean cut....

You might ask why I want to cut it. The bilge pump is under the major piece of floor which is held down with 25-30 screws.

The floor has 2 panels which you can pick up, but neither are anywhere near where that bilge pump is, so you cannot eyeball it or the water level easily, and you cannot get a manual bilge pump in there to pump it dry. I really think the 2 access panels which lift up are useless.

My spouse says that the boat has been this way for many years, why change it. I feel better being able to get in there. We bought the boat this past summer, and I am surprised the surveyor did not point this out.

If we cut it, I wuld only have about 5 screws to unscrew to lift that piece over the bilge pump.

I guess another solution would be to take it to a carpenter and have them cut it and make a liftable panel right over the bilge pump- but this would be a bit pricey for an old floor (alhtought it is refinishing fairly well).

Anybody else have a blige with poor access to the pump area? Is this common? Am I worrying too much?

Thanks, SaltyPat
 
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#2 · (Edited)
With the skill saw you want a plywood blade or a very, very high tooth count carbide tipped blade. The cheap, all steel, plywood blades make great cuts but will be toast after only a few cuts and are truly disposable. To start a cut in the middle of a board lift the saws guard then place the tip of the saw shoe plate on the work and line up the blade and cut line. Lift it up slightly start the saw and drop into the cut.

Put some blue tape down on the surface and mark and cut your line through the tape. Doing this will help eliminate splintering the surface. Use the skill saw for the longer straight line cuts but do use a clamped saw guide as this is finish grade work.

For the radius corners you'll need a jig saw. Bosch makes some low splintering plywood specific blades that cut on the down stroke and leave a very nice cut. These blades take some getting used to though so practice on some cheap plywood. Use a good jig saw like a Porter Cable or Bosch and you'll get a cleaner and straighter cut. Black & Deckers & cheap jig saws have too much side to side play in the jig saw arm for good finish work. If you don't have a good jig saw Home Depot will rent you one..

If your not the best wood worker I advise duplicating what you want to do on a dummy piece of luan plywood and practicing on it. Home Depot sells "handy panels" of Luan 2 feet X 4 feet that make great practice boards...
 
#3 ·
I find that a jig saw is best for nice control, mark where you want to cut with a pencil and you will be able to follow the mark perfectly. You will have to drill a small whole first to get the saw blade in the wood, but you can always put a little wood putty in the hole when you are done.
 
#4 ·
I have re-done 3 soles in boats over the years and let me tell you, even with practice, you still are very nervous cutting the real wood. If you are cutting only a couple of pieces, I recommend taking it to a cabinet shop that has the right tools to make professional cuts. You mess up a teak and holly sole, it will cost you several hundred bucks to fix it, probably only 20-30 bucks to get a cabinet shop to cut it. Good luck!!
DD
 
#6 ·
Halekai's description is basically what I would recommend... adding that you really want to use the narrowest, finest toothed circular saw blade to make the majority of the cuts, and then cut the corners using a jig saw with a very fine toothed blade.

One other thing, you will probably want to set the blade depth on the circular saw to just a bit more than the panel thickness, to minimize the damage to any floors or stringers that may be under the opening your cutting.
 
#7 ·
#8 ·
The problem with a circular saw is that it would cut as the blade is coming up and this tends to splinter the "plywood" that you are cutting. A plywood blade will help. I do a fair amount of woodworking in my shop and the only way I will cut plywood is an a tabelsaw since I can control the splintering of the wood. I only rough cut plywood with a skill type saw.

If you only have a couple of cuts talk to a cabinet shop.

Thomas
 
#10 ·
Minimizing the cut depth as SD mentions will also minimize splintering.

In this case, I'd be real tempted to try to create a new lift-out in the area where it's needed.

Failing that, if you're determined to cut across the sole, and you don't have the tools or skills, most stores like Home Depot will do cuts, but you'd be better off taking it to a cabinet maker, they'll care more about the results.
 
#12 ·
I would make the cut out section a new lift out, since you're doing most of the work as it is. You'll need to seal the cut edges of the boards with penetrating epoxy and install some sort of cleats to support cut out section, as well as latch it.

If you're feeling really adventurous, you could bevel the cuts, so the piece doesn't fall through. :)
Minimizing the cut depth as SD mentions will also minimize splintering.

In this case, I'd be real tempted to try to create a new lift-out in the area where it's needed.

Failing that, if you're determined to cut across the sole, and you don't have the tools or skills, most stores like Home Depot will do cuts, but you'd be better off taking it to a cabinet maker, they'll care more about the results.
 
#13 ·
Bevel cutting an access panel will prevent the piece from falling into the bilges, but would not be advisable for two reasons.

The panel's top surface will be slightly recessed below the level of surrounding T&H - relative to the saw kerf thickness. Also it's best to avoid any tapered edges on plywood, since the top ply will become vulnerable to delamination from foot traffic.

Instead, a continuous perimeter panel stop should be screwed to the fixed sole's underside, assuring a level top surface. I use a Bosch finish circular saw, fitted with a Freud, fine tooth carbine blade for this type of cutting.

It takes a little practice for making perfect plunge-cuts in expensive plywood - especially when aligning the cut with adjoining radiused corner cuts, made with a jigsaw.
 
#14 ·
Just a couple of thoughts from a woodworker.
Not to be a wet blanket, but both of my thoughts are on the negative/worry side.

Will adding a third location with a removeable panel weaken the floorboard, making it flex under weight? Maybe that's why they did only two?

I've done the operation you're considering many times and still kringe every time. If I were giving a new woodworker their first project, this would not be it. Assuming the existing ones have radiused corners, you'll want to duplicate that and steering a jigsaw to make four identical corners is tricky. The advice to practice on cheap plywood is a wise one.

If you're anywhere near Annapolis, I'd be happy to do it for you.
 
#15 ·
Good point TB... but you could always use stops to keep it flush with the rest of the sole. THe difficulty of the beveled cuts is the main reason I'd avoid even trying to do it that way. ;)
 
#17 ·
I still say go to a cabinet shop for such a small project with a potential high downside if you make a mistake. It has also been mentioned going to a lumber yard or to Home Depot. These guys are used to cutting 1/2" CD plywood that makes very little difference whether it splinters or not, and you never know what condition their blades are in. Cabinet shops are used to dealing with expensive veneers. I have messed up a $150 sheet of teak and holly before because I lacked the tools and knowlege, that sucks...............
DD
 
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