Cray pot construction

 G'day all.

Just wondering why on timber cray pots all the battern's are held on with clouts and not screws. Is it just a cost saving thing or is there another reason behind it? 

Reason I ask is that I've got a couple of full jarrah pots that I'm getting ready to use, but they are a bit loose and rickety all over so I want to reinforce them but before I do I wanna make sure I'm doing it rite and not wasting my time. 

Cheers Paul


sea-kem's picture

Posts: 15043

Date Joined: 30/11/09

 I've just reinforced all

Thu, 2014-11-06 13:44

 I've just reinforced all mine with galv countersunk screws Paul. Mine were put together with staples (pine) can't see a problem with using screws.

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Uprights

Thu, 2014-11-06 13:50

Make sure all your upright bolts through out the pot are nice and tight. Lot easier using nails. Especially if you have to replace a batten while you are out there. Never seen a pro use screws!!

Auslobster's picture

Posts: 1901

Date Joined: 03/05/08

Yeah screws are fine...

Thu, 2014-11-06 13:55

...the nails are standard on pro pots due to having to replace battens quickly at sea and it would've trickled down to rec pot construction. Only reason I can see why screws wouldn't be used!

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Date Joined: 18/01/12

you will also find that when

Thu, 2014-11-06 14:12

you will also find that when the wood soaks up and swells they arent so sloppy

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Date Joined: 13/08/11

Throw it in the water first

Thu, 2014-11-06 15:00

Throw it in the water first before tightening things up or the swelling might see you popping everything out of place.. Once soaked just tap the odd nail back into place and she will be good to go for another season.

Westy74's picture

Posts: 225

Date Joined: 23/11/13

 Great question. I just

Thu, 2014-11-06 15:57

 Great question. I just reinforced all mine with screws too ..... I thought it was just because nails are cheap and easy.!!!!

Paul_86's picture

Posts: 1449

Date Joined: 27/03/09

Cool, cheers for the

Thu, 2014-11-06 16:03

Cool, cheers for the clarification guys! 

Got some galv screw laying around so will just use them here needed. After a closer look one of the pots seems to just be a bit of a poor design, so ill beef up and reinforce the frame a bit and should be sweet then.

cheers fellas

hezzy's picture

Posts: 1521

Date Joined: 27/11/09

I usually only use galv nails

Thu, 2014-11-06 18:26

I usually only use galv nails for battens , except on the top frames along the first top batten that holds the bait baskets in there I now use s/steel screws

main reason I do this is , because nails are easy to replace and if you do break a batten , you can rip a nail out of the frame easily , screws by there nature will destroy more of the frame wood if you try to remove them , which you must if you need to re batten a section ,try to remove a screw 2 years from when you put it in , the head usually corrodes even galv etc

nail holes are smaller and another nail will slip in next to an old nail hole easy on the timber frame

hezzy

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carnarvonite's picture

Posts: 8673

Date Joined: 24/07/07

Splits

Thu, 2014-11-06 18:43

If you use screws it splits the battens even if you drill them so galvanised clout with blunt tips are used, same as used for fibrolite sheeting.

Keep a few battens on board and wrap them in a damp rag or bag, makes them easier to nail on and don't bubble when dropped in