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Happy Birthday, Lead Belly (1888-1949)! 🎸🕛🪨🏝️
A Raven from Scratch
- Thread starter Gamma1214
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Yep, I can see them now.
It seems that photobucket has that issue frequently... If you upload directly to this site, they'd remain visible until the site ceases to exist.
(There, I said it before Glenn did.
)
It seems that photobucket has that issue frequently... If you upload directly to this site, they'd remain visible until the site ceases to exist.
(There, I said it before Glenn did.
)
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In case anyone is wondering: I'm still sanding.
And really re-thinking the decision to do this one right...
Anyone thinking of trying this at home... building your own canoe is very rewarding but there are times that make you question every decision you've ever made in your life.
And really re-thinking the decision to do this one right...
Anyone thinking of trying this at home... building your own canoe is very rewarding but there are times that make you question every decision you've ever made in your life.
I'd put in the earbuds, put some tunes on and take it one section at a time. Sanding the inside sucks!
'Right' is a relative term. What's right for a glossy finish on a car might not be right for a canoe.
One of the reasons I'm reluctant to ask for advice is because I know I'll feel bad when I ignore it.
Alan
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I'm aware. I'm actually ok w/ the minimum sanding that I did last time on the inside, I just wanted the outside to be a little more even.
I'm about done. I won't go past 120 grit (I want some tooth for the epoxy any way) but made the mistake of looking up from the floor this evening (the view I & anyone else will see when paddling)... needed to clean up the chine better.
I think that I'll be modifying the strongback by adding a rotisserie between boats this winter. It will make sanding those sections a lot easier and allow me to go off the rails with another idea...
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Well, I gave it a run but it won't be glassed by Christmas.
I got it all sanded to my satisfaction, wiped it down with tack cloth & rolled some 4 oz glass out so it could relax overnight. As I was smoothing it with a paintbrush, I realized that the glass I had in the shop was 50 inches & was about 2 inches too short.
My only alternative was to use 2 pieces of 30" glass but I'd rather not have the seam & using up that much 30" fabric would force me to reorder before I could do the inside.
I'll call tomorrow to see what delivery schedules look like & see if I can get some 60 inch fabric on the way.
I got it all sanded to my satisfaction, wiped it down with tack cloth & rolled some 4 oz glass out so it could relax overnight. As I was smoothing it with a paintbrush, I realized that the glass I had in the shop was 50 inches & was about 2 inches too short.
My only alternative was to use 2 pieces of 30" glass but I'd rather not have the seam & using up that much 30" fabric would force me to reorder before I could do the inside.
I'll call tomorrow to see what delivery schedules look like & see if I can get some 60 inch fabric on the way.
that is major suckage ... upside, you are free for the holidays now
I've run into that problem before...you probably don't want to do this, but I just glassed a couple of long pieces in by the gunwales with an overlap. Once sanded, it was hardly noticeable.
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I thought about piecing it & might have done that if I had some scrap around. As it is, RAKA was open & Mike is sending 20 yards of 6 oz, 60" wide e-glass. Unfortunately, neither RAKA nor US Composites carries 4 oz in 60" or any 60" wide s-glass. (when I was forced to reorder, I was planning on 4 oz s-glass- oh well... "old ways are the best ways", right... I'll use the traditional 6 oz)
Probably after New Year's.
Probably after New Year's.
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lol photobucket strikes again, Jim. (pic isn't visible)
I'm not sure how I'll set it up... to do the next one the way I want to, I'll need to be able to tilt the hull 90 degrees to each side before glassing.
I'm not sure how I'll set it up... to do the next one the way I want to, I'll need to be able to tilt the hull 90 degrees to each side before glassing.
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Raka isn't open until the 30th so I probably won't see the glass for a couple of weeks. No worries though; still things that I can do.
I cleaned the shop & put paper down around the strongback so I don't destroy the floor
I then grabbed a Hemlock 2x4x8, cut it in 1/2 and marked out some seat drops. The Raven is considerably wider than the Freedom and Mem tells me his seat is 23 inches and could have been wider. I'm figuring this hull will usually be paddled slightly heeled so I might as well contour the seat nearly to the gunwales.
With that on mind, I cut out 2 seat jigs, one with a 1 inch drop and 1 with a 2 1/2 inch drop, both about 24 inches wide on the contour. the clear packaging tape didn't want to stick to the bare wood so I applied a layer of blue, clean release tape to the wood and then put clear packaging tape over that to (hopefully) keep the epoxy from sticking.
I cut out some more Sassafras and White Oak strips, cut them to 40 inches, placed them in the 4 foot, capped pvc tubes, filled them with water and used a piece of scrap wood to hold the strips under water.
For the seat crosspieces, I'm going with 7 plies: 4 Sassafras alternating with 3 White Oak. I'll soak these through the weekend and (probably) place them in the jigs on Monday. Hopefully, they'll be dry enough to epoxy while I'm glassing the hull but we'll see. It's really amazing how much more flex there is in the Sassafras than the Oak but I'm sure the combination will be plenty strong enough.
I made some extra strips for thwarts and laminated paddles while I was at it. I should be in really nice shape by the time the glass arrives.
I cleaned the shop & put paper down around the strongback so I don't destroy the floor
I then grabbed a Hemlock 2x4x8, cut it in 1/2 and marked out some seat drops. The Raven is considerably wider than the Freedom and Mem tells me his seat is 23 inches and could have been wider. I'm figuring this hull will usually be paddled slightly heeled so I might as well contour the seat nearly to the gunwales.
With that on mind, I cut out 2 seat jigs, one with a 1 inch drop and 1 with a 2 1/2 inch drop, both about 24 inches wide on the contour. the clear packaging tape didn't want to stick to the bare wood so I applied a layer of blue, clean release tape to the wood and then put clear packaging tape over that to (hopefully) keep the epoxy from sticking.
I cut out some more Sassafras and White Oak strips, cut them to 40 inches, placed them in the 4 foot, capped pvc tubes, filled them with water and used a piece of scrap wood to hold the strips under water.
For the seat crosspieces, I'm going with 7 plies: 4 Sassafras alternating with 3 White Oak. I'll soak these through the weekend and (probably) place them in the jigs on Monday. Hopefully, they'll be dry enough to epoxy while I'm glassing the hull but we'll see. It's really amazing how much more flex there is in the Sassafras than the Oak but I'm sure the combination will be plenty strong enough.
I made some extra strips for thwarts and laminated paddles while I was at it. I should be in really nice shape by the time the glass arrives.
I'm giving up on photos ! Sorry again !
Gotta try again.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/2d1...04bb71f8c.jpg?width=590&height=590&fit=bounds
Gotta try again.
https://hosting.photobucket.com/2d1...04bb71f8c.jpg?width=590&height=590&fit=bounds
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Worked great that time Jim. For the next build, however, (if I can do as planned) I'll need to be able to lay it completely on its side. I'll play with strongback modification when the Raven comes off. Leaning toward a Merlin next but specs aren't that much different than my Freedom... 
The Merlin is a good design, but the enlarged Merlin, aka the 38 Spl. is much better.
In fact that will be my next build, with another Kevlar copy.
I have a bunch of Kevlar cloth to use up !
I'll order supplies, this Spring, I worry that the resin might get froze, in shipping. It may be an unfounded fear, but I'm in the planning stage with my next build, so no hurry..
A builder in Wisconsin built a strongback on a jig, that would rotate 90 degrees. That's were I got the idea. His jig was pretty elaborate,
Mine is simple, and works.
I came up with a new seat design. I have it on one canoe, and I'm building two frames now.
Ha ! I'll try another pic !
The plan is to use strapping on the next ones, instead of the lacing..
The up curve in the sides, allows more comfort in shifting paddler weight, fore and aft. Plus for those that kneel, the seat is more comfortable.
Jim
In fact that will be my next build, with another Kevlar copy.
I have a bunch of Kevlar cloth to use up !
I'll order supplies, this Spring, I worry that the resin might get froze, in shipping. It may be an unfounded fear, but I'm in the planning stage with my next build, so no hurry..
A builder in Wisconsin built a strongback on a jig, that would rotate 90 degrees. That's were I got the idea. His jig was pretty elaborate,
Mine is simple, and works.
I came up with a new seat design. I have it on one canoe, and I'm building two frames now.
Ha ! I'll try another pic !
The plan is to use strapping on the next ones, instead of the lacing..
The up curve in the sides, allows more comfort in shifting paddler weight, fore and aft. Plus for those that kneel, the seat is more comfortable.
Jim
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I actually missed the window to order 38 special plans when Northwest (briefly) made them available a couple of years ago but I'm not certain that I need the extra volume any way. The Freedom that I built has plenty of room for my gear but lacks sufficient rocker and freeboard for moving water trips. Maybe the 38 would be a nice mid point between the Freedom & the Raven but, if the plans aren't available, I'll go with what I have.
I like the idea of arching the seat spreaders up; seems like it would make the seat more "cushiony" for sitting. I may be able to incorporate that into my seat designs also in future builds but I'll probably remain arch-neutral on this one.
(BTW: picture came thru on the first try!!
)
Also: Where the hell are you building?! Looking at that picture above, it looks like you've got some serious space available in the unlit portion in the background. How do you keep from taking over all of the open space?
I like the idea of arching the seat spreaders up; seems like it would make the seat more "cushiony" for sitting. I may be able to incorporate that into my seat designs also in future builds but I'll probably remain arch-neutral on this one.
(BTW: picture came thru on the first try!!
)Also: Where the hell are you building?! Looking at that picture above, it looks like you've got some serious space available in the unlit portion in the background. How do you keep from taking over all of the open space?
I belong to a Community wood shop.
We have all the tools and plenty of heated work space. It is starting to get a little crowded now.
Nokomis wood working
We have all the tools and plenty of heated work space. It is starting to get a little crowded now.
Nokomis wood working
Wow, I just scrolled through that facebook site Jim, best 20 minutes of my life recently. I real admire the sense of community that enables this kind of project to exist, it is something sorely lacking in most places in Canada. All those pictures of little kids creating with scraps, and being introduced to hand tools is very special. This has been my first year teaching grade nine woodworking, and of the 50 or sixty kids who have rotated through, not one of them had ever used a hammer or a handsaw before.
Thanks for showing us the Nokomis wood shop!
Thanks for showing us the Nokomis wood shop!
