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Cedar Strip Build "The Experiment"

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Some of you may have talked with me about the canoe design I've been working on over the last few weeks. Here is the build!

This canoe is an experiment for me in several ways.
- The hull is rather different in form from what I have built in the past. We'll see how handling is affected.
- First build with a knuckle. Until a few weeks ago, I wasn't even sure this could be done in a stripper, so it's a bit of a latecomer to the party.
- I bit the bullet and got a pair of cove and bead bits. Not doing winding bevels on every strip this time!
- I'm going to try to log this one in much more detail, just to see how much effort goes where.
- Slightly different fittings this time around. (trying for a better fit and finish)

Of course, I always end up tweaking my build process along the way.

Today, I just have the forms. I know you may have seen lots like this, but there may be a surprise involved...

First photos
For those that think you need a large kit to hand loft a plan: Improvise. A bandsaw blade makes an awesome spline. A few finish brads to define the curve, and you are golden. And, you can never have too many clamps, even this early in the project.


My saw work usually leaves a bit to be desired, so I just clean up with a sander... You save time if you do both matching forms at once. A couple of drywall screws are handy here.

But, what in the world are all those holes for? You'll find out later...

Due to space (lack thereof) considerations, I'll not actually mount these to the strongback until I've milled and prepped all my cedar, etc.
 

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I might be wrong, but I think the holes have something to do with a stapleless construction???
Interesting none the less!!
 
The forms look great! I've never thought to use a bandsaw blade for tracing curves. I usually use metal strapping (like pallets of lumber are tied with) but the blade will be a nice backup when I can't find it.

Looking forward to seeing it start to take shape. I think you'll like bead and cove. The milling process gets pretty tedious but it's worth it and saves time in the long run.

Alan
 
My guess is you are going to use fish line and pegs .
The band saw blade makes a great batten, especially if it's a DULL bandsaw blade ! !:rolleyes:

I love to see the start of a new build, in fact I love the whole process ! Keep the pics coming !



Jim
 
Alan Gage strapping was the first thought, but didn't have any around so... what handles similarly?

Sorry I haven't responded - life = nuts.

Will probably be milling strips this coming week.

Canotrouge Jim Dodd You guys might be on to something there...
 
Although I do like to take my time building, the actual doing is better than the finishing for me, the process of holding the strips in place can be tedious. We did cove up, gives a place to lay a bead of glue, then 1/4" dowel in the top most strip and fiber tape wrapped around the dowel to hold the strips in place. A couple rolls of tape does a whole boat. We also wiped excess glue outside and inside before it set to minimize clean up at the end of stripping.
 
Alan Gage strapping was the first thought, but didn't have any around so... what handles similarly?

I've used thin wood strips that were laying around the shop and also thin, metal, yard sticks. The other day I found some thin solid metal rods at the hardware store that seem to have quite a bit of flex without kinking and think they might come in handy for that. I can't remember exactly what they were labeled, something like "piano wire" but not quite. Nice thing about the little metal rods is that you can easily clamp them to hold them in place.

How's strip processing coming along? How thick are you going to make them?

Alan
 
No Title

Well, I didn't have wood that thin this time. Don't know if we ever do...

I have not been able to get as much done on the canoe as I have hoped. Other project, and some stuff is taking more time than I expected.

I do have the cedar, and last night I planed off the texture surface. 1x8's around here are getting really light on dimensions... the "1x8" is barely 7 1/8 wide, and I was barely able to take the texturing off and keep 3/4 thickness. Photo here of the best cedar the lumber yard had... not horrible, I'll get a couple dozen full 12' strips out of it, and the rest will be reasonable piecing strips.

I'm gong for 1/4 inch strip. Will cut just a hair thick, and finish in the planer. Also got a start on hardwood for my "pretty Strip." I'll show in detail how I do that, once I have the photos.
 

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That sure is some purty wood...really nice color and grain

And Alan,
I'm sure that was piano wire, nothing more than a high strength spring steel.
 
stripperguy Yeah, some of it is pretty good. Now I just need to decide how I'm going to mix and match. Colorblocks? alternate? Grab bag? The problem is this was the only good stuff available. The piece on the left is starting to be a bit borderline, but everything else was worse.

Other thing I managed today was to load up my brand new bead bit. Wouldn't you know, I had some parts for my non-canoe project that could use a 1/4 bead edge treatment... Anyway, think this is going to work slick. I thought I was going to have to put in a big, tough feather-board set together. Now, I'm thinking just a couple pieces of stock clamped in place as guides. Not seeing a reason to set up to run "downhill" as I have seen suggested in at least one post.
 
I clamp a feather board to the fence to keep the strip pressed down against the table and then just hold a wood block in my hand to keep it pressed against the fence. Been working fine for the last few builds.

Alan
 
I used a piece of stock to hold down the strips and also used another strip and a guide block to hold the strips in my shaper. No featherboards needed, all the strips were the same dimensions...
 
No Title

Now, why does every project seem to take longer than I had planned?

Got strips ripped, with help from my dad, but not planed or cove & bead. Also, along the way, I apparently forgot that I was building a canoe, and started in on some kids' blocks. (Or so it would seem. Any guesses?)

5.5 hours on this stuff.

New Photos:

A look at my strip cutting rig. The clamped boards and one that is not clamped give perfectly matched detents to move the cut point. Done this way because the fence on this tablesaw is a pig to reset, and cutting thin against the fence has some unfortunate consequences. Yes, I cut with the guard off. Bad, Bad. Have not yet rigged a decent guard, and the contractor type that came with the saw can be more dangerous than the blade in some circumstances.

It's a bit sobering to realize that about 1/3 of the cedar planks above got turned to sawdust in this operation, or will do so next.

Also, my block collection, and why it is great to have a bandsaw available.
 

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It's discouraging to see planks turn to saw dust ! That's why I use a skilsaw and fence with a thin kerf blade, Freuds Diablo, or Avanti.
This system is so accurate, there is no need to plane strips !
I can cut, bead and cove strips for a solo, all in one day. No brag, just fact. It is however a long day ! With a helper, It can be done in 8 hrs.
Here's a pic of my current skilsaw set up ! Use at least a 13 amp saw.
IMG_0281_zpsoxusqebj.jpg
Picture%20of%20Baileys%20chair%20055_zpssh6gjvg7.jpg


Jim
 
A close up of the aluminum fence for my skilsaw setup.
Take note that I shaved the edge of the aluminum angle, that runs against the plank, to about 5/8". This prevents bumping the cleats that the plank sits on.
f9133121-a5de-439e-9f81-237c5cf3d7f1_zps3yi0jrah.jpg
 
Yeah, I considered using one of the little blades. (They can mount in a tablesaw if you don't have really thick stock.) But didn't really think in that direction when I went to set up.

The rig that I used was actually accurate & consistent enough that I probably could have cut straight to finished width. Most of the cuts are good enough to be used as a glue line. Blade was a 3/32 TK, so not quite as much loss as could have been. This is actually a blade designed for plywood and melamine. Not the best for big rips in hardwood, but for something as soft as cedar, or for detail cuts (Dad usually uses this blade for making boxes) the cut quality is great. Very smooth, no tearout. The blade stabilizers help a lot with cut quality. My experience with running off the cut side on the tablesaw was that every little imperfection/oops that you make in feeding the stock got magnified and transferred to the next cut.

One thing that I suspect gained with the tablesaw was time. I only spent about 90 min. actually cutting strips. The rest of the time that day time was messing around with the hardwood, and a couple of impromptu adjustments/repairs to equipment. I don't think I could have made that many cuts with a skillsaw in that short a time, even with your rather efficient looking jig.
 
We'll have to set up a race ! Ha !;)
Truthfully, it's not how fast you cut your strips, uniformity is much more important ! Beading and coving, will tell you that ! And sanding will confirm it.

JIm
 
No Title

Jim Dodd Well, I certainly believe that you can cut & machine in 8 hrs. Got mine Surface planed & Bead (no cove yet) in about 3:30. Rest of today's time was spent between my non-canoe project, prepping some walnut strips I intend for pretties, and playing with my blocks.

Query: Anyone reading this thread, am I likely to have splintering issues running the cove "uphill" (normal way to use a router) and if so, is running "downhill" likely to help?

I had maybe one splinter doing bead, but the cove seems likely to be a bit different...

Not a lot of photos.

A look at the typical cut quality for these strips.
Rig to allow me to run several strips at once through the planer with minimal need to handle until done.
Bad Pic of the lot beaded. I was pleasantly surprised by how well this set of strips turned out. About 50% (carrier on the right) were knot-free, or with a knot so near the end as makes no difference.

Also still fishing for guesses as to what I'm up to with those blocks... Another pic to give you a hint.
 

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Tear out while beading and coving your strips is usually caused by the grain orientation. It can some times be corrected by switching ends before running the strip through the router.

I seem to have more tear out doing the bead.
I don't plane my planks, I accomplish that when I run my strips between the fence and the beading bit on my first pass.
IMG_0218_zpsznmot2aa.jpg



As for your pics, I'm guessing you have sorted your strips, to book match side to side.
And the walnut blocks are awaiting Aspen cut to the same dimensions, to be cut into feature strips.

Jim
 
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