A Raven for Christmas

[Roybrew]

I just received my packet of plans from Green Valley Boat Works for the Raven canoe.
I started cutting my strips last week.
Using a skil saw to cut the strips was a lot easier, and faster, then the table saw.
The boards varied in thickness from 7/8" to 1 1/4" thick, so I cut all strips width to 7/8". This makes everything easier, and more consistent, to work with.
I also received my steam generator and built a steam box for my seat project and if I need to bend the wood for stem construction.

I've got 3 windows to install in my house later this month, so this renovation project will slow down my progress. I'm hoping to have it done by Christmas.
Roy

 

[Boreal Birch]

I am following along with your project. I may never make one but I am interested in watching others make their hand crafted canoe.

 

[memaquay]

Awesome, I'm glad to see the Raven starting to get out there. I hope you like it, it's one of those hulls that people either love of really dislike. You know, you could have it done by the end of May if you want to give up life for a while.

 

[Roybrew]

Awesome, I'm glad to see the Raven starting to get out there. I hope you like it, it's one of those hulls that people either love of really dislike. You know, you could have it done by the end of May if you want to give up life for a while.

Naw, I'm to slow putting things together plus I enjoy the building process.

I'm using yellow poplar, tulip poplar, Tennessee state tree. The strip quality is so much better then the sassafras I made the Wabnaki out of. I've got plenty of cherry and some black walnut for accent strips.

Well just as my luck goes, I've got to pull the front wheels off the Outback today, and either replace brake calipers or maybe a wheel bearing. It was making a subtle whining noise on the way home from the North Carolina coast yesterday. Our Subey eats wheel bearings like I do ice cream.
Thanks you all for watching.
Roy

 

[Roybrew]

I made poster board templates from the prints. Took extra time but I like leaving the prints in good shape incase I need them for reference.I'm crawling along with it. I'm struggling with my wood strips for the stems. I was going to try the Nick Schade method that Mem. did on his Raven build, but I'm struggling to get good strips out of this poplar wood.
I'm guessing it's just the quality of poplar I'm using. This stuff got more curves then Marilyn Monroe, and I think all the knots in it are just eye balls so the trees can look around these mountains for sun shine. I get to 3/16 thick and the planer tries eating the strips. I was going to use poplar for the inner stem, and cherry for the outer, I only hope the cherry fares better then the poplar.
Roy

 

[memaquay]

Interesting, the poplar we have around here is almost always knot free and straight as an arrow. I didn't bother running my stem strips through a planer, I just cut them on the table saw, 1/8 I think, and glued them. The rough faces like the glue better, according to my handbook The Fine Art of Wood Butchery.

 

[Alan Gage]

There is a good chance you're not talking about the same poplar. Tulip poplar, which isn't actually in the poplar family, is what is commonly available in US lumberyards and would be a very common wood in the eastern US to find at local mills as well.

Tulip poplar is usually clear and straight but not all trees produce such lumber or it may have been sawn incorrectly.

Alan

 

[Roybrew]

Interesting, the poplar we have around here is almost always knot free and straight as an arrow. I didn't bother running my stem strips through a planer, I just cut them on the table saw, 1/8 I think, and glued them. The rough faces like the glue better, according to my handbook The Fine Art of Wood Butchery.

Yes I think you are correct. I need to just ripp it on the table saw. I don't know why I worried about getting them perfectly smooth.

Of course Alan may be right about the cut of wood also.

I'll check this out. I may have to get some better lumber.
I think 3/4" wide strips would've easier to fool with, but I want to do the 1.5" wide strips as the plans call for.
Thanks y'all
Roy

 

[Jim Dodd]

Yes I think you are correct. I need to just ripp it on the table saw. I don't know why I worried about getting them perfectly smooth.

Of course Alan may be right about the cut of wood also.

I'll check this out. I may have to get some better lumber.
I think 3/4" wide strips would've easier to fool with, but I want to do the 1.5" wide strips as the plans call for.
Thanks y'all
Roy

 

[Jim Dodd]

How did I miss this thread ?
Looks like you have a great start !
I know too well how easy life gets in the way when you are building !
No need to rush !

How did you like bead and coving those strips ?
That first pass, makes them all the same width.

Poster board is a lot easier to trace around, than thin paper, and it's nice to save !

Great to see another build !

Jim

 

[Roybrew]

Good morning Jim, poplar cuts very nicely. The finger boards setup on the router makes things very easy to do. Just push in and pull out, easy peasy.

Alan's right about the poplar is usually pretty clear straight grained wood. I didn't get the chance to pick thru it at the saw mill. Pull in, give the old fellow 60 bucks and he loads you up with a hundred board feet. Most of it is pretty straight, I just like to complain sounds more dramatic. The cherry I got for a 1.15 per bf. It was stick dried for about 9 months. it should be great for bending.

I like tracing the patterns out on poster board. It saves my original prints, plus all the builders instructions, notes and pointers are printed on the borders of the prints. I like preserving the originals.

I had the seat backs and the seat to finish before starting on the window installation. All this I need to get done before continuing on the build. Windows have been delivered and sitting in my shop. Going to start putting them in tomorrow.

Lots of builds in progress on here to watch. Gamma1214, Memaquay, and I'm really curious how Canoe beginner is getting along. Lots of stuff to follow and learn from other people's builds.

I'm going to hush now.
Roy

 

[Roybrew]

Well, 2 months later and I'm getting back at it. Is 3/4 mdf ok to use fo my stem forms?
Roy

 

[Alan Gage]

Yes, it will work fine.

Alan

 

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

Awesome!

 

[Roybrew]

Making my stems using the Nick Schade method. Smeared a good 6oz of glue in-between each strip before taping and wrapping. Next time I'll have at least a full 16oz bottle before I start.Slow and steady.Aaah! Oh no! In for a penny in for a pound. So I removed my glue stack of strips, cut wrap lose and glued on a different strip. And started again.
Oh yes baby! Smooth this time.I've got lots to learn. Progress.
Roy

 

[Gamma1214]

Nice! I broke one of the Cherry strips on my current build when I bent my seat forms dry. On the second try, I soaked the strips for 3 days, bent them in the jig, allowed them to dry for 3-4 days and then epoxied them together & re-jigged them.

I've got no idea if the soaking kept them from breaking or it was just a more resilient strip but, as long as it worked, who cares?

BTW: I love the "in for a penny, in for a pound" attitude... dang the torpedoes; full speed ahead!

I'll start my Raven after I get back from beating up my Freedom in Canada and I'm hoping you'll float yours before I do.

 

[Roybrew]

Thanks Gamma. I heard it crack, but it was just a little on the edge so I thought I could work around it. A minute later I heard a louder crack and then I figured there was no way around it then. That's a sharp bend in that spot.
I'd say soaking the strips probably had a huge benefit.

You should be about done with your freedom solo build, and ready for a fall trip? I look forward to reading your trip report.
Roy

 

[memaquay]

Which flavour of 16 ounce bottle do you refer too? I prefer a couple of 12 ounce bottles of beer when bending stems, but each to their own. My outside strip cracked too, but I figured that part would get planed off, so I left it. Looking forward to this build, hope you like the canoe!

 

[Boatman53]

That is a tight bend for sure. Sometimes even when steaming if I was making that sharp a bend, I would clamp the wood at the radius first, then bend down each end. That way the area most likely to crack has pressure at the start. You need to keep in mind that the strips slide and and might make one side too short if not careful.
Jim

 

[Jim Dodd]

Not too late to built it Stemless.