In this strip planking series, we will take a look at how we have used WEST SYSTEM® Epoxy to utilize less than ideal wood and look at ways of building boats with wood that will be low maintenance and age gracefully. Since working safely with epoxy has allowed me to have a long career using it, you will hear a lot about safety. Continue reading
Bob, my brother-in-law, has a beautiful yard that he has set in a nautical theme. He had been looking at lighthouse plans and asked if I was interested in helping build one with WEST SYSTEM® epoxy. All the plans that he looked at were for flat paneled six or eight-sided lighthouses built with plywood. I was interested in a project that was a bit more challenging and unique, so I suggested we build a stripped plank version. That way the tower could be round and tapered like many of the popular lighthouses around the world and it would differ from the flat-sided variety often seen in people’s yards. Bob liked the idea, so he went online and found photos of lighthouses that he liked. In the end, we based our design on the Marblehead lighthouse located on the southwestern shore of Lake Erie. Continue reading
Endeavor 17′ stripper kayak. Designed by Steve Killing, Built by Ted Moores. Photo by Ted Moores
18′ canoe–John Yother/Whistling Moose Studio designer/builder, 1998.
by Captain James R. Watson
Editor’s note: to learn more about building the strip plank mailbox, paddle or clipboard in the featured image (above), see Start off Simple.
Cover Photo: Strip construction is detailed throughout Epoxyworks #10.
We feature strip construction in this edition of Epoxyworks because of the wide range of projects we have seen over the years and the many we support on a daily basis. In most peoples minds, the beautiful, well-built stripper canoe almost defines the technique. But, we’ve also seen strip mailboxes and ships, cars and cradles, airplanes and artwork. The versatility of strip construction is well matched to the versatility of WEST SYSTEM® epoxy. Continue reading
By Captain James R. Watson
Once I went over a small falls in my stripper kayak. At the bottom was broken concrete with rebar in it. I clenched my teeth as the little kayak ground over it—hoping I’d built it tough enough. Fortunately, when I pulled to the bank to inspect the damage, there were only superficial scrapes. Continue reading
By the Gougeon Technical Staff
Strip planking, strip plank laminating, and strip composite may be different methods of construction but they have in common the process of installing strips over frames that define the structure’s shape. These are general guidelines describing the process. Continue reading
If you build enough strip plank projects, at some time or another you will need to bend strips around a curve sharp enough to break the wood strip. Here’s how to make bending the strips possible. Continue reading
There are many ways to hold strip planks in place while the adhesive between them cures. The best method for your project depends on how you plan to finish it, what fastener equipment you have on hand, and how much holding power you need to keep the strip planks in place. Continue reading
Rectangular or square edge strips tend to get out of alignment between mold stations, especially where the bend is tight and the planks have to be forced into position. You can build intermediate mold stations in these areas to support the planks in more places. Continue reading