False stem
When I was steaming and gluing oak false stem things didn’t go as smooth as I would like to. Slats were gliding under clamps, glue squeeze out obstructed view - it was a mess. I should have used guiding jig to hold the whole company in place.
It turned out quite OK anyway but after rough plaining, to remove excess glue, none of side faces was perpendicular to the front or back face. I had to re-establish proper center line. I marked desired mounting holes and assumed that back face (one which will be glued) is the reference surface. Holes drilled on precision jig in a proper workshop.
I use 6mm thick, long bronze screws. Not only they will reinforce the stem but will act as a guide and clamp when gluing.
Lots of eye-balling to fit the part exactly in the center. Pre-drilled holes in false stem used as guide for drilling into the stem. I was lucky - all four holes landed exactly in the middle of the stem. Dry-fitting raw assembly for marking the centerline and parts to be cut off.
I used screw holes as a reference for the centerline.
After dry-fitting brass protective strip I could draw fore face of the false stem. All the rest will be beveled to create cutwater and match the hull shape.
I was lucky with the weather today so the work could be done outside. Scrub plane followed by spoke shave and smoothing plane as last. After shaping the whole lamination was sanded.
While waiting for the stove to heat up the workshop I ripped Siberian larch plank which will become false keel. I will mark and shape it tomorrow - it needs to have centerboard opening and some curves to nicely land on stem and skeg.
I decided to use my “standard” epoxy (WEST 207 hardener) instead of WEST Flex.
I usually use Flex when I glue oak but in this case the whole stem area is one big open grain - with plywood stem and all planks which land on it. I wanted to properly soak these surfaces with thin epoxy so standard, non-thinned glue was best suited to the task. Flex is too thick - honey consistence.
I don’t know if both epoxies are compatible - so that I can pre-wet the joint with 207 and then use Flex to glue - so I took no risks.
As always - oak got sanded with coarse paper and cleaned with acetone prior gluing. I also sanded all planks close to the stem - easier now, before false stem is mounted.
Masking tape on all adjacent surfaces and I spread the glue.
All went smooth thanks to four guiding screws. Lots of squeeze out which I had no usage for this time… I always feel bad when I waste this expensive goo.
Just as I was finishing it started to rain. I’m glad I used weather window well this morning.