Lamination Demo - Additional Information

[MarkR]

Online Tutorials:


From Off Center Harbor (subscription site)
How to Build a Caledonia Yawl, Part 6 – Laminating the Stems
http://www.offcenterharbor.com/videos/how-to-build-a-caledonia-yawl-part-6-laminating-the-stems/

The ‘Caledonia Yawl’ series is excellent.  This is a good primer on forming a stem with laminations.  Unfortunately, OCH is a subscription site so it will cost you money.


‘Tips from a Shipwright’ YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Fp6mANtDs

Love this guy.  Lou Sauzedde is the shipwright in the Jamestown Distributors how-to videos.  Very knowledgeable and never makes a false move.  Uses the “Old Man Method.”


“Laminating the Stem” by ‘Traditional Maritime Skills’ YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8aFr0OWsNc

This 8 part series of videos takes you through laminating and shaping a stem for a small boat.  It takes some time but is very thorough and well worth the time.

[MarkR]

Please excuse the formatting.  This is the only way I could post this information on the forum.

September 17, 2016
Mark Ramsby


A. Why a lamination?
Stronger than a sawn frame or stem
Relatively economical use of material

B. Building the laminating jig
Cut the form or make the blocks
Flat mounting plate
Allow for clamp clearance

C. Selecting and preparing the stock
Eastern White Oak
Mahogany
CVG Fir
Boatbuilding Lumber handout

D. Stacking the laminations
Alternate direction
Align carefully

E. Pre-bending the laminations

F. Adhesive
Epoxy
Add microfibers, high density or wood flour to catsup consistency
Epoxy Safety - Minimum long sleeves, nitrile gloves & eye protection.
Some use respirator & Tyvek coveralls

G. Prepare the Jig  
Packing tape is your friend
Clamp it down or chase it around

H. Doing your Lamination on the Jig
Careful with clamping pressure
Align laminates
Be sure to clamp the ends

I. Making a two part stem (inner & outer)
More packing tape

J. Finish the part:
Plane or joint one side
Thickness plane to final thickness

[MarkR]

Here is some more information on the Lamination Demo.  A slide show that gives you a little bit of guidance: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8waeghpa3op6m6r/Laminating%20Stem%20%26%20Frame%20PDF.pdf?dl=0

And a sheet on the structural qualities of some common boatbuilding timbers:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/c44f1p2pyr17n79/Boatbuilding%20Lumber%208.2016%20PDF.pdf?dl=0

Use this as a general guide.  Note that wood is a natural material and will vary based upon many factors.  The structural properties and weights will vary across a typical species.  All of these properties are based upon dry timbers at 12% moisture content and assume clear heartwood.  A knot, bit of irregular grain or inclusion will cause a weaker area in a component.  

Mark

[Charlie43]

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[MarkR]

Hi Charlie,

You are correct: In the past frames, knees, stems, etc.  would be made with wood that "wanted" to go around the corner.  Sometimes a crook, sometimes an air-dried timber which was then steam-bent. My intent in adding that to the outline was to describe the typical 3 piece, glued up stem assembly or a frame which is made of as many as a dozen parts.  All of those joints are weak points.

The glues available in earlier days didn't allow laminating parts with any hope of longevity.  A few months is not enough.   Epoxy as an adhesive has solved a lot of the problems of the modern boat builder. It has also allowed us to laminate parts.  That means that you can build 100 boats and have the parts virtually identical to one another.  They are strong and light and repeatable.

If you are interested, I'll be going through the process as a demo on Saturday 10:00 at the boat shop.  Trying to share what I've learned about making this stuff go around corners.  (The good, the bad and the ugly.)  The more the merrier!  I have a 'raw' finished lamination and its mold along with a finished frame which is ready to go into the boat.  Lot's of photos.

I find that I usually learn more than anyone else when I have to present something like this.  Which is why I do it!  

Cheers!

Mark

[Charlie43]

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[MarkR]

Charlie,

I'm excited to see your new craft.  The slight 'v', the light weight.  It's looking really sweet.  That thing is about the same weight as my lightweight canoe!  Wow!

Yes, the markets are a bit twitchy and worth paying attention to.  Presidential election years are never smooth and this one may be bumpier than most, I fear.  We can be forgiven for paying attention to our nesteggs while neglecting our boatbuilding.

Mark

[Charlie43]

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[MarkR]

At Port Townsend last weekend, I saw some incredible 'Skin on Frame' work.  A 14' pulling boat weighing less than 40#.  Kayaks in the 20's.  Wow!  The amazing part was that they were good boats.  

Now the whole thing about the elitism of wooden boats...I'm conflicted about that.  I think that at some point, wooden boats go over the top.  But I also feel that wooden boats can be approached as a traditional craft.  Craft, when approached with a certain passion, becomes art.  Is that wrong?  Personally, I don't think so, but then we all draw our own lines and follow our own rules.

The wooden boat is a craft that resonates with some of us.  We respond to it as a craft, a sea-going vessel and sometimes as a piece of art.  

I can say that for me, the wooden boat is a little bit of magic.  We all make it our own.  They are all unique.  We  do what we can to make our wooden boats our own.  Sometimes the boat needs to be a workhorse.  Sometimes a racehorse, sometimes a fisherman and sometimes an explorer.  That wooden boat can be a piece of art for you, a working boat for me.  That's what's so great!  It can be what we need it to be.

That's my case and my love for the wooden boat.

Mark

[MarkR]

Randy Torgerson suggested belt sanding the raw laminations to remove the excess epoxy from the edges of the laminations.  I tried it this afternoon and it is a great technique!  A few swipes with the belt sander removes most of the excess epoxy.  Then a few passes with my trusty #4 and it was absolutely clean and flat.  Flipped it over and did the other side, now it's all ready for the thickness planer.  This took very little time and it didn't dull the blade of my plane.

This is a great tip, Randy!  Thank you.

Mark