Ouch - Removing Stitches !

[Paperbird]

I built a stitch and glue sailing dink. Worried a lot about the same issue, but it was much easier than I thought. Fillet over the stitches, then the next day, the stitches just pull right out. Then the stitch holes fill in when you paint over the fillet with epoxy. No problems at all.

Enjoy!

[nitpik]

- built several small boats with stitch and glue - used fairly heavy nylon fishing line for the stitches - actually, one long, continuous stitch. You can cut off the excess line after the epoxy has set, or not. Stitches not even visible when finished.

[Efraim]

You can heat the SS wire using a cheap 12 volt battery - once you get going it's pretty fast, the wire is very easy to remove, no vice-grips required.

[capt.bobfm]

I have built quite a feu stich and glue boats and after the first half dozen or so, I decided that pulling the wires out (most of 'em would snap off) was a waste of time and gashed nuckles. Now I just leave them there and after gluing the inside, cut them off short and use a grinder to smooth the stubs to thr level of the plywood. Works great ,and in 20 years I haven't seen a single problem with a seam.

[SkiprJohn]

I've stitched with wire but the next time I'll use strands of fiberglass from cloth or fine roving. Never have to worry about removing the stitches that way.
kind regards,

[bobconnie]

Wire tyes wire tyes !! LOL snip off and finish up !! Easy peasy Bob and Connie

[44'cruisingcat]

Instead of wire I used plasterboard screws and a cordless drill/driver. Just screwed them out when the glue was set, and filled the holes when taping.

You can re-use the screws over and over.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Instead of wire I used plasterboard screws and a cordless drill/driver. Just screwed them out when the glue was set, and filled the holes when taping.

You can re-use the screws over and over.

But but... where did the screw go exactly??

ciao!
Nick.

[44'cruisingcat]

Through the corner of the join. Not difficult at all.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

Through the corner of the join. Not difficult at all.

You mean the two parts overlapped? That wasn't the case with the dinghy I built, which were plywood pieces but-jointed so really need stitches.

ciao!
Nick.

[44'cruisingcat]

The material I was using was 18 - 20 mm thick. But IMO it would also work with thinner material - instead of drilling the hole for the wire, just substitute a screw for the drill bit.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

The material I was using was 18 - 20 mm thick. But IMO it would also work with thinner material - instead of drilling the hole for the wire, just substitute a screw for the drill bit.

I'm sorry but how is a screw going to hold two pieces together when you can only screw it into one of the two? The stitch and glue method is used to pull two pieces together to a butt joint. The two pieces of thin plywood are stacked, drilled and stitched; then they are opened like a book, normally resulting in compound curves with a lot of tension, and fixed in the desired position. That is when the fillets are put in, stitches pulled out, holes closed, fiberglass tape over the fillets etc.

ciao!
Nick.

[44'cruisingcat]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

I'm sorry but how is a screw going to hold two pieces together when you can only screw it into one of the two? The stitch and glue method is used to pull two pieces together to a butt joint. The two pieces of thin plywood are stacked, drilled and stitched; then they are opened like a book, normally resulting in compound curves with a lot of tension, and fixed in the desired position. That is when the fillets are put in, stitches pulled out, holes closed, fiberglass tape over the fillets etc.

ciao!
Nick.

It worked for me. But I guess like always you know more about me and my boat than I do......

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by 44'cruisingcat

It worked for me. But I guess like always you know more about me and my boat than I do......

I do indeed... use the Force etc. !

But seriously, you could just explain how you stitched 20mm thick panels with screws. I am thinking you put them in under an angle to go from the face of part A into the edge of part B ? That would obviously not work with the 4mm plywood often used for the stitch and glue projects... So yes, I think you are talking about something else than the method under discussion here... the 20mm thick panels hint me to that.

ciao!
Nick.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

I do indeed... use the Force etc. !

But seriously, you could just explain how you stitched 20mm thick panels with screws. I am thinking you put them in under an angle to go from the face of part A into the edge of part B ? That would obviously not work with the 4mm plywood often used for the stitch and glue projects... So yes, I think you are talking about something else than the method under discussion here... the 20mm thick panels hint me to that.

ciao!
Nick.

Same method, different scale. Drywall screws make perfect sense to me for much thicker ply than normally used for stitch and glue, ie for a much bigger boat build. Obviously it wouldn't work for the kayak and dinghy sized ply. Why you would ever want to build a boat that size in stitch and glue is a different question.