New Year Build

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Jim Dodd
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New Year Build

Post by Jim Dodd »

2015 New Build.[img]
IMG_0049.JPG
[/img]
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Jim Dodd
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Jim Dodd »

IMG_0050.JPG
another try, for a better pic
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Grumple
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Grumple »

Nice! What model canoe is it?
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Jim Dodd
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Jim Dodd »

This design is a combination of several designs.
It started out as Bob Brown designed Pirate, a solo. I added tumblehome, rockered the stems a little, and made it asymetrical(center form is 5" aft of center).Image

Jim
Last edited by Jim Dodd on Fri May 08, 2015 8:21 am, edited 3 times in total.
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canoecrafter
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New Year Build: Laminated stems?

Post by canoecrafter »

Does the blue tape on the stem mold conceal a laminated stem piece?

If you're building without separate stem pieces, see Canoecraft by Ted Moores (available at Amazon) for detailed instructions on making laminated stems. Stripping up a canoe with laminated stem pieces makes the stripping job immeasurably easier and yields a much stronger and better-looking boat.

I make laminated stems right on the stem mold and use the same cedar and waterproof Titebond III glue that I use for the strips, so there are no extra materials to procure. If you use 1/4"-thick laminations in cedar, ash, or white oak for the stems, you don't need to soak or steam those flexible woods to make the bends on most canoe or kayak stems. So you're dealing with dry wood and you can glue up the laminated stems the night before you start stripping the boat.

I've built canoes both ways, and since I found how fast and easy it was to make laminated stems, I never went back to stemless construction.
When people figure out what's important in Life, there's gonna be a big shortage of canoes.
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Patricks Dad
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Patricks Dad »

I'm pretty sure Jim Dodd has a copy of Canoecraft and has read it. It's a great book. Look for the new revision of Canoecraft this Spring. I build with laminated stems too but generally steam and bend them on the forms (cedar inner and cherry outer stems). Many designs won't allow the sharp bends without steaming but indeed some will. Steaming is quick and easy and eliminates internal stresses left in the structure when not steamed. I've always used (thickened) epoxy for gluing up my stems. It fills any gaps that may exist between the laminations.

Lots of builders do build without stems. Each to their own...
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Jim Dodd
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Jim Dodd »

Hi Canoecrafter
I've been out of town awhile, and just returned home.

I build stemless. I learned this technic from the Minnesota canoe builders. It is simple, and every bit as strong as a canoe built with stems.
Here is a True Story, I hate to share, but here goes.

Late one day, several years ago, I returned from a long hard solo paddle with one of my stemless solo canoes . I loaded my equipment into my truck, loaded the canoe (without securing it) on top of my truck rack, and took off.
The canoe stayed on top for a little over a mile. At a speed of about 40mph, it decides to fly off.
She landed in the other lane of a two lane highway, in front of a SUV.
She immediately flattened the front tire of the SUV, and was crushed into two pieces. Both stems were still in tack, but the canoe was not salvageable. I still have one end in my shop as a reminder to ALWAYS TIE DOWN THE CANOE BEFORE DRIVING AWAY !

I was heart broken, but convinced that stemless construction was strong !!!

Jim
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canoecrafter
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Re: Flying canoes

Post by canoecrafter »

Jim,
I was returning from a paddle with one of the first strippers I built back in the late 1970s. Back then--in the Pre-Epoxy Era--we used stemless construction and polyester resin if we belonged to the MCA . As I was only going a couple miles, I just roped the canoe to my car top carriers and skipped the bow and stern tiedown ropes. I'm Swedish and a slow-learner I guess. At 65 mph, the carriers came loose and the canoe sailed off end-over-end, nearly impaling itself into the windshield of the car behind me. We both stopped and walked over to the canoe with one carrier still attached. I expected a pile of strips, but the damage was almost negligible--one stem badly abraded through the fiberglass and one thwart ripped out, still attached to the other carrier. The stems were undamaged--even with the limited structural strength of polyester resin. That convinced me of the strength of cedarstrip/fiberglass construction.

Now that we use epoxy, the monocoque construction method is even stronger, and I agree with you that interior and exterior laminated stems are probably overkill on all but whitewater canoes. I argue for them mostly because they're fast and easy to make and they make the stripping process so much faster and easier at the bow and stern. As an added benefit, we get to experience the ancient tools and processes of traditional boatbuilders--the spokeshave and steam bending.
When people figure out what's important in Life, there's gonna be a big shortage of canoes.
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Jim Dodd
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Jim Dodd »

Here is where I'm at now.ImageImage
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Jim Dodd
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Jim Dodd »

All stripped up, and staples pulled.
Ready for sanding. Anybody wishing to brush up on their sanding skills is welcome!!Image
Last edited by Jim Dodd on Fri May 08, 2015 8:02 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Jim Dodd
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Jim Dodd »

One more, and that's it !Image[img][img]Jim
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Grumple
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Grumple »

That looks beautiful, Jim! What are the strips that are showing such a clearly defined grain pattern?

Also, holy crap you are a fast builder! I've been stalled for weeks trying to find time to finish my strong back and glue my stems... =P
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Jim Dodd
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Jim Dodd »

Hi Grumple

Thanks !

The strips are just Western Red Cedar. The end grain must have been close to the bottom of the tree. That's my best guess anyway.
As far as time. The strips were left overs from many other canoes. Some over 10 yrs old. They were all milled using my equipment.

Being retired helps a lot, SOME times !

Jim
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Jim Dodd
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Jim Dodd »

Yeah, you'd think that if a guy had a heated shop, he would have had this canoe, glassed and out the door by now. Truth is I didn't want to have resin shipped in those sub-zero temps we were having.

Anyway here's a few shots of Pearl, my New Year build.
This is RAKAs UV inhibited resin. So far it's quite similar to RAKAs 127 resin, and 350 Non-blush hardener.ImageImage
I pour resin in a few marked cups, and only have one pump, and that is in the hardener. Saves time mixing , and prevents me from confusing resin and hardener. That's really not a problem with the color combination. Amazing when the cloth is wet out with the UV inhibited resin. it turns clear. I did a sample test, just for sure. I could tell no difference.Image Image
Image


Jim
Last edited by Jim Dodd on Fri May 08, 2015 8:40 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Jim Dodd
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Re: New Year Build

Post by Jim Dodd »

One more shotImage


Jim
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