A little help rabbeting this stem, please...

[HarryH]

Below is a sketch of a waterline section of my laminated stem....notice the siding of the stem is 4", but the rabbet line matches that of the keel, which is sided 3" (the strip planked garboard is beveled to lie flat against the 3" keel).

I am not sure how to begin to cut this rabbet...should I bevel the cutwater first? Or should I bring the whole stem down to 3" forward of the rabbet line first? Seems I need to see the rabbet line at its proper siding to begin cutting...I'm a bit uncertain here, and dread screwing it up.

Most of the books I've seen show a much simpler layout, that is the rabbet and bearding lines at the same siding. Seems the designer wanted a greater land for the planks or such, to use this arrangement:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid198/pb48041154ed60405798c0b0d6dc986b2/f0d61750.jpg

I welcome any and all suggestions from those who have any experience with this.

Much thanks,

H

[John Bell]

Since it is laminated, why not make the stem and cutwater separately? That way, instead of cutting a rabbet you are simply beveling the stem. After the boat is planked, you can then laminate the cutwater in place over the hood ends of the planking.

http://mistermoon.home.mindspring.com/f0d61750.gif

[ 12-30-2005, 10:51 AM: Message edited by: John Bell ]

[willmarsh3]

Have you laminated the stem yet?

On the shellback dinghy there is in essence a stem arrangement very similar to this. However, construction is accomplished by building the stem as two parts - an inner stem an an outer stem. The pieces are laminated with plastic sheet between the two so they can be separated. Then the inner stem is beveled for the planking. After the boat is planked the plank ends are sanded flush with the inner stem. Then the outer stem is glued on permanently and beveled.

This is covered in WB #116 pp 51.

Hope this helps.

Will

[HarryH]

Dawn breaks on Marble Head.....

You know, someone else suggested this, but I felt it would not work....even though the designer in his notes said "leave off the last three laminates...bevel what you have to the bearding line, and add the last three later"....

Well that did not seem to work, because leaving off the last three still put me at the rabbet line, and since I planned on cutting the 'hood ends' of the planks square, just like I see in Seward, Rossel, etc., I would have had one too many layers on for this to work.

If I cut them on the slant as you have depicted (and both suggested), it WILL work..

Sometimes you just need someone to chip in with another .02. And thanks for the drawing.

I have tormented myself with this from the beginning of the project. I kept it till nearly last: I have all the frames sawn, erected and beveled, the keelson bolted in, transom framed and erected, etc....I have been turning this stem rabbet over in my mind constantly it seems..

Incidentally, this is a 23' downeast powerboat designed in the mid 60's whose creator has passed on, and although the spirit of the plan is an attempt at accomodating the non-professional where possible, I sure wish I had the guy's help.

The help available on this forum is priceless..at some point I am going to upload progress pics.

Thanks,
H

[Chan]

Harry
Again I suggest, run the strips wild at the stem, when the planking is done use a sharp pull saw cut them flush with the structural stem and epoxy and screw a false stem covering the hood ends and shape it as desired

[Chan]

Harry
The other alternative would be the traditional way, loft the rabbet and the bearding line. Check them with battens. chisel a notch till the batten lies fair, repeat several times, plane between the notches,connect the dots la la la