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Author	Message Text
woodcanoe	11/19/2010 12:10PM   Your choices of wood are great. Ash bends the easiest with steam as you found out. I too feel a canoe without stems looks a little naked. Stems are a must for all wood boats IMO
HighPlainsDrifter	08/23/2010 08:15PM   I am using stems because I like the look of stems on a wooden canoe...... that is the simple answer. I have the builders book from NW canoe
Red Beard	08/23/2010 08:22PM   Ash looks good, is cheap and bends well. Even though I decided not to use outer stems. I bought enough ash for all my stems, both ends, inner and outer. All for five dollars and some change.
bear bait	08/24/2010 04:45AM   quote HighPlainsDrifter: " I am using stems because I like the look of stems on a wooden canoe...... that is the simple answer. I have the builders book from NW canoe " i agree... a stripper without stems looks incomplete.
Cedarboy	08/23/2010 11:36PM   HPD I went back and I read your response to "are they neceesary" HEH you like what you like. What did they use at theNorth House? Why not use that? CB
fishincanoe	08/24/2010 05:23AM   I used cherry laminated stems for Bob's Special. I used a hot plate, 5qt pan with a fitted plywood lid and 1.5" pipe going into a steambox made out of plywood. I left the wood on the forms for two days to dry out before glueing.
Wables	08/24/2010 07:06PM   Here was my steamer. I used white cedar for the inner stems, and cherry for the outer stems.
HighPlainsDrifter	08/25/2010 07:45PM   Cedarboy Ken (our North House instructor) like to laminate with several different colors in the stem. He alternated pine and cedar (for color)and the finished product was pretty but I thought it looked too much like plywood. I wanted one color. So, I believe I will go with pine on the interior (easier to finish it) and ash on the exterior (strength and color). I like the idea of a harder wood on the working ends of the canoe. I may change my plans by tomorrow....... but today, pine and ash ;)
HighPlainsDrifter	08/22/2010 10:53PM   I have started building my NW Merlin. I am at all stop till I get my interior and exterior stems bent. I did a quick test of 1/8" pine laminates to see if I could follow the bow stem of the Merlin with a dry bend...... Not so good. I will need to steam my laminates to bend Need advice: 1) wood for interior stem? Thinking all pine 2) use same on exterior or look for hard wood? 3) thinking of making the electric kettle/stove pipe steamer...... any advice? Forms are done and look to be fair when face to face. I will start a building thread on this soon.
bear bait	08/22/2010 11:09PM   i use pine for the inner stem and either ash or walnut for the outer stem - the ash bends better.
Cedarboy	08/23/2010 07:48AM   Why are you using stems? The plans for the Merlin use stemless. Download the "builders book" for free from NWC www for reference. CB