The upside-down method of stretching and tacking canvas

[Glenn MacGrady]

I was looking at the following site, which shows a fellow's wood-canvas building process, and noticed that he uses what he calls the upside-down method of stretching and tacking canvas.

Process | McGlynn Canoe Company

What are all the steps to build a cedar canvas canoe?

www.mcglynncanoecompany.com

I have no experience in building or restoring canvas canoes, but all I recall seeing here is the canoe being dropped into an envelope of canvas and even weighted down inside.

What might be the pluses and minuses of this upside-down method?

 

[Jamie]

I used the upside down method on one of the few canoes I've canvased. I don't specifically recall why I did it that way but it could have been size issues.

Some people may not have an ideal spot to hang a canoe to use the drop in method. Upside down on sawhorses just requires anchoring, can be done almost anywhere.

If I recall, I believe the sawhorses were a pain to work around but other than that this method worked.

 

[Sweetfancymoses]

That's the method I used for the one and only canoe I recanvassed. From what I recall, the sawhorses were in the way of the stretching tool and they were fairly low, so I had to work bent over. Other than that, no complaints.

 

[Robin]

I never have used that method, I guess it’s that old dog, new tricks thing, but I have seen it done at the WCHA assembly. My little shop is too short to stretch canvas the traditional way inside, so I have my eye on two trees in the back yard as anchor points. It’s been too cold, windy or rainy lately to move forward with the Robertson canoe I’m working on.
Here’s my old barn back in Connecticut set up for hanging the canoe into stretched canvas.

 

[Crazy Trout Craft (CTC)]

I was looking at the following site, which shows a fellow's wood-canvas building process, and noticed that he uses what he calls the upside-down method of stretching and tacking canvas.

Process | McGlynn Canoe Company

What are all the steps to build a cedar canvas canoe?

www.mcglynncanoecompany.com

View attachment 130805

I have no experience in building or restoring canvas canoes, but all I recall seeing here is the canoe being dropped into an envelope of canvas and even weighted down inside.

What might be the pluses and minuses of this upside-down method?

Nice looking canoe for sure

 

[Fitz]

I like the upside down method. I canvas outside, so I don't have any supports to push the canoe into the envelope. I also use tall sawhorses which save on the back some. I have done it both ways and both methods seem to work just fine.

Gil Cramer out in Ohio doesn't use all the stretching apparatus. He just canvasses by hand. Lots of pulling and tugging involved, but it works.

Fitz

 

[lowangle al]

The upside down method sure looks simpler.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

The website says he uses #12 canvas, and I thought maybe that would drape easier for the upside-down method. The canoe is for sale.