fiddle fitting advice please

[niccapotamus]

Hi - I'm not sure what a classic boat can be defined as - but in my mind it isn't a plastic early 1980's boat (which is what we have). But I'm posting a question here as I'm making a folding cockpit/saloon table from 9mm teak faced ply. I think it will be stiff enough at 9mm but I may bond another 3mm to it to strengthen it.

However, I'm guessing that the wooden boat owners are better at woodwork - I can visualise most of the processes involved and I'm going to buy ready made fiddles from Howells - but these will need finishing/levelling/planing so that they line up flush with the table as they will be 12mm deep (compared with the likely 9mm depth of the table). I have a router (dremel) and can get my hand on a number of tools and I'm not too ham fisted - even a small router table. Given that ply is a bit of a bugger to work with what's the best approach to taking the excess off of the fiddles without making a mess of the ply? I don't want to bugger up too many bits of wood as this teak stuff is expensive.

thanks a lot
nick

 

[Tranona]

Assume you are using the rebated fiddles - they are 12mm because that is the normal thickness for a table - as was suggested when you first asked about this job. However if you want to reduce the depth of the rebate to match you 9mm, simply plane 3 mm off. Better to do it before you glue it to the ply, although if you are careful you can do it afterwards, although you will have a problem with the corners as well as running the risk of nicking the ply.

 

[VicS]

Assume you are using the rebated fiddles - they are 12mm because that is the normal thickness for a table - as was suggested when you first asked about this job. However if you want to reduce the depth of the rebate to match you 9mm, simply plane 3 mm off. Better to do it before you glue it to the ply, although if you are careful you can do it afterwards, although you will have a problem with the corners as well as running the risk of nicking the ply.

+1

Nice sharp plane. Mark the amount to be removed with a marking gauge .

9mm sounds thin. Mine is 12mm IIRC ......... I wish I'd thought about buying fiddle moulding .

I have not fitted the fiddle round the corners just along the straight edges. Makes it easier to clean.

 

[niccapotamus]

thanks VicS and Tranona

Indeed Tranona this is a continuation of that idea, and agreed it seems that most people use 12mm and I have found some 3mm in the garage which I might use if it needs beefing up. Trying it out for size this weekend suggested otherwise but once I get the fiddles and chop it into three we'll see!