Stem thickness

bert304 · Post by **bert304** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 3:51 pm

I have a question about the thickness of the strips to make up the stems. The question I have is has anyone tried to make the stems from 1/8 thick material and use 12 on each end. The way I was thinking of making them is to use 3 pieces for the inside stems at 1/4 inch each. then use 6 for the outside stems at 1/8 each. I was thinking of doing this because I was going to alternate Birch and Cherry. So when I shape them I might have an interesting pattern.

Also Has anyone use Birch for the inside stems? I have enough left over from my sons bed that I built for him.

Big Woody · Post by **Big Woody** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 6:52 pm

I made my outside stems out of 3/16ths inch lamination of red oak. I never steamed anything. I just wet them down with hot water bent them around the form and let them dry there. At 3/16ths the oak would just make the bend dry without breaking. After the hot water and drying in place the strips were fairly bent but sprung back a little when released from the form. I decided it was good and then glued them all on.

Then I shaped them.

I think my stems turned out fine. A thinner lamination of 1/8th of an inch would have made things a bit easier. And would certainly not have to be steamed.

Due to inside stems of my own design my outside stems start at about an inch wide and are 1 and 5/16ths inch thick with seven 3/16ths strips used.

David James · Post by **David James** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 7:31 am

Hi Bert,

I actually made the outer stems on my F17 with five layers of birch and cherry. I have a nice photo on Photobucket:
http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a147/ ... 17_IMG.jpg

Maybe this helps you decide how to layer yours, or maybe I'm too late. I don't check in too often...

Dave

bert304 · Post by **bert304** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 10:35 am

I am going to bend my stems today I am doing the reverse of yours David James I am going with 3 Cherry and 2 Birch

bert304 · Post by **bert304** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 3:16 pm

Well I set up my steamer and I bent my stems. It was not to bad, I have them clamped and I am leaving them over night to dry. I will do the other stem s tomarrow.

waterlover · Post by **waterlover** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 4:36 pm

I used 1/8" strips for both inner and outer stems. There was no need to steam them before bending them, but I did soak them in the bathtub for about 15 minutes before bending. I experimented with bending one piece without soaking, and it bent OK, but the next morning it had snapped in two! Using the 1/8" strips was easy to work with, but I did epoxy the inner and outer stems 1 day apart. With a second set of hands, both could be done at the same time The outer stem actually looks quite good with thin laminations. After I shaped the inner stems (after soaking), I taped them with clear hockey sock tape to the stem mold and then shaped the outer stems over them...maybe a bit more work, but it was pretty easy and not messy. After gluing and drying the inner stems, I put clear packing tape over a dried inner stem and so there was no problem with sticky epoxy on it when adding the outer stem gluing.

bert304 · Post by **bert304** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:10 pm

I have a question about shaping the inner stems, In the book it says to shape the inside of the inner stem before you put in on the stem mold on the strong back, so it looks good from the inside. How much do you shape then ? Do you just round it over or just a slight cure all the way around the inside?

Snowman · Post by **Snowman** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 8:13 pm

bert 034,

I did two things to my inner stems:

a. bevel the end so that it is not as intrusive; and

b. use a 1/8" (if I recall correctly) roundover bit on the bevel and part way up the stem to approximately where the hull will become narrow enough to remove the outer extremity.

You can see some good pics and a bit more discussion here:

http://www.bearmountainboats.com/phpbb2 ... stem+round

Snowman

bert304 · Post by **bert304** » Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:20 pm

thank you that helps alot. Do you have any more pics of you canoe I like the design on it?

Snowman · Post by **Snowman** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:13 pm

The photos are from Glen Smith's creation. I did not take the time to do a complex design on my canoe. Glen does fantastic work!

Glen - over to you...

Snowman

Glen Smith · Post by **Glen Smith** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:36 pm

Hey Snowy, where are you located now?

Bert the pic of the inboard end is from Ealger's website, the others show how I round over the inner edge and inboard end of the inner stems. Only the more horizontal portion requires rounding over and I just did mine by hand with sandpaper. My inner stems are Northern White Cedar, easy to shape.