This weekend Jacob and I built the stem! Instead of three layers of 3/4" ply we went with one solid 1-1/4" solid Oak center core, sandwiched with two layers of 3/4" ply. This added about 3/4" overall to the width as well as the added strength of solid Oak. We used a quart of epoxy and $15 worth of stainless steel screws. Beefy.
The keel is now completed and laminated. I am going to leave the clamps on for 2 days to make sure that the curing process is completed before releasing the pressure. The thickness is over 2 inches and seems to be quite strong. I will be sinking 6" #12 stainless screws through the keel into the frames for added security. The next step is laminating the stem and attaching it to the keel and front frame.
My new Bastard file came today and WOW! Generally I am a firm believer that power tools are the most efficient means with which to do any job, but I have discovered that sometimes the good old fashioned hand tools do the job even better. I have been struggling with the best way to rough up the white oak and after testing many methods, I have decided that a super sharp Bastard file is the easiest and fastest way to get the job done. Today I roughed up the second lamination of the keel and prepped both mating surfaces for epoxy. This was way better than any sandpaper method I have tried. Tomorrow I will epoxy and clamp the second layer of the keel. So if Brunswick Noah uses big, nasty, machined files, what did the real Noah use?
The stem template has been made and fitted to the bow frames. Eventually it will be three of these plywood stems that are laminated together making it over 2" thick. After making the prototype I have decided to beef up the stem by adding another inch or two in depth. This week I will be ordering a sheet or two of 3/4" marine plywood and should get the stem cut, laminated and installed. As soon as the stem is attached it will be time to run the chine logs. Meanwhile, today I should be able to get the second layer of the keel cut and installed.
The second layer of the keel is underway. I have roughed up the Oak with a bastard file to aid the epoxy in bonding the layers. The White Oak is so hard, that after I plane it, the surface is like glass. Although epoxy will bond to that, it is infinitely stronger to give the glue a rough surface to grip. After filing both sides of the bonding pieces I have the front section of keel attached to the first layer with a generous layer of thickened epoxy, and also screwed all the way through to the frames with 3" #12 305 stainless screws.
The first layer of the keel is epoxied and screwed on to the frames. The strength seems amazing, and with one more solid piece of oak (doubling the keel thickness) it will be super strong. The overall thickness will be over 2 inches before the planking and the skeg. The next step is to install the second layer of the keel, and build the stem.
Today the keel started to go on. I squared up the keel notches in the frames, and cut, planed and spliced the 17 foot long keel board. Since Oak is such a hard wood, I roughed up the contact surfaces so they would hold the epoxy better. The frames got roughed up with a rasp and the keel got roughed up with 60 grit sandpaper. After that I painted on a thin layer of unthickened epoxy so it would soak into the pores a bit and take hold of the wood. Following that I mixed a batch of thickened epoxy to actually do the gluing. After the first layer of the keel was clamped into place I sank 2" #12 305 stainless steel wood screws, (super beastly and thick), cleaned up the squeezed out epoxy and then painted on another thin layer of non-thickened epoxy just to mix everything together nicely. Tons of overkill here, but I won't have to worry about the keel coming off! The next step will be creating the stem. This will be 3 layers of 3/4" marine plywood cut to shape and glued together.
The keel notches are underway with only a few left to do. The best way I have found to cut the corners is to drill a 1/2" hole and then use the jigsaw to slice out the points.
The frames are finally set in place and ready to be notched for the keel. I had to do quite a bit of alligning, adjusting and shimming to get the hull shape the way I wanted it. Somehow everything is level and straight. The next step will be notching the centers of the frames for the keel. The keel will be 4" wide, and 2" thick solid Oak and should stand up to hitting Lake Erie logs at 25mph. The skeg will be fastened to the keel, and will provide an incredibly strong backbone for the boat. The length so far is just over 16', and with the stem on and the motor transom it is looking more like 22' for an overall length. I shortened the space between the frames and lost a little length, but it had to be done to fit the hull in the garage. The stem will be built on the hull while in the garage, but the motor transom will have to be put on after the hull is flipped and out of the garage. We are still aiming for a hull flip at or before fall of this year.
The stem template has been made and fitted to the bow frames. Eventually it will be three of these plywood stems that are laminated together making it over 2" thick. After making the prototype I have decided to beef up the stem by adding another inch or two in depth. This week I will be ordering a sheet or two of 3/4" marine plywood and should get the stem cut, laminated and installed. As soon as the stem is attached it will be time to run the chine logs. Meanwhile, today I should be able to get the second layer of the keel cut and installed.
The second layer of the keel is underway. I have roughed up the Oak with a bastard file to aid the epoxy in bonding the layers. The White Oak is so hard, that after I plane it, the surface is like glass. Although epoxy will bond to that, it is infinitely stronger to give the glue a rough surface to grip. After filing both sides of the bonding pieces I have the front section of keel attached to the first layer with a generous layer of thickened epoxy, and also screwed all the way through to the frames with 3" #12 305 stainless screws.
Today the keel started to go on. I squared up the keel notches in the frames, and cut, planed and spliced the 17 foot long keel board. Since Oak is such a hard wood, I roughed up the contact surfaces so they would hold the epoxy better. The frames got roughed up with a rasp and the keel got roughed up with 60 grit sandpaper. After that I painted on a thin layer of unthickened epoxy so it would soak into the pores a bit and take hold of the wood. Following that I mixed a batch of thickened epoxy to actually do the gluing. After the first layer of the keel was clamped into place I sank 2" #12 305 stainless steel wood screws, (super beastly and thick), cleaned up the squeezed out epoxy and then painted on another thin layer of non-thickened epoxy just to mix everything together nicely. Tons of overkill here, but I won't have to worry about the keel coming off! The next step will be creating the stem. This will be 3 layers of 3/4" marine plywood cut to shape and glued together.
The frames are finally set in place and ready to be notched for the keel. I had to do quite a bit of alligning, adjusting and shimming to get the hull shape the way I wanted it. Somehow everything is level and straight. The next step will be notching the centers of the frames for the keel. The keel will be 4" wide, and 2" thick solid Oak and should stand up to hitting Lake Erie logs at 25mph. The skeg will be fastened to the keel, and will provide an incredibly strong backbone for the boat. The length so far is just over 16', and with the stem on and the motor transom it is looking more like 22' for an overall length. I shortened the space between the frames and lost a little length, but it had to be done to fit the hull in the garage. The stem will be built on the hull while in the garage, but the motor transom will have to be put on after the hull is flipped and out of the garage. We are still aiming for a hull flip at or before fall of this year.
