: Dear Oracle

: I am ready to cut slots in my precious unmarked deck. I've been
: practising cutting slots in a piece of scrap and working out how
: to cut them, seal the wood and then seal the hole with the loop
: in place, and I am a bit nervous that they won't seal.

: I have a coping saw. I also have a fretsaw but the arm doesn't bend
: like a coping saw so I will use the coping saw to be able to cut
: the slot parallel to the sheer line.

: I started by drilling and cutting a 7/32" slot, plugging it
: with epoxy. And then cutting a 3/32 slot in that. Then I
: thought, can I not simply cut a 3/32 slot in the wood, spread a
: little epoxy in to seal the wood, and leaving roughly a 3/32
: slot. Do I really need a hole plug of epoxy in there.

: So my questions:
: * The epoxy I spread in does seal the wood. Of course, it's not as
: thick as the plug wall would be. Have I got enough epoxy on the
: weed? I assume I do, since there is no wear on this hole?
: * 3/32" is about as thin as I can get the slot (anything
: thinner I can't get the coping saw blade in). But it's quite a
: bit thicker than the webbing. What do I use to seal the slot,
: with the webbing inserted?

: I kind of feel like I am missing something here, and that I should
: be aiming for a much thinner slot. But I can't figure out how to
: do it. I wish fretsaws came with bending arms like a coping saw.

: Many thanks all for your help :-)

: Ian

I make a wider and a little longer slot, fill with graphite filled epoxy so it's black then after it's set drill a hole the width of the new slot sized to fit the webbing doubled at each end of the slot and cut out the middle with a sabre saw with a scroll blade that's very skinny.

You need to goop up the base for the webbing loops when they are fitted into the slots to seal the holes. Works for me.

Bill H.