Roy's Mystery Wood Canoe

[Roybrew]

It is your canoe !

On my solos, and at a minimum, I cut the inwhale 3/8" thick x 3/4" high, plus 3/8" x 3/4"spacers. That equals 3/4"in width and thickness , I cap my hull, (1/4") with the outwhale, and add another 3/8" thickness, making it 5/8" thick.

This gives me a total a total of 1 3/8". I also glue the gunnels to the hull. This adds to the strength. If you don't ? I'd add to the thickness, a minimum of 1/4", if using screws.

I like 3/8" spacers, as it allows plenty of room for a bungee cord, and gives me more meat to hang my seats from.

Yes that's what I need to do. I knew I read that before somewhere on this site, and I found it when I re-read Ben Mahaffey's build of his 17' Freedom. You mentioned it to him with pictures also. I should be able to setup my router with a jig and cut the scuppers in one piece.

You all on here are a wealth of information. Thank you Jim.
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[Roybrew]

Back again. I haven't lost interest in building my canoe in any way at all. Been busier then a one legged man in a butt kicking contest. I got my gunnels epoxied on. I screwed and epoxied the inwales then epoxied the outwales on, no screws on outwales. I was going to cap the hull, but I wasn't paying attention and sort of took to much off my inwales, so I figured I'd need that extra 1/4 inch on the side and not on top. I'm good with it though. I like the uncapped look. I drew out my deck plate design, several times, and then changed it several times also. I was going to epoxy it on the inside of my inwales, but it just didn't look right to me. So I added a strip of walnut, and then a strip of cedar on the out side of the deck plate. I routed the underside so it would fit just inside my inwales. I covered the underside with 6oz fiberglass, wet the surfaces with the epoxy and then thickened the rest of it with cedar flour and chopped fiberglass, I read the chopped fiberglass is stronger then just thickened epoxy? After buttering the underside edges, I clamped the decks in place. I'm happy with the results so far.

Question, after I shape and sand the edges, should I cover the decks with fiberglass? If so should I use 6oz or a 2 oz glass? All I have is 6oz and I'm wondering if it may not be as, supple, as a lighter weight fiberglass. My decks are 5/8 inch thick, I think. I am going to add a small thwart just behind them. Don't like the idea of grabbing a canoe by the deck to carry.

 

[alsg]

Good to see progress being made! I've not done decks that way so I'm not sure about whether to advise you to glass the top side of the decks.

 

[Jim Dodd]

I've never covered my decks with anything other than Watco.

As you say you are going with a Grab handle. I wouldn't see the need to glass the decks !


Mine are in the 3/4" thick range.

Jim

 

[Alan Gage]

I don't think twice about lifting a canoe by the decks. I only put in grab handles if there isn't a deck to grab. I've never put glass over top.

Alan

 

[Alan Gage]

Looks great, BTW. Nice work with the decks

Alan

 

[memaquay]

Real nice!

 

[Roybrew]

Thanks for input. Good I'd rather not glass the top of the decks. I struggle with getting fiberglass to behave around corners and bends. Thanks guys for compliments and help.

 

[dcloots]

Roybrew your canoe looks great! Looking forward to the day when you report back that you wet hull. Looks like you are real close!

 

[Roybrew]

Roybrew your canoe looks great! Looking forward to the day when you report back that you wet hull. Looks like you are real close!

Yes me to. Thank you.

Ok me got the decks smoothed up. Starting to work on seats. I have an ash log from my neighbors yard. Maybe been drying out for a couple of years now. I don't know if it's black or white ash, but we watched it bloom most every year, well at least till it died. It stood dead for about a year, so it is spalted, according to the wood working guys that shouldn't weaken it. I looked on wood data base website, but I still can't tell which it is. Any ideas which it is? I tried making a seat from one of the logs a couple of years ago. Weaved the seat and everything. I screwed up and got it to thin on the front center of the rail, 5/8 thick, eeew that sucked. I set it on top of the gunnels, to test it, when I put my big butt on it, it broke.

 

[Roybrew]

Ok, had to call it quits for the day. A little research, that I should've already done, shows that I do have white ash. The bark and location looks right. Here's a good picture of when I started splitting the log. Got 3 good pieces cut out so far. A little trimming to size and I should have 1" x 2" x 36" pieces, round about.

 

[Roybrew]

Nope. Spalted wood does not work. It is structurally unsound. I had the frames 1 x 2 inches thick, and it broke. Glad I found out now before I put to much more work into them. I just thought it would neat if they were made out of wood from the neighborhood

 

[Jim Dodd]

Bummer !

Yeah, save the Spalted stuff for end tables or bowl turning.
Straight tight grain is better for seat frames.

Just a little mortise in the cross piece, will add a lot of strength. It supports the short piece, much better than a screw or dowel.

A few pics

 

[RickR]

I think it's really cool that you tried to use that very "local" wood. It was a very suitable species choice. I did not know either that recently spalted wood is structurally unsound. Glad you found out in time. I like your approach and the way you think things through.

 

[Roybrew]

Thanks RickR, the things a person has to do when they be poor. Ha. One of these days I'll have a big band saw.

Hey Doug, I like your joints on the seats. Sort of like a recessed mortise and tenon joint. I cut some black walnut for the seats I'm making. I usually do a mortise and tenon joint, but I've never recessed them. Interesting. Working on it.
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[Roybrew]

Started finishing the inside. I just gave it one coat of clear gloss so far. I'll sand with 220 when dry. Planning on putting at least 2 coats of satin and fine sanding between coats.

 

[alsg]

Looking good!

 

[dcloots]

Looks Great Roybrew! Be careful though with the Satin over the high gloss. There are probably some more knowledgeable folks on this board that can explain better, however the research that I did when thinking I wanted to put a high gloss over satin coat revealed that it is not a preferred method and may not bond well chemically. Maybe Jim Dodd can elaborate on the urethane applications. I stayed with Satin because of what I read but I could be wrong.

 

[Roybrew]

Looks Great Roybrew! Be careful though with the Satin over the high gloss. There are probably some more knowledgeable folks on this board that can explain better, however the research that I did when thinking I wanted to put a high gloss over satin coat revealed that it is not a preferred method and may not bond well chemically. Maybe Jim Dodd can elaborate on the urethane applications. I stayed with Satin because of what I read but I could be wrong.

Aahh! What am I into now. I'm just going to get something hard to drink and wait to hear what demise may fall upon my head.

Oh hey DC I liked your video of your trip. Looked like an awesome trip with awesome canoe.

 

[Jim Dodd]

Though my name came up, I'm no expert on finishes. I was told early on by builders of knowledge, (The Minnesota Canoe Assc.) That Gloss inhibits UV rays better then a dull finish.

In the long run, can you tell a difference ? I doubt it. So continue to finish the way that makes the most sense to you !

A coat of Satin is thicker than Gloss. that I know from personal application.

I don't use Sand Paper between coats, a Scotch brite pad is all, I've ever needed.

Three coats, and I call it done, unless I screw up ! I do !