Laminating Curved Parts with West System Epoxy

In this video, Mark from Nomad Boat Building walks through the wood lamination process for wooden boat construction, focusing on laminating a stem and transom knee using West System Epoxies. Laminating is a critical technique in traditional and modern boatbuilding, especially when creating strong, stable parts with tight curves that would otherwise require steam bending. Mark explains when and why to laminate, how to design effective lamination molds, how to choose veneer thickness, and how to calculate the correct amount of epoxy for a successful glue-up. You’ll see step-by-step demonstrations of: * Building lamination molds (solid and truss-style) * Cutting consistent veneers safely * Using backing bands and clamps correctly * Performing dry clamp runs * Applying epoxy for optimal penetration * Managing spring-back and final cleanup This is a practical, real-world guide aimed at wooden boat builders, DIY boat projects, and woodworkers looking to master structural laminations for marine use. If you’re building a strip-planked boat, restoring a wooden hull, or learning traditional boatbuilding techniques, this video will give you the confidence to laminate parts that are strong, fair, and long-lasting. 🛠️ Sponsored by West System EpoxiesChosen for their strength, reliability, and long open working time—ideal for complex laminations. Visit West System: https://www.westsystem.com/ 👍 Like, subscribe, and consider supporting the channel on Patreon to help keep these in-depth boatbuilding videos coming. https://www.patreon.com/nomadboatbuilding Chapters: 00:00 Introduction: What Laminating Is and Why It’s Used 02:05 Overview of Laminating the Stem and Transom Knee 02:11 Designing and Building Laminating Molds 05:50 Laying Out and Cutting the Transom Knee Mold 08:37 Band Saw Cutting and Refining the Mold 10:35 Taping the Mold and Adding Clamping Blocks 12:48 Building a Truss-Style Mold for the Stem 14:55 Cutting Veneers for Laminations 17:12 Preparing Laminations and Backing Bands 18:52 Dry Run: Clamping Strategy and Setup 24:16 Calculating Epoxy Quantity 25:30 Steam Bending Veneers for the Stem 26:54 Glue-Up Process Begins 28:10 Mixing and Applying Epoxy 33:28 Clamping the Lamination to the Mold 36:15 Removing the Lamination and Discussing Springback 37:29 Final Thoughts and Outro #WoodenBoatBuilding#BoatBuilding#LaminatingWood#EpoxyBoatBuilding#WestSystemEpoxy#StripPlankedBoat#TraditionalBoatbuilding#DIYBoat#Woodworking#MarineCarpentry#BoatBuilder#WoodLamination#StemLamination#TransomKnee#NomadBoatBuilding My website: https://www.nomadboatbuilding.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nomadboatbuilding/