Bow Sprit

[ghockaday]

Thought I would start over from all of my previous questions. In case you wondered, a Fir sprit weights 8 pounds less than a white oak sprit.

For gluing the DF laminates, from what I have read:

West Epoxy good
Use a filler
scuff with 40 to 60 grit before laminating.
Do NOT use high pressure clamping
mind the ambient temperature

Does this sound correct to ya'll? any other tips?
would any of you still run threaded rod through as a safety precaution?

I do love the smell of the fir, reminds me of cabinets being built in my mom and dad's house in the early 60s.

[jbenagh]

This all sounds good to me. DF takes epoxy very well. Use a fairly light clamping pressure; you don't want to squeeze all the epoxy out of the joint.
I used the SS threaded rod in the same spots as the factory teak bowsprit. If you do that, be careful to put them in places where they will not interfere with fasteners. They also help with assembly. Do you have a planer big enough to run the full assembly through? If so you can get it bolted and glued and then plane it.
Also, on mine, I noticed the center plank was fairly wide and defined the taper. IMO the taper makes a more graceful look and would be worth doing. I cut the taper on the bandsaw and then jointed the faces with a hand plane. The widest spot was in the area where the anchor chain scupper is and the full plank was wide enough to have a solid 1/2 in around that hole.
Also, you probably want to pick through pieces to get the best vertical grain you can. That's pretty easy with DF. Then I'd imagine you want the grain to run vertically so it's like a natural lamination. There may have been a WoodenBoat article on properties of DF by their wood expert.
Good luck with the project!
Jeff

[ghockaday]

This all sounds good to me. DF takes epoxy very well. Use a fairly light clamping pressure; you don't want to squeeze all the epoxy out of the joint.
I used the SS threaded rod in the same spots as the factory teak bowsprit. If you do that, be careful to put them in places where they will not interfere with fasteners. They also help with assembly. Do you have a planer big enough to run the full assembly through? If so you can get it bolted and glued and then plane it.
Also, on mine, I noticed the center plank was fairly wide and defined the taper. IMO the taper makes a more graceful look and would be worth doing. I cut the taper on the bandsaw and then jointed the faces with a hand plane. The widest spot was in the area where the anchor chain scupper is and the full plank was wide enough to have a solid 1/2 in around that hole.
Also, you probably want to pick through pieces to get the best vertical grain you can. That's pretty easy with DF. Then I'd imagine you want the grain to run vertically so it's like a natural lamination. There may have been a WoodenBoat article on properties of DF by their wood expert.
Good luck with the project!
Jeff

Jeff, Thank you for the comments. I do have a plane that I can run it all through.

[John Stone]

I would drill for SS threaded rod. You are not going to have a problem if you use rod. You might if you don’t. Some more steps. Not difficult though.

I would use aerdux 185 but we have already had that conversation. if you want to go with epoxy then sand well with 40-80 grit. I would wet out the surfaces to be glued with neat epoxy first. Then apply thickened epoxy but not real thick. Sort of like ketchup. as long as the best epoxy is not cured before the thick epoxy you will get a chemical bond. I normally let the nest epoxy just start to tack up before I apply the thickened epoxy. You can work the rods into the assembly process or even do it afterwards. You have some choices. Pros and cons.

[ghockaday]

I would drill for SS threaded rod. You are not going to have a problem if you use rod. You might if you don’t. Some more steps. Not difficult though.

I would use aerdux 185 but we have already had that conversation. if you want to go with epoxy then sand well with 40-80 grit. I would wet out the surfaces to be glued with neat epoxy first. Then apply thickened epoxy but not real thick. Sort of like ketchup. as long as the best epoxy is not cured before the thick epoxy you will get a chemical bond. I normally let the nest epoxy just start to tack up before I apply the thickened epoxy. You can work the rods into the assembly process or even do it afterwards. You have some choices. Pros and cons.

Thank you John,
I noted you both mention SS rod? I think I did as well, instead of Bronze? Dee

[John Stone]

I think SS is fine for something like this. It’s what what I use anyway.

[jbenagh]

The original used stainless, threaded rod so I duplicated that.
Jeff

[ghockaday]

debating on whether to cut in the bow roller like the original or going with a stainless roller. Your thoughts?

[jbenagh]

I think it's a matter of what you're willing to pay. I used the Spartan bow roller which is nice but pricey. Alternatives can be good but are kind of anchor- specific.
I'll let others weigh in beyond Spartan.
Jeff

[ghockaday]

I think it's a matter of what you're willing to pay. I used the Spartan bow roller which is nice but pricey. Alternatives can be good but are kind of anchor- specific.
I'll let others weigh in beyond Spartan.
Jeff

I'll take a look at the spartan. I did not think about them. Dee

[ghockaday]

I think it's a matter of what you're willing to pay. I used the Spartan bow roller which is nice but pricey. Alternatives can be good but are kind of anchor- specific.
I'll let others weigh in beyond Spartan.
Jeff

I looked, OUCH! Dee

[ghockaday]

Well, I got a test fit together today with the threaded SS rod. Can't epoxy yet as we just sheared the sheep and I share a shop with my wife's wool. Don't want to take a chance of the wool smelling like epoxy. I think the fir is pretty and it smells so good to work with. I think I am going to go a little longer than the original, the sail hard ware will be in the same place of course but I am going to put the anchor center so I have a better place to fly the spinnaker.

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[ghockaday]

Well, I got a test fit together today with the threaded SS rod. Can't epoxy yet as we just sheared the sheep and I share a shop with my wife's wool. Don't want to take a chance of the wool smelling like epoxy. I think the fir is pretty and it smells so good to work with. I think I am going to go a little longer than the original, the sail hard ware will be in the same place of course but I am going to put the anchor center so I have a better place to fly the spinnaker.

KIMG0397.jpeg

After doing some research on this site I think I'll nix the idea of putting further out and move it more inboard. The discussion made a lot of since. Dee

[ghockaday]

Bow Sprit coming along, the old oak, defiantly oak came off pretty easy. Cape Dory did make it changeling drilling matching holes on the new one. If you mate up the, I not sure what each piece is called, but if you mate up the bottom plate to the part that goes through the slot you can tell it was drilled by hand and tapped after. The holes some of them are a half of hole off. Drilled on angles. Even the large 3/8 bolts that hold down the sprint were drilled from the top, some on five degree angles. So my idea of marking the holes with the old one and bringing my new one home and putting it on the drill press would not work. Another though was that the oak sprit was not original and someone else drilled the holes on angles but that would not explain the two bronze pieces not mating perfectly. Because my holes would have been straight. oh well it is all test fitted and ready to go. I think I am going put on a couple of coats of epoxy first as the fir bruises easily.

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[John Stone]

You have done some good work there. But, I would not put epoxy on it. The wood needs to breath. Epoxy does not expand and contract. Use varnish or paint. It's not going to bruise. Traditional bow sprits are made of Sitka spruce which is far softer than DF.