Roy's Mystery Wood Canoe

[Roybrew]

Strange tho. I only see them on the sassafras, and they are not on the staples holes just random. Didn't see them till after I put on a filler coat this morning, but I was out of sorts last night. The hull looks lots better after the last filler coat. Lot more smooth. Thanks again you all. Time to start figuring out what and how to make my deck plates out of while I have a few days to wait.

Roy

 

[Roybrew]

While waiting for epoxy to cure, I notice a slight bleached whitish area across the bottom. The window has a western view, and I think the sun is bleaching it out. Is that possible? The whitish spot is very faint, and I wondered if I was imagining it. I put a piece of cardboard over the window.

 

[alsg]

I don't think it's sun fading. Possibly amine blush on the epoxy?

 

[dcloots]

There is some slight amine blush that occurs with the US Composites epoxy. Soap and water scrub takes care of this naturally occurring wax layer if in fact it is amine blushing.

 

[Roybrew]

Ah yes thanks aslg and DC, I bet your spot on. I have noticed a slight oily, waxy feel on the hull. No problem then. I don't want the neighbors thinking I'm doing something illegal by covering the basement windows.

 

[memaquay]

Those little blemishes you have are fairly common, I wouldn't worry about them, you will have to be pretty close to see them. Sanding the fiberglass is real easy and doesn't take long, and if you decide to varnish before you flip it over, you will be amazed by the beauty. Hold on to that feeling, cause when you flip it over to sand the inside, you will wonder why you ever started this @#$##@# project, lol.

 

[alsg]

...when you flip it over to sand the inside, you will wonder why you ever started this @#$##@# project, lol.

truth!

 

[Alan Gage]

I'll give you some words on encouragement about sanding the inside. I don't think it's that bad. Some things I find that help:

If you can connect your orbital sander to a shop vac then do so. This will keep the inside clean while you sand and keep you from working in a dust cloud.

Get an interface pad for your orbital sander. They're a piece of soft foam that goes between the sanding disc and backing pad. It makes it possible to get farther into the curves (they're also very nice for outside curves and rounding edges). They're cheap.

They also make flexible backing pads with a strap that fits around the back of your hand. This is nice because your hand fits the contours of the hull well but you won't have to grip the sanding disc so tight.

Don't be too picky, especially at the stems where no one will ever see anyway. It's just a canoe that's going to get smeared with mud. Just due to the nature of the shape (inside rather than outside) it's much more difficult to see imperfections on the inside of the hull than the outside.

I don't spend more than a couple hours getting the inside ready for fiberglass but I've had a little practice.

Alan

 

[memaquay]

I just finished sanding the inside of the Osprey, like Alan, I have a vacuum hooked up to the sander, makes things much less unpleasant. I guess it only took me about two hours tow, if i don't count the time it took me to run to the hardware store to get a new sander when mine pooched out. I don't spend much time on the stations immediately around the stems either, in fact, thinking of painting the inside again just so I can skip a few steps of making it look pretty.

 

[Roybrew]

Lots of great advice. Thanks. Been 7 days since the last fill coat. I rolled it outside, and washed the hull to remove the amine blush, at least I think that's what it was. I need to work on the stems a little. Sort of screwed that up. I get that squared away and I will be ready to sand the outside hull. I know I'm going slowly, but I'll get there. Yes I dread flipping this over to see the inside, but I'll tackle that when it's time. Sort of looking forward to doing a better job with glassing on the inside. One thing at a time, and I'm in no rush. Except my eager anticipation of paddling it.
Roy
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[Gamma1214]

I don't want the neighbors thinking I'm doing something illegal by covering the basement windows.

Let 'em wonder... it might even keep 'em occupied and outta the other neighbors' business. (who'da thought that a canoe build would double as community service?)

 

[Roybrew]

Hello Gamma1214, yes the neighbors are interested. Most of them are retired and great people. There are a couple of houses for sale in my neighborhood that I'd like to see some younger couples move in to. Maybe have someone closer to my age that likes to get out and camp.

I reglassed one end of my canoe the other day. I sort of botched it up the first time. When this cures out I can finish sanding and remove from the forms. I want to at least put a coat of urathane on the outside before I remove it from the forms. My fiberglassing job wasn't top notch if you know what I mean, so I want to see how it's going to look with a coat of varnish. I guess that won't hurt anything. I do want to weigh it before sanding the inside, just out of curiosity.

 

[Roybrew]

I just finished sanding the inside of the Osprey, like Alan, I have a vacuum hooked up to the sander, makes things much less unpleasant. I guess it only took me about two hours tow, if i don't count the time it took me to run to the hardware store to get a new sander when mine pooched out. I don't spend much time on the stations immediately around the stems either, in fact, thinking of painting the inside again just so I can skip a few steps of making it look pretty.

What kind of paint would you use? And you would still have to fiberglass the inside.
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[memaquay]

Yes fiberglass would have to be installed. Usually just use tremclad, think it is called rustoleum in the States. Prepped my gunwales and trim yesterday, and after looking at the inside, I decided I would just varnish it, the wood in this canoe looks nice. Hoping to do that today.

 

[Alan Gage]

I know a lot of people like to finish the outside before removing it from the forms but I've never had the patience for that. Instead I flip it once the fill coats are done and while I'm doing the inside the outside is getting a good cure. Then, as soon as the inside is done, flip it over again to finish the outside while the inside is getting a good cure.

I wouldn't like doing my inside work if the outside was all finished because I'd be worried about scuffs and scratches. Instead any scuffs and scratches get taken care of when I re-flip the hull to do the final sand and finish on the outside.

But I can understand the temptation to give it a coat of varnish just to see how it's going to look. I'm anxious to see it too. Maybe you can satisfy yourself (and us) with a quick wipe of mineral spirits.

Alan

 

[alsg]

I know a lot of people like to finish the outside before removing it from the forms but I've never had the patience for that. Instead I flip it once the fill coats are done and while I'm doing the inside the outside is getting a good cure. Then, as soon as the inside is done, flip it over again to finish the outside while the inside is getting a good cure.

I wouldn't like doing my inside work if the outside was all finished because I'd be worried about scuffs and scratches. Instead any scuffs and scratches get taken care of when I re-flip the hull to do the final sand and finish on the outside.

But I can understand the temptation to give it a coat of varnish just to see how it's going to look. I'm anxious to see it too. Maybe you can satisfy yourself (and us) with a quick wipe of mineral spirits.

Alan

That's actually brilliant! Wish i had thought of it!

 

[Roybrew]

Finished sanding the outside of hull. Yes I am way slow at this project, but like hiking it isn't how fast you get there it's about enjoying the scenery. I put coat of varnish on, so I could see how it was going to look. I can see where I have sanded to the cloth in a few spots. Could I sand the varnish off, and reapply some epoxy, and that would hide the cloth? or will it always be noticeable? I am happy with how it has turned out so far. I will be removing from forms and starting on inside.

 

[Alan Gage]

Wow, that looks great!

I don't think epoxy would hide those areas any better than varnish. Whenever I've sanded into the cloth varnish has made it disappear. How about some closeup shots of the trouble areas?

Alan

 

[Roybrew]

Thank you. First off I am very happy with it. Here is a spot where I sanded into the edge of the football piece.

Regardless of if I can make more un-noticable or not I am very happy with it, and look forward to getting it off forms.

 

[RickR]

I'd be happy with it too! It looks really nice! It will be a beautiful canoe!