• Happy Weed Appreciation Day! 🌱🌿🌻

Outer stem thinner than inner stem plus two strips

Joined
Feb 24, 2023
Messages
3
Reaction score
1
Hi there,

I am building my first canoe and just met a problem. My outer stem turns out being thinner than shaved inner stem plus the two strips. However, I have already finished the planking. Is there anyway to fix this?
 
If you could post a picture, it would be helpful. Generally speaking, the out stem gets mostly planed or sanded down to to the hull level, so a thinner outer should not pose a problem.
 
Mem is correct a pic would help ... in my mind, with your description, it sounds like you didn't draw in the middle 1/4" target lines to do the initial shaping for the strips to fall on. If the inner and outter where done as a pair, they should both be the same width.

The solution may end up being redoing the outter in a wider format, but without a pic to show us, it's all speculation.

Brian
 

CB, I'm not a builder so I can't answer your question, but I would like to welcome to site membership! Feel free to ask any questions and to post messages, photos and videos in our many forums. Please read Welcome to CanoeTripping and Site Rules! Also, please consider adding your location to your profile, which will cause it to show under your avatar, as this is in many ways a geographic sport. We look forward to your participation in our canoe community.

I agree pictures would help our builders to evaluate your problem. Are you outside North America?
 
@memaquay @Cruiser @Glenn MacGrady I wish these two photos can help.

Also, another question. what am I supposed to do if the staples break in the wood? Can I still pull staples out if they were glued by epoxy resin together with the wood?
 

Attachments

  • 24843B1F-962B-42A3-A9EF-F0A03FC5C93A.jpeg
    24843B1F-962B-42A3-A9EF-F0A03FC5C93A.jpeg
    99.9 KB · Views: 35
  • EBFCD239-97D2-437A-993F-5FEEF911F316.jpeg
    EBFCD239-97D2-437A-993F-5FEEF911F316.jpeg
    65.5 KB · Views: 35
I see your concern now. The outer stem is a bit thin, but it still might work. Once you glue it on you should be able to blend it together with the strips by sanding.

Staples do sometimes break, I try to carefully dig the pieces out enough to pull them out with needle nose pliers. It is best to get them out.
 
@memaquay @Cruiser @Glenn MacGrady I wish these two photos can help.

Also, another question. what am I supposed to do if the staples break in the wood? Can I still pull staples out if they were glued by epoxy resin together with the wood?
not too uncommon a problem, often the outer stem is a little thinner and all you need to do is fair in the last inch or so (the inner stem adds plenty of strength and rigidity) of the hull to match with a block plane, it can actually sharpen up the bow entry line a bit as you're thinning down that stem to match the angle, or conversely you can fair it to a blunt point for rockier waters simply by rounding it back from the centreline. Just make sure that the fairing doesn't extend back past the inner stem by much because that can create a weak spot
 
Doesn't look like much of an issue and it could be resolved when you shape that outer stem. I think the best approach would be to attach the stem and get it centered, with equal gap on either side (see link 1). Carry on and do the regular shaping (link 2), this will leave you with a slight depression where the stem meets the hull, sharpen/steepen the angle a bit past fair for those last few inches until that depression is flush. I suggest the 2 step approach, to help you control how much gets thinned at the stem and it will be easier if you start with a shape that is fair and just needs a bit of additional shaping to get rid of that depression.


On my last build I did include attaching that outer stem here (post #77)


and a little later a discussion on shaping the outer stem here

 
I had some staples break off on my first build. I used the finest nail set I had, and set the broken staple below the surface of the planking. I filled these very small holes with a mixture of wood glue and cedar dust, with just a drop or two of water to get it to peanut butter consistency. Finished the outside of the hull. Fairing, Sanding, Glassing, etc. When I pulled it off the forms to flip it over, I loosened the forms that still had staples stuck in them from the strong back, and flipped the hull with these forms still in place. I kept track of which forms still had staples. I was mostly stapleless on my build, but still used a few here and there. I was able to easily pull the staple stubs through from the inside with a needle nose pliers.

Beginner: I'm certainly no expert, with exactly one canoe under my belt. If you haven't already looked at the Lightweight Solo Tripper Build by Cruiser, I HIGHLY recommend you check it out. I read it, and re-read it. I still missed some really good advice on my first (and only) build.
 
I really like that thinking kliff, pushing the staple on through ... if I used staples, I would definitely do that. Much cleaner than trying to dig them out and likely a lot less repair afterward.
 
I small pair of medical hemostats, the kind that lock, works very well to get around the staple and pull the broken one out from the exterior as well. I use drywall screws though, so I'm not that concerned about filling holes with wood filler.
 
Back
Top