Stapleless Construction

Rod Koozmin · Post by **Rod Koozmin** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 2:17 pm

When I made my first Wee Lasssie someone advised me to put a slot about 5/8 back of the station molds for spring clamps.And so using spring clamps and a length of bungee cord I was able to construct it without a single staple! Honestly. Forthis reason I prefer the 1/2 inch plywood as it holds the slots. I don't know if particle board would hold up.

I plan to do the same for my Freeedom 17 which I just ordered-Rod

guest · Post by **guest** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:23 pm

could you describe a bit more thouregly the process you used for stapleless design, it doesnt sound like the one in canoecraft, and i am intrigued by the idea of not having to use staples. Thanks.

Glen Smith · Post by **Glen Smith** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:33 pm

Hi Rod, I have seen the routed groove method but I haven't tried it yet. One method I have tried is to add a piece of "trim" on the mold face which has been shaped along with the edge of the mold. This trim piece is about 3/4" wide and provides the gripping surface for the spring clamps. So, it is similar to the groove except it is external.

I got this from the book "Illustrated Guide to Wood Strip Canoe Building" by Susan Van Leuven".

Rod Tait · Post by **Rod Tait** » Tue Oct 12, 2004 7:46 pm

I use the routed groove on all my forms, but I mostly use it for decorative designs laid into the deck of kayaks. Some of the methods are described on my seb site where you can print it out for yourself. Simply go to the "How To" page of the site.

http://www.orcaboats.ca

Bill in Louisiana · Post by **Bill in Louisiana** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 11:27 am

I used the method that Glen described, atttach a trim piece set back for the edge of the mold. I made mine about a 1/2 " or so wide all around one face of the mold. Wide enough to take screws. This gives a good junction to use spring clamps. You will need some clamps, cann't do without them all together. One little trick that I used for pulling the strips in tight was nylon twine. I constructed my Redbird with the cove side up. I like this better because it is easier to put the glue into a cove up strip. I then used short pieces of 1/4" dia. dowels, inch or two long. I put the dowel in the cove, used the nylon twine to loop around the strips and pull tight and tie off.
The dowel will protect the cove. I like this method because you can use as many as you want, some areas may need more pulling down than others. When the glue drys, just untie or cut the nylon twine, which is what I did, too much trouble untying. I found this worked well and it is cheap. I made up as many pieces of twine, with a loop in one end, as I thought I might need, at least one for each mold station.
Hope this helps

DaveH_Wis · Post by **DaveH_Wis** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:12 pm

I used c-lamps with 3/4 plywood -L- brackets, a few bungee cords and masking tape streched over 1/4" dowels between each station. I used 2-1/2 60 yard rolls of tape. I glued the strips cove up until I reached the waterline. I machined a 3/8" strip of walnut with a bead on each side so the balance of the strips were glued with the cove down. The result was very tight joints. The bungee cords were used mainly on the ends and to keep the srips tight against the forms.

Dave H
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/daveharde ... m=78fb.jpg

Erik, Belgium · Post by **Erik, Belgium** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 10:15 am

hi, I used a groove in my stations. I still use bungees or just masking tape (!!!) to keep strips tightened (works really well and cheap too)

Matthew Bryant · Post by **Matthew Bryant** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 9:32 am

A recent poster recommended using monofiliment fishing line in addition to bungees to hold each strip in place. You leave the fishing line in place as you continue to strip the boat. When the hull is finished, you cut the lines at the bottom of the forms and pull them through the hull.

I decided to experiment with this technique on a couple of strips on my Wee Lassie II (my first boat). The result? I've gotten more strips on the boat in the past 2 days than I have in the past 2 weeks. This technique is nearly as fast as stapling. It might be faster, since it's not a battle to get the strips that twist at the bilge into place. You just rope them into place, and they stay put.

The line does cut into the bead of your strips. However, the cove of the next strip covers it completely. I pulled out the line on the first couple of strips I did. I can't tell where the fishing line was.

The only down side I see is that the constant downward force of the line may overcome the lateral force of your bungees and pull the hull away from the form in places. You could correct this with some sort of structure between the forms that you could hook the line to every other loop, thus assisting the lateral pull of the bungees.

Overall, I'd say this technique rocks.

Matthew

Rick in Pender Harbour · Fri Oct 15, 2004 10:07 am

Good morning Matthew'
Glad to hear you're trying the fishing line method. I have found that the hull doesn't pull away from the moulds if you drive a few screws into the suface of the forms and take a turn around the screw as you work your way up the hull. If you leave the scrws out, the hull will start to bulge out as you turn around the bilge. The only downside I have found is that the shear pulls inwards as you finsh stripping, because of the collective force of all the fishing lines.. It seems to straighten out when the line is cut and removed. If you need a picture of this, I have some, just don't know how to post them here.. someone posted a couple for me a month or so ago.
rgds

rick

Bayport_Bob · Post by **Bayport_Bob** » Fri Oct 15, 2004 10:01 pm

Hey Rik send me your photos & I'll host them on my site for you and post them here.

bob@superbob.org

-Bob

Matthew Bryant · Post by **Matthew Bryant** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:45 am

Hi Rick,

I have found that the hull doesn't pull away from the moulds if you drive a few screws into the suface of the forms and take a turn around the screw as you work your way up the hull.

That sounds like a really good idea. Unfortunately, it's a little late. I'm about to start work on the "football." Once things really got moving, I guess I got a little eager.

It's not too bad, really. I'm about an eight of an inch out on two forms. Fortunately, the very slight bulge is on both sides of the boat, so it's symmetrical. That makes it a design modification, not a mistake

Seriously, the bulge is so slight, a little judicious fairing should make disappear on the outside. The dip on the inside will be inside the bulkhead. All told, it worked out pretty well. As learning experiences go, I've had worse.

Thanks,
Matthew

Bayport_Bob · Post by **Bayport_Bob** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:58 pm

Here are Rick's Fishing Line Pics:

-Bob

Tommy · Post by **Tommy** » Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:00 pm

Someone on the old forum mentioned pegboard and rubber bands as an alternative stapleless method and I tried it with good effect for my first and only canoe. You can see pics here
But it is time consuming and I guess most stapleless methods are when compared to stapling. The good thing about the pegboard is the unlimited number of anchor points and the flexibility for increasing or decreasing tension. I used pegs as well as bolts for anchor points. The rubber bands were sliced up truck inner tubes. Bungee chords would work just as well if you have enough of them. I was able to glue2-3 strips at a time with this method.

The pegboard forms held up fine for one boat but I don't know if I would reuse them for a second. The pegboard was the stronger stiffer grade from the local lumber store. The cheaper stuff might not be up to the task.

pwstndrf · Post by **pwstndrf** » Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:23 pm

I am building my first stripper, a 16' Peterborough. Just finished the mold and inner stems this weekend. I have decided to go "stapleless".
I am planning to use rubberbands and bungy cords. I drilled each mold plate and glued 1/4" dia x 3" lg. wood dowel pins every three inches from the sheer line to the keel line. They are about 1" back from the edge of the molds. I figure to cross the bands from one dowel across the strip to the opposite side of the mold plate to an adjacent dowel. Has anyone out there tried this? If so am I asking for trouble?
Looking at the pics of the fishing line technique, it looks like it may be one way to supplement the rubber bands. Looks like the line is "wrapped" along the length of the canoe. What size (weight) line, 6 lb, 8 lb or larger.
Also I am looking at adding a 7/8" wide accent strip (mahogany-aspen-mahogany), where is the best place to put it?

Michel vd Hoven · Post by **Michel vd Hoven** » Mon Nov 01, 2004 9:29 am

I would like to mention the Martin Step (Green Valley Boat Works) Method for stapeless building.

See the "builders Notes on his homepage:
http://www.greenval.com/FAQnostaples.html
His homepage shows the building method in great detail. I think this seems to be a very good and professional method.

The Bear Mountain Boat Shop