Removing Stitches

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Removing Stitches

Postby Brent65 on Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:34 pm

PS builders,
I’ve read in the build manual that all the stitches should be removed on PS. I’ve never removed stitches before when building boats, but instead simply filleted right over them. I can’t come up with a good reason to remove them. Has anyone left stitches in? Why remove them? So much faster to fillet over them and file hull side flush when finishing the hull. Am I missing something?

Brent
Brent Butikofer
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Re: Removing Stitches

Postby [email protected] on Sat Nov 06, 2021 5:31 am

You really need to use steel wire. I would worry about it rusting.

Doug
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Re: Removing Stitches

Postby SMHolmans on Sat Nov 06, 2021 9:15 am

Yep, they all need to come out. You need to use strong steel wire to pull the panels together. If stitches are imbedded in epoxy just warm them with a heat gun and they come out easily.
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Re: Removing Stitches

Postby JonLee on Sat Nov 06, 2021 10:56 pm

If left in, the wire stitches will expand and contract with changes in temperature and will eventually poke their way out.

Smaller boats like kayaks can get stitched with copper wire, and I've heard that it is ok to leave copper wire stitches in. The copper is much softer than steel wire, so I guess the theory is that it'll have a hard time pushing through the epoxy it is entombed in. Not wanting to test that, I've always diligently pulled all the wires, even in boats I've stitched with copper.
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Re: Removing Stitches

Postby Brent65 on Mon Nov 08, 2021 9:39 pm

Thanks for the posts.

I'm left with two questions:
1-If the issue is corrosion, why not use stainless or heavy gauge copper?
2-If the issue is the stitches working through the glass, why don't they work through the glass on other sailboats. I don't think Scamp builders are removing stitches, at least I know I didn't and never had an issue of stitches coming through the glass over time. Has anyone ever actually seen this happen? Or is this a theoretical concern?

Best,
Brent
Brent Butikofer
Build Blog: http://www.idahopocketship.wordpress.com
Previous Builds: Scamp, Skiff America 20
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Re: Removing Stitches

Postby Brent65 on Tue Nov 09, 2021 6:50 pm

Just an FYI for other builders:

I emailed CLC inquiring as to why the manual calls for all the stitches to be removed. Their response is found below:
Brent,

As long as they won't rust, you can leave stitches in. What you describe is a lot more work as you'll have to sand the areas over the stitches flush.... The stitches are not structural; they just hold the wood parts together while the epoxy sets up.

I recommend building the boat as designed, but if you want to leave the stitches in that's your call.

Cheers,

Terry.

Terry Otis
Chesapeake Light Craft
"The Best Boats You Can Build"
Tel 410 267 0137
Brent Butikofer
Build Blog: http://www.idahopocketship.wordpress.com
Previous Builds: Scamp, Skiff America 20
Never Stop Exploring
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Brent65
 
Posts: 48
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2014 1:55 pm


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