: Hello Rob,
: You are quoting me and I guess I need to apologize for something? I
: don't use a thickness planer, I B/C my strips, I am a very
: experienced builder of a lot of things but a first time builder
: of kayaks. I am ready to glass the deck and I have had zero
: problems aligning strip edges to the point I did not need to
: fill any cracks with epoxy paste. Obviously I am doing something
: wrong :)) As I said, different strokes for different folks:) I
: realize all directions have to be written for the worst case
: possible and I am really wishing I had not gotten into this
: discussion so I quit. Have a great day everyone:)

You have nothing to apologize for.

I cut my strips carefully on a saw, insuring I have a consistent thickness. Running strips through a planer is a good idea if
you have problems cutting consistent thickness strips.

You posed a statement that turned into a question I thought was a very important one.

I answer questions and post statements on this board with the idea of addressing ALL the readers not only
the one person posting the question.

Perhaps I didn't make myself entirely clear. I'm not as concerned with gaps or glue lines BETWEEN strips,
but aligning strips on and between stations to create a fair surface.

That you have made the project work well for yourself speaks of your experience. Many do not have your
experience and may not realize how focusing attention now, on strip thickness and alignment, will make every
following step in the building process easier.

Yes, a stripper can be made with irregular thickness strips, it can be planed, sanded and faired into a decent shape,
but it is a LOT more work to do it that way. I know, I've done it. If you haven't done it both ways you'll never know
how much easier it is if you take the time to align strips first.

My training is as a sculptor. I've made complex shapes from formless lumps of clay. This is why I appreciate strip
building so much. Why I think it is genius that these strips of wood bend over forms to create a perfect surface
naturally if you align the strip edges.

Try making a hull from clay. Sure you can do it. Then strip a hull. Wow, what a comparison. How much easier.

All I'm saying is a matter of focus. Instead of coming at stripping from the slap it together and fix it later
mind set, try working with the idea that the stripping stage in the most important step, that it's not hard
to strip a perfect hull.

Focus on the details of aligning each strip edge with the previous one
and it will pay BIG dividends in work saved.

Rob