# homemade wooden frame



## FatmanZ (Sep 15, 2004)

It looks like nobody makes old style oar towers anymore - the type that bolted down in the four corners to wooden raft frames. Creative setup you've got there for the towers.


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

FatmanZ said:


> It looks like nobody makes old style oar towers anymore - the type that bolted down in the four corners to wooden raft frames. Creative setup you've got there for the towers.


You can still buy them for sure... 









Steel Oarlock Stands | NRS


These heavy duty oar mounts are ideal for mounting oars to wood frames.



www.nrs.com


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## athelake (Dec 3, 2014)

It looks like you have long screws holding your butt joints together. You might consider thru-bolting lap joints instead. 

If you have a joint separate you will have some pretty long screws ready to poke a hole in your boat or worse, an appendage or two...

Just my $.02..


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## ArgoCat (May 14, 2007)

Yep. IF you didn't use bolts and 4 prong t nuts you should consider going that route. You want the measurements really exact and you want to sink the T-nuts in the wood on the bottom beyond flush, Then the screw can be flush with the nut or slightly short. After that, caulk it to smooth it out and prevent any rubbing or chafing on the rubber.


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## MNichols (Nov 20, 2015)

FatmanZ said:


> It looks like nobody makes old style oar towers anymore - the type that bolted down in the four corners to wooden raft frames. Creative setup you've got there for the towers.


Recretec does, they put them on their brand new frames today, they are the supplier to NRS as well..



https://www.recretec.com/shop-1/oar-towers


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## Allen_R (Aug 25, 2020)

athelake said:


> It looks like you have long screws holding your butt joints together. You might consider thru-bolting lap joints instead.
> 
> If you have a joint separate you will have some pretty long screws ready to poke a hole in your boat or worse, an appendage or two...
> 
> Just my $.02..


Yeah im just trying to avoid many bolts sticking straight up ready to fall onto or poking my boat the whole time


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## B4otter (Apr 20, 2009)

"trying to avoid many bolts sticking straight up" - countersink them. Lose the screws, accident waiting to happen... also most wooden frames get broken by being dropped on their corners, and yours already vulnerable with the screws.
Admire the oarlock mounting but wouldn't want to get stuck between the bar and the rail... when you have the budget, buy towers. When you rebuild, just use 4 sticks: your two side rails and the crosspieces on top front and back. Put lag bolts through the corners, countersink the nuts (with washer) on top so they're flush, dap with RTV or silicone caulk. 
Make sure bolts are opposed to the corner, not in line with it. Wooden frames were around for years and work just fine! .


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## wayne23 (Dec 30, 2014)

B4otter said:


> "trying to avoid many bolts sticking straight up" - countersink them. Lose the screws, accident waiting to happen... also most wooden frames get broken by being dropped on their corners, and yours already vulnerable with the screws.
> Admire the oarlock mounting but wouldn't want to get stuck between the bar and the rail... when you have the budget, buy towers. When you rebuild, just use 4 sticks: your two side rails and the crosspieces on top front and back. Put lag bolts through the corners, countersink the nuts (with washer) on top so they're flush, dap with RTV or silicone caulk.
> Make sure bolts are opposed to the corner, not in line with it. Wooden frames were around for years and work just fine! .


Use a 1” spade bit an counter sink the top 3/4” then drill 3/8” through both 2x use 2 3/4” long 3/8” carriage bolts, washer an nylon nut


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