This is great stuff Robin, I swear I've got canvas fever now, and I've already got too many projects on the go. And thanks for the link Murat, I'll get there later today.
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Canoe Therapy
- Thread starter Robin
- Start date
Just finished reading that link, very interesting. One of the guys was using west system to fill the canvas. I've got some old system three hanging around, an old canoe and a bunch of canvas. Hmmmmmm
Bob is picking me up tomorrow at 8:30 and we will be putting the final coat of epoxy on the canoe. Bob has become a full fledged wood canvas nut overnight, all he talks about is cedar and ash, ribs and plank, canvas and varnish, he rubs his hands over the hull like it was a 69 Chevelle and changes the final color of the canoe every time we head over to the shop.
He has seen the light.
He has seen the light.
That is great Robin! Maybe you two will join me in fondling hulls at the next Assembly?
G
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What a great thread, I wish I had the skill (and patience) for this kind of thing, beautiful work
We went over to the shop this morning and bent the gunnels. They where soaking for 4 days in a 8x8x8" by 20' tub of water in the paint room. They are actually 1 piece right now, about 2" x 1" by 17' with a 3/4" by 1" groove down one wide side. The shop has forms for many different canoes rail bends, and since Bob's Old Town has a serious upturn at the ends, we needed the correct form.
The material we bent was Mahogany and we did manage to get the piece bent with only one small split that can be clamped and glued when it's dry (5 days). We steamed each end of the 17' Mahogany and carefully bent them around the form and secured them with a wedge and clamp.
We now have to wait till next Weds. to install them. My friend Bob is the type who likes to get things done and these delays try his patience. Soon he will learn the wooden canoe mantra.. "What's the hurry?"
The material we bent was Mahogany and we did manage to get the piece bent with only one small split that can be clamped and glued when it's dry (5 days). We steamed each end of the 17' Mahogany and carefully bent them around the form and secured them with a wedge and clamp.
We now have to wait till next Weds. to install them. My friend Bob is the type who likes to get things done and these delays try his patience. Soon he will learn the wooden canoe mantra.. "What's the hurry?"
8x8x20feet? I would sure like a picture!
Meanwhile we are sanding... the gunwales come up later.. We may need some help.. does Schuyler have forms for a short deck Robertson? The ends need fixing.. and they are high stems.
Meanwhile we are sanding... the gunwales come up later.. We may need some help.. does Schuyler have forms for a short deck Robertson? The ends need fixing.. and they are high stems.
That tub was 8" x 8" x 8" by 20'.
I'll pm you Schuyler's contact info, I'm pretty sure he has the forms to do just about any high ended canoe, but a phone call could confirm that. BTW, if you needed to, you could leave your canoe in my barn if you need to, before-during-after, if you made arrangements with Schuyler.
I'll pm you Schuyler's contact info, I'm pretty sure he has the forms to do just about any high ended canoe, but a phone call could confirm that. BTW, if you needed to, you could leave your canoe in my barn if you need to, before-during-after, if you made arrangements with Schuyler.
I use a couple lengths of vinyl eavestrough to soak gunwales. I'll use half the length when soaking ribs prior to steaming, and it works wonders too on stems. Cheap and easy and when not needed, split it apart and stand it up in the corner somewhere. Even the shorter length stuff doesn't fit in the bathtub.
This morning we installed the gunnels. First we removed the gunnels from the forms they had been sitting in for 5 days and then ran them thru the band saw, splitling them right down the middle (lenghtwise), ending up with two pieces with a nice lip on one side that sits on top of the canvas and up against the ribs.
We had made a slight error when bending them in the forms and Frank was able to correct our mistake with some boiling water. Pour some on, wait a few minutes and presto, the wood was bent back to the correct position,
Schuyler's assistant, Frank, provided some hands on assistance on the tricker parts of the installation,
We took our time installing the clamps to get a good fit
,
Bob sanding with 80 grit, then we went over it with 4 inch sanders to smooth things out.
Cleaning up before the next step
We applied a stain to the mahogany, Skyuler says it prevents the mahogany from turning yellowish down the road. We also applied some stain and varnish to the spruce inwales.
Tomorrow we apply the first of 4 coats of varnish to the gunnels. (I can't seem to get this picture to turn left)
We had made a slight error when bending them in the forms and Frank was able to correct our mistake with some boiling water. Pour some on, wait a few minutes and presto, the wood was bent back to the correct position,
Schuyler's assistant, Frank, provided some hands on assistance on the tricker parts of the installation,
We took our time installing the clamps to get a good fit
,Bob sanding with 80 grit, then we went over it with 4 inch sanders to smooth things out.
Cleaning up before the next step
We applied a stain to the mahogany, Skyuler says it prevents the mahogany from turning yellowish down the road. We also applied some stain and varnish to the spruce inwales.
Tomorrow we apply the first of 4 coats of varnish to the gunnels. (I can't seem to get this picture to turn left)
Robin do you have any pictures of the pieces with the lip? Like any scrap lengths..I know the gunwales are on. I am just trying to visualize the gunwale lip that goes over the canvas.
Also hints on the tricky front of the stem section.. just nail into the inner stem band at an angle?
Also hints on the tricky front of the stem section.. just nail into the inner stem band at an angle?
That canoe is really gorgeous! The lines are very sweet, it is a feast for the eyes!
We went over this morning and applied the first coat of varnish, Interlux to the gunnels. Two coats of cheaper Interlux, then 2 coats of the ex$pensive Epifanes, then we paint.
It was a good feeling to be so close to the finish. Bob is really into this canoe and it has taken his mind off off of his back problems. He also has become a a real friend of the shop, it's been fun working with him and both Skyuhler and Frank enjoy his banter.
It was a good feeling to be so close to the finish. Bob is really into this canoe and it has taken his mind off off of his back problems. He also has become a a real friend of the shop, it's been fun working with him and both Skyuhler and Frank enjoy his banter.
That, is one beautiful canoe! I love the upturn on the gunnels, that is a steep climb. Did you stain the decks the same as the gunnels?
G
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Guest
I love the lines and profile of that canoe. It looks beautiful even in the raw, before colour and such. Now, NOW I understand a little of the wood canvas magic. I know all this design stuff is mostly for practical purposes, though I understand very little of that gobbledy gook, I just love the artful form and curves I see.
Mihun: Did you stain the decks the same as the gunnels?
Yes, the decks where stained too, and during the first coat of varnish the grain came right back as if they where never stained. Bob and I where a little skeptical about staining perfectly good mahogany, but I guess we need to just trust the pro and follow his advice, funny how that works. Bob went back yesterday and applied the first coat of Epifanes, as the Interlux came out so well todays (Sunday) second coat of Epifanes might be it on the varnish till after the canoe is painted. The schedule changes after every step depending on how well the last step came out.
Bob said he should be painting on Monday, I hate to miss this step, but I watch my grandson on Mondays. I might just bring him over for a peek at the canoe being painted.
BTW, the spruce came from a tree here in Norfolk, Ct, possibly eastern spruce (?). There is a working forest called Great Mountain Forest here and this tree had been trimmed for many years by the crews of past, and it produced a huge amount of clear long length spruce boards. It just so happens that the operations manager is also a wood canvas canoe enthusiast and student of Schuylers shop, so a deal was made and long length clear spruce is now available at a reasonable price.
Yes, the decks where stained too, and during the first coat of varnish the grain came right back as if they where never stained. Bob and I where a little skeptical about staining perfectly good mahogany, but I guess we need to just trust the pro and follow his advice, funny how that works. Bob went back yesterday and applied the first coat of Epifanes, as the Interlux came out so well todays (Sunday) second coat of Epifanes might be it on the varnish till after the canoe is painted. The schedule changes after every step depending on how well the last step came out.
Bob said he should be painting on Monday, I hate to miss this step, but I watch my grandson on Mondays. I might just bring him over for a peek at the canoe being painted.
BTW, the spruce came from a tree here in Norfolk, Ct, possibly eastern spruce (?). There is a working forest called Great Mountain Forest here and this tree had been trimmed for many years by the crews of past, and it produced a huge amount of clear long length spruce boards. It just so happens that the operations manager is also a wood canvas canoe enthusiast and student of Schuylers shop, so a deal was made and long length clear spruce is now available at a reasonable price.
There are three kinds of eastern spruce: white, red, black. Black grows mostly in wetlands, red has needles so sharp you don't want to shake its hand.
Probably white spruce.
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/usda/amwood/263espru.pdf
Probably white spruce.
http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/usda/amwood/263espru.pdf
Yes, that's what he said, eastern white spruce, Thanks
No pictures, but we sanded and painted the last two days, first coat of paint was almost pastel, young Frank thought Bob would get a kick out that. It was left over paints from other canoe restorations. At $42 a quart for the paint, (canoe needs 2 quarts, total of 4 coats), mixing left over paint for the first coat saves Bob some cash, and we practically sand that coat completely off.
Friday we sand and then apply the 3rd coat. If we do a good enough job, we will do the forth coat. If we see some errors, Bob wants to pay Frank to apply the 4th coat, Franks become quite the painter and Bob wants a pretty canoe.
Friday we sand and then apply the 3rd coat. If we do a good enough job, we will do the forth coat. If we see some errors, Bob wants to pay Frank to apply the 4th coat, Franks become quite the painter and Bob wants a pretty canoe.
Today we sanded off the second coat of paint, which was white. We used 220 grit to remove the shine and smooth things out one last time. Next coat gets scuffed with scotch brite.
Here's the second coat of paint just before sanding;
Here it is just after sanding;
Back in the paint room;
Here it is with the third coat, Bob has decided to go with white. I was surprised, I though he had a deep red in mind, but after it's got the stem bands on the ends and possibly a stripe under the gunnels, I think it will look very nice.
Here's a nice paint job by Frank on a restored tripping canoe for the Vermont Keewaydin girls camp;
7 finished canoes for Keewaydin, all built by Skyuler Thomson in this shop and having been restored at least once.
Here's the second coat of paint just before sanding;
Here it is just after sanding;
Back in the paint room;
Here it is with the third coat, Bob has decided to go with white. I was surprised, I though he had a deep red in mind, but after it's got the stem bands on the ends and possibly a stripe under the gunnels, I think it will look very nice.
Here's a nice paint job by Frank on a restored tripping canoe for the Vermont Keewaydin girls camp;
7 finished canoes for Keewaydin, all built by Skyuler Thomson in this shop and having been restored at least once.
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