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If you haven't steam bent wood before, the technique will creep into all aspect of wood working afterwards. Just knowing you can do it and the benefits over other means to make wood curve will have you adding the method to other projects. The tendency for the first one is to make it bigger to...

I am with Jim on this, I do mine low ... but I am a sitter, the knees don't like kneeling

My older Tilley started wearing badly on the brim, they didn't want to repair it, so it was replaced with a "new" model. To put it bluntly, it was crap ... something I would expect from a dollar store.

Glenn, that opens a whole new selection criteria for finish IMO, I don't usually use ash (or oaks) because of the weight, but their grain structure is so open that it would likely be best to get that sealed up. Ash is very strong, but I believe also prone to rot if left exposed.

As much as I wished there was one finish to rule them all, there isn't. You don't need to refinish a varnished paddle if it gets damaged, just like an oiled paddle, it gets some maintenance, albeit, it is a bit more work. Routine maintenance is probably one of the most important items for gear...

Glen, I wasn't suggesting there was anything wrong with rub on varnish, just if you have the thinner and the varnish, you mix it up on the fly a lot cheaper than buying a separate product. I had read an article (or 2) on wipe on varnish and was just sharing that info. If anything we are on the...

Would be interesting to weight that paddle before and after an outing, wonder how much weight it would gain after a few hours of submersion?

Interesting discussion on finishes, for the purposes of this group, I think the field needs to be narrowed down some to exterior spar varnishes (if epoxy is involved then UV additives should be included) and exterior oils. The reason I suggest just spar varnishes, is most of our application will...

I tried several varnishes on my last paddle batch and I keep going back to Epiphanes . I have heard good things about Interlux, but never made the chance to use it. Any reasonable marine varnish is going to work fine, but the better ones will work and finish nicer IMO.

Agree, taking the edge off is a good idea, not a full bevel, but easing the edge makes it harder to dent the inside of the strip.

I will assume, you have aligned all the centers along the base and then checked that top center lines are all in alignment as well... and that each form has been adjusted to be at 90 degrees to the strongback. The actual "shape" the forms are describing, occurs at the lines where each form is...

The best ones I have seen done were by "Patricks Dad" over on the BearMountain site. Basically, he used a 5# foam uniwale, with a routered slot to loosely fit the sheer. The process was: - fit "epoxy proof" tape/barrier to the sheer to prevent bonding of the uniwale to the canoe - the carbon...

Congrats Alan. looks great, thank you for sharing

I find drilling a hole at each side and canting the hull a little allows you to fill from the lower hole, right up the higher one with ease, then slap tape on each and move on to the next.

The easiest way I have found to address epoxy runs is to first "flatten" them with a carbide scraper, then you only need to do a quick sand with 120 grit paper and it perfectly blends in with minimal work. With a scraper, I would estimate less than 30 seconds to flatten almost any run I have...

I would be careful refrigerating, the resin can actually crystalize and go solid under those conditions. You can "melt it" back, but it is a pita.

If that flap will lay back down, I think I would be tempted to use unthickened epoxy to saturate the area, tape it down and use something like a sand bag to add some pressure and leave that to set. Scrape flat and then look at adding the patch, just my 2 cents

From what I read. it seems that a layer of glass over the carbon is preferred ... to protect the carbon from abrasion

Typically on a build, I like to watch the strip fit and glue drips and all the other stuff that will create work come finishing time. Not suggesting that I end with a hull not requiring "touchup" and I agree that almost anything can be cosmetically disappeared (mostly). Once you finish the...

My camping group is pretty much all hammocks, almost because we will tolerate the occasional ground dweller. Most people have gathered end, I sew and have developed my own bridge hammock, so my personal friends and I form the bridge component (there is also a lone ridgerunner). Last on the list...