: 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

Have you room to use a router or dremel to cut the slots?
: 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