I built two kayaks with Bead and cove. I will be starting my 3rd soon and I too am going to hand plane my strips. I am going to try out Rob Mack's hot glue method for holding strips.

I look forward to trying different methods of building.

Marc Donnelly

The key to using hot glue beads to stitch strips together between stations, is;

First, pre-fit each strip to ensure the best joint.

Once carpenter's glue is applied to the strip edge, press the joint together strongly and place spring clamps so the base of the jaw applies pressure on the top strip edge and the clamp tips straddle the joint.

Then apply hot glue beads, small dots of hot glue across the strip joint every inch or so. Like the stitches of thread holding our clothes together, one or two stitches are weak, but many are very strong.

Hot glue beads can only be made well with a lower glue temperature, so if you have a dual temperature glue gun set it to low to make the beads, or you can unplug your high temp gun and make beads as it cools down. Glue guns are cheap so you could have a second gun set to a lower temperature just for bead making.

It takes a short learning curve to make small beads every inch or so along the joint between stations, but the reward is you can remove the clamps in 90 seconds and apply the next strip without waiting for the glue in the strip joint to cure because you have nothing obstructing the strip edge.

Later, beads are quickly removed with a scraper, which would be your first step in removing any glue on your hull surface, before sanding, anyway.

For details on using hot glue to strip staplelessly see - http://www.laughingloon.com/shoptips2.html