Building the TotalBoat Sport Dory: Episode 12 - The Stem

In this week's video Lou shows us how he has installed the stem into his TotalBoat Sport Dory mold. He also gives us a peek at his first attempt at steaming a stem and what went wrong there. Once the stem is in position Lou uses a block plane to progressive bevel the stem to accept the planking. He has to be very careful not to take off too much material while constantly checking the angle with a baton in order to make sure the planks will be able to lay down flat against the stem. With the stem in place Lou moves onto the second layer of bottom. Like the first layer the, the second layer will be made of several long planks of thin lumber glued together at the seams. Each piece needs to be passed through the jointer, ripped on the table saw, re-sawn on the band-saw and then finally put through the planer. The pieces are then assembled in reverse order on a working bench where Lou can mix up some TotalBoat 2:1 High Performance Epoxy and spread it on the edge of each piece before bringing them over to the boat and placing them in their final position on the mold.

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[dozer]

Absolutely love the opening scene. I hope you are enjoying making these videos half as much as most of us enjoy watching them. Please don’t let YouTubers discourage you from making these.

[pakde]

, September 2020 here. I can't thank you enough for making these videos, both for the value of preserving knowledge for future generations and the simple pleasure of a relaxing form of entertainment that is pleasing to watch and stimulates the brain in a calm way. There's so much bad stuff going on in our nation and it feels like every day brings even worse news than the day before. So it's really great to have a safe hangout spot where everything is chill and normal.

[waynedoeblin]

Nothing better than watching a true craftsman practicing his craft, excellent entertaining viewing, thanks😊

[mrmudslide]

You are such a craftsman. Not many left with the knowledge and dedication to take the time to truly do it right. Thanks a ton for keeping the craft alive.

[davidh]

Gotta tell ya man you are the most transparent and real person I have ever seen. Your love for boats and woodworking is so obvious with every swipe of a block plane, every touch you make on the structure, even the way you describe her beauty is so real...even the mistakes you make is something everyone can learn from you...like bending the stem all the work and labor you put in and have it fail, but you blame no one and just try again...every video I learn so much from you, yes building a boat sure...but honestly your love and patience is something I am learning from you and I am a young 71 year old...please keep up the work and the videos...I watch them 2 or 3 times in case I missed something. Thank you!

[pamelacoleman]

In life we stumble across things be it a car, a job, or a boat, I am so glad I found this man and his fantastic snippets of boatbuilding techniques.

[richardanderson]

I'm blown away by the experience and knowledge!

[MrChrisKnowlton]

Thank you Lou.  Another really enjoyable segment.  I love seeing you use your sometimes "outside the box" but completely logical approach to all thing boat and building.  Keep em coming!!!  Thanks also to the man behind the camera and the editor, fantastic work!

[StonyRC]

I LOVE this mans deep philosophic approach to his profession - if only more people thought that deeply about what they do along with how and why they are doing it. Innovation truly is the key.

[thehairypotter]

There is just something about using a hand plane to fine tune a piece of wood. Such a satisfying sound! Thanks for sharing this one and keep up the great work.

[ChuckUnderFire]

That is a masterpiece. Pause for some good eats... then thoughts of the Shipwrights.. perfection.

[gregjordan]

Every time I watch these videos I wish I was working along side Lou, what a honor that would be!!

[tomtruesdale]

What a way to start the morning, hot cup of coffee and Lou with a hand plane making the snick, snick snick sound of fine wood working. Very well done. Was wondering if Willow was going to get the last bite.

[terrulian]

We are not taught often enough in school how much intelligence has gone into the craftsmanship that humanity has developed over thousands of years. The inventor of the dovetail was as much of a genius as Bach or Ovid but he or she is lost to history. Now Lou's creative mastery can be preserved and viewed for the foreseeable future. We live in a wonderful age to be able to see not only his workmanship, but his thought process.

[lanesteele]

This guy reminds me so much of my dad and his mannerisms

[tedfarwell]

Worth the wait, as always. Thanks, Lou. I watch each several times because I pick up subtle things each time. So much there to learn.

[arkansas]

A man that can laugh at himself is having too much fun! I'm completely involved with your work process, very enjoyable!
Happy Holidays to you, your family, the video crew and producers enjoy all of them!
....13

[weilandcm]

Thank god. I feared Louis had passed on. Glad he is still with us.

[TheShorebird]

I'm late to the party, but brother, you have me hooked! I can't get enough of these videos. I don't think there is anyone who is anymore genuine a person on the whole internet. Or anyone who is anymore knowledgeable in his particular craft. Lou, you look to be made to teach and be in these videos.

[chris]

Just amazing. You have an incredible talent not only for building boats but also for explaining. Really amazing