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First canoe build

I like the skill saw setup also.
Not my best look, but it is quick and easy, well other then my trying to get my back to straighten up afterwards.IMG_20230425_160306356_HDR.jpg
Looking forward to following along.
Roy
 
Thanks for the video

Travis
I hope it helps. I used the table saw on my first build, and it did good, but the boards had to have 2 square sides. I used saw mill lumber, very uneven and far from square. All that didn't matter as much with the skil saw method. With a little attention when ripping, the strips were very consistent.
Roy
 
I went and purchased a bandsaw in hopes of having less wood waste because of its thin blade, however it was a disaster when I tried ripping my first board. I have next to no experience with bandsaws. So I'm sure that's the reason behind the failure.
I ended up using the tablesaw, which seemed to work pretty good but alot of waste. I never even considered a skilsaw. I do have a spare one I could setup for strips, and try it out.

Thanks for the links

Travis
Be sure you Skilsaw, is rated for at leas 13 AMPs. Most now days are 15 AMP.

The Skilsaw method is night and day better than a Band saw, or a Table saw !
Me, some 30+ years ago, cutting strips with a 13 AMP. Makita. That saw is still capable !
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My saws have evolved, over the years. A Vise grip for a handle, and a bucket to keep the saw handy, and off the ground.
This Old craftsman has done a lot of cutting !

IMG_0281_zpsoxusqebj.jpg
 
A tip when Bead and coving your strips. Run your strips Between the fence and the router bit.
First pass will true your strips to identical width !

IMG_3656.JPG
 
Jim,
That's a good tip. I've run all my strips through the router for the first side. I'll setup so they go between the router bit and fence for the opposite side.

Thanks
 
Jim,

As for the skilsaw method, I will definitely try it for the next build. However, I may need to purchase a different skilsaw. The ones I have are 15amp, but they are called wormdrive skilsaws which weigh approx 15lbs as opposed to regular skilsaws at approx 8-9 lbs. Think mine will get very cumbersome after awhile.

On a side note, I'm looking at making some Jimmy clamps. Did you do a thread on how to make them?
 
Yes. A Worm drive is definitely over kill, and a beast when cutting that many strips ! Yes a on the clamps .
Spring clamps !

You may also be interested in the Bungee Cord straps, designed by another canoe builder, with my same name. Crazy I know.
Here is a link to my last build thread, that shows the Bungee clamps. They work great.


A stripper and a composite
Tried to type in stripper, and composite build, but it through it out. Ha.
 
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Yes. A Worm drive is definitely over kill, and a beast when cutting that many strips ! Yes a on the clamps .
Spring clamps !

You may also be interested in the Bungee Cord straps, designed by another canoe builder, with my same name. Crazy I know.
Here is a link to my last build thread, that shows the Bungee clamps. They work great !

Bungee clamps

Tried to type in stripper, and composite build, but it through it out. Ha.
Jim, I think you messed up the second link, it doesn't seem to go to the other JDs clamps.
 
Jim, I think you messed up the second link, it doesn't seem to go to the other JDs clamps.

Thanks Cruiser !
I corrected it, I think ?
The link on the first page, down aways, shows the Bungee cord design, that the Other, Jim Dodd came up with. Again it works great !
 
I corrected it, I think ?
The link on the first page, down aways, shows the Bungee cord design, that the Other, Jim Dodd came up with. Again it works great !

Here is a link directly to the post where Jim Dodd pictures the bungee cord clamps:


Travis, nice shop setup and build beginning!
 
I was very skeptical of the skil saw method. I also have a couple table saws, and certainly I can rip strips better and faster on one of those.

Better? maybe SLIGHTLY more consistent, and I mean slightly. That's assuming you can set your saw up with infeed and outfeed space at least a foot longer than your strips, and you use a short fence so you're not affected by hooked boards so much.

Faster? I don't think so. I set spacer blocks on a 20 foot section of Aluminum extension ladder, with the other half behind it so I could easily grab a pile and move it to make room for the next board. Cut all the strips for the canoe in about 2 hours. I'm going to actually time it on the next build. It was also easy to keep strips in order, and separated by plank. That would take much longer on a tablesaw, unless you have enough room to set up an outfeed where you can slide piles of strips out of the way.

I can also get circular saw blades with a thinner kerf than I can for the table saw. I guess you can put a circ. saw blade on a table saw...

I'd highly recommend the "Jimmy Clamps". If you have a bike shop in your area, they'll probably give away the leaky tubes from repairs.... Mine did.
 
There are times a table saw shines, over the Skilsaw.
1.Short, narrow planks
2. gang cutting short narrow planks.
3. If you have and know how to set up a Power feeder.

For a beginner with limited $, and space, and planks wider than 4", the Skilsaw is unequaled, in cost and accuracy of cut. I would on a few occasions spot glue 4" wide planks together, as many as 3 to lay on my strongback and cut.


I was raising a family, when the canoe building bug bit me, 1990.
I couldn't afford a Tablesaw, nor did I have the space, to set one up, with infeed and outfeed tables.

I could cut strips on my strongback, on which only required a few more feet in length, than the canoe. Using, at the time a $30 Skilsaw.
The planks for my first canoes were #3 and better 1"x12"x16', I purchased them for $26 a plank. Boy I miss those days.

Yes. a Freud Diablo 7 1/4" Skilsaw blade will fit on a tablesaw. I used three of them to cut narrow 8 and 10' length strips. 3/16" thickness.
Two passes yielded 6, 3/16" thick strips from 1 5/8" wide planks, with no waste.
It did require a lot of set up, a 3hp. saw and a long outfeed table.

IMG_3623(1).JPG


Planks, I cut strips from on the Tablesaw.

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The canoe build is going much slow then I was hoping for. Summer is definitely my busiest time of the year. Still trying to get the shop all buttoned up with the exterior siding and finishing the interior walls drywall and pine lumber.
However, I was able to get the Jimmy clamps and bungee cord clamps finish up.
 

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