Poll: What does everyone here use for a batten?

[siberianswampdonkey]

Just wondering what different people use for a batten maybe we can all find something that'll work better than what we where using.

[Venchka]

:confused:

What where you using? So we won't use that?

[Bruce Hooke]

Clear straight-grained softwood in most cases. For very tight curves I use plastic drafting battens. One key is to size the batten right -- too big and it's too hard to bend, too small and it is hard to get it to lie fair.

A key test of a batten is to let it bend under it's own weight and sight along it. It should bend in a fair curve. If there are hard spots in the curve then it will never give you a fair curve...

[NormMessinger]

I've used everything from an acetylene welding rod to a two by four. Well, okay, not everything and maybe not a two by four. It depends on the curve though. For the long batton, 24', I got good straight grained finish molding and scarfed them together with extra long scarfs. I've used fibreglass sail battons and yes 3/32" welding rod.

[Wiley Baggins]

PVC pipe

Edited to add: Dave Fleming started a nice thread on this topic. Try the search feature.

[ 04-17-2003, 02:29 PM: Message edited by: Wiley Baggins ]

[siberianswampdonkey]

to answer venchka's question I used a fiberglass rod the last time it came off of one of those flags you put on a go kart I pulled the pole off the flag and used it, it worked out pretty good too.

[Venchka]

All of the synthetic materials had come to mind for fairing battens. Possibly longer than those bike flag poles.

But then I remembered that lofting battens need a square edge for drawing nice smooth curves. And would serve for planking battens, etc. on the boat.

The old way wins again I suppose.

[Captain Pre-Capsize]

I had terrific luck with the leftover trim from cutting down the chines. They are eleven feet long and there was just a sliver left about 1/4 inch thick. The fact that it was ash makes it very supple and flexible. An Olympic gymnast comes to mind. ;)

[Ed Harrow]

Darn, I misread the topic - I thought it was what do we use battens for. I use'm to smack Stan V when he misbehaves. tongue.gif ;)

[Ken Hutchins]

I have a 3/4 sq. VG Doug Fir 20'long, Dave Clark of Schooner Winfield Lash WB #166 gave it to me. He is sailing didn't need batten, it is more than 20 years old and still straight as an arrow. smile.gif

[Don Maurer]

I have some western red cedar strips left over from a cedar strip kayak. They are 18' long, 3/4" x 1/4". They will take a fairly tight radius, but are not as good for very gentle curves.

[Dave R]

When I needed a batten for drawing long curves, I went a got a piece of that pine trim you nail over the edges of the screen on an old-style wooden screen door. No idea what it is called but it was cheap, clear, and flexible.

I also discovered it comes in handy for fishing wires if you tape a coat hanger hook on the end.

[Cedarhill Boatworks]

It's called Screen Stop and it makes great battens because you can buy it in lengths up to 22 feet. I like the advice of holding the batten and letting it deflect under its own weight, I never thought of that. Bravo.
I have a long peice of poplar that i keep way up in the rafters, 16 feet long nice and striaght, clear grain...

[ahp]

Wood yard sticks.

[Scott Rosen]

I have some 16 foot, 12 foot and 6 foot lengths of poplar, 1/4" to 3/8" thick, that I ripped from some stock molding while remodeling my living room. That stuff is great--flexible, even-grained and light weight. I'm saving them for fairing battens for my next building project. I don't do any lofting, so I don't know how they would work for lofting battens.

[WayGray]

For lofting I don't use battens. I use a mathematical equation, similar to that describing a trajectory curve, for which I can calculate the offsets at any point along its length. Then for fairing, since I have precise calculated dimensions at least every 1 to 2 feet, I need a batten no more than 4 feet long; which can be served by any number of consisent flexible materials at hand.