Hello all! I am in the very early stages of planning/building my first strip canoe. By early, I mean i have just finished reading CanoeCraft by Ted Moore. I have been researching sources for cedar boards that I can strip and so far I am not having a lot of luck. I did find some in Charlotte for 18 a BF....so I have yet to find any boards for stripping. Any recommendations for wood would be greatly appreciated. Look forward to learning from you all.
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- Thread starter PMinNC
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Welcome. Lots of knowledge here and people are very helpful. I'm also trying to get my first build under way but I've decided not to go with cedar (for various reasons). I'm probably building with poplar for the hull and butternut for the trim & seats but I've been gathering other oddball species that have unique color as long as they're not TOO heavy.
Native species are going to be cheaper and more readily available and, if I were you, I might look at Cypress or Basswood. Both are only marginally heavier than cedar and should be available cheap. (I just bought 150 board feet of air dried Eastern Larch [Tamarack] for $125. At 5 years old, I'll probably skip the kiln)
You may find this a helpful source. https://www.wood-database.com/ I have found the pictures to be (somewhat) questionable but weight & workability seem accurate. Best of luck & happy building!
Native species are going to be cheaper and more readily available and, if I were you, I might look at Cypress or Basswood. Both are only marginally heavier than cedar and should be available cheap. (I just bought 150 board feet of air dried Eastern Larch [Tamarack] for $125. At 5 years old, I'll probably skip the kiln)
You may find this a helpful source. https://www.wood-database.com/ I have found the pictures to be (somewhat) questionable but weight & workability seem accurate. Best of luck & happy building!
if you have access to a good tablesaw, you can use 16' 5/4 cedar decking, slice your own strips, then run them through a shaper blade to cut the bead and cove. look for boards with straight, flat grain and no checking or knots( checking indicates that it's too dry) It'll require more sanding when done but a decent orbital sander with 120 grit followed by 180 and 220 will give you a nice smooth finish.
It's a lot more work, but in the end you can say you completely did it yourself
It's a lot more work, but in the end you can say you completely did it yourself
Too many years ago I built my first stripper with a buddy of mine.
we used white pine it was cheap and light enough easy to work with
I would avoid redwood or other brittle woods
Nearly half the weight of a stripper will be the wood, so if weight is a concern, choose wisely.
Here is that pine stripper, from 1978
View attachment JNxwU0m76czOQQQZGJv7C3qMjL0MO05-ryAf-d4AtNw5ScpEy2mpP-OMrc0ym3saYUzmQWJpHhBQsPn24ufV2WcfRjYN751PVgYq
we used white pine it was cheap and light enough easy to work with
I would avoid redwood or other brittle woods
Nearly half the weight of a stripper will be the wood, so if weight is a concern, choose wisely.
Here is that pine stripper, from 1978
View attachment JNxwU0m76czOQQQZGJv7C3qMjL0MO05-ryAf-d4AtNw5ScpEy2mpP-OMrc0ym3saYUzmQWJpHhBQsPn24ufV2WcfRjYN751PVgYq
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I have built countless boats out of white pine, it's clear, readily available and relatively cheap. However, it is quite a bit heavier than cedar. I used some poplar in my latest build, it worked really nice, and seemed lighter than the pine strips. I have used decking too, as long as your wood supplier is cool with you looking through the boards, you can often fined some that are quite clear.
I am really digging Stripper Guy's photo too.
Haha...that was a few lifetimes ago. That was my buddies boat, my first build and his only ever build. We agreed to build his first, make all the mistakes on his, then he would help me build mine.
And that's what we did, right down to the mistakes part.!! I've been building strippers ever since.
I have a full photo history of that build packed away (I'm between houses, building a new one) and can scan them, but I'll start a new thread so not to clutter this one.
And that's what we did, right down to the mistakes part.!! I've been building strippers ever since.
I have a full photo history of that build packed away (I'm between houses, building a new one) and can scan them, but I'll start a new thread so not to clutter this one.
Welcome PM !
Yeah ! Another builder !
Yes on Alternatives ! I was just at Menard's (Box store Lumber yard) Cedar I bought years ago, is 3 times the cost, and near worthless, compared to what I bought 30 yrs ago !
Cypress has been used a lot, if that is available to you ! Is there a Home Depot near by ?
What ever you come up with ? You'll find a lot of good advise here !
Jim
Yeah ! Another builder !
Yes on Alternatives ! I was just at Menard's (Box store Lumber yard) Cedar I bought years ago, is 3 times the cost, and near worthless, compared to what I bought 30 yrs ago !
Cypress has been used a lot, if that is available to you ! Is there a Home Depot near by ?
What ever you come up with ? You'll find a lot of good advise here !
Jim
Welcome PM .... when you decide to build there is nothing but decisions that you get to make about your boat .... and have to live with after it's built. Selecting the wood is one of the first decisions and it is pretty important.
If you need to carry this boat, then think about the lightest wood you can reasonably get. My first build had me looking all over for "clear" lumber that cost a fortune and took forever to find ... I sweated any knots etc .... I was very particular. Don't get me wrong, clear wood is beautiful, but I find a few knots add some texture and character to the stripping.
If the idea of texture sort of appeals, then it opens up the search and makes getting the lumber a lot easier. Like ScouterG suggested, cedar deck planking is an option, select the boards with the right grain orientation, they don't have to be perfectly straight .... use the skilsaw method for cutting strips (that allows for lumber that isn't perfectly straight and is the efficient way to cut strips IMO). If you want to use any knots that are present, just stabilize them with epoxy, before you cut strips (tape below, lets epoxy soak in ..locks them in place), this also increase the number of useable strips per board.
Use the table saw to adjust the width as required or just do that with the router setup when you bead & cove.
Like I said, if weight is of any concern, this is the first and most important decision that affects the boats final weight.
Brian
If you need to carry this boat, then think about the lightest wood you can reasonably get. My first build had me looking all over for "clear" lumber that cost a fortune and took forever to find ... I sweated any knots etc .... I was very particular. Don't get me wrong, clear wood is beautiful, but I find a few knots add some texture and character to the stripping.
If the idea of texture sort of appeals, then it opens up the search and makes getting the lumber a lot easier. Like ScouterG suggested, cedar deck planking is an option, select the boards with the right grain orientation, they don't have to be perfectly straight .... use the skilsaw method for cutting strips (that allows for lumber that isn't perfectly straight and is the efficient way to cut strips IMO). If you want to use any knots that are present, just stabilize them with epoxy, before you cut strips (tape below, lets epoxy soak in ..locks them in place), this also increase the number of useable strips per board.
Use the table saw to adjust the width as required or just do that with the router setup when you bead & cove.
Like I said, if weight is of any concern, this is the first and most important decision that affects the boats final weight.
Brian
Thanks Brian...Weight is not a huge concern and I like the idea of having some wood imperfections that would add in some "character" to the boat. That should open up options. I will see what I can find in the 16-18 ft range in decking material. I saw a video of the skill saw method and it looks like a great way to rip the boards. Again thanks for the info
Cedar is almost always the best choice. The first two strippers I (with others) built, we were able to obtain full length strips after that, I realized it just isn't worth the effort and the next 5 canoes we just used cedar deck boards, cut them up ignoring the knots, then we'd break the strips at the knots or the weak points, square the ends, then Mill all the bead and cove,
just like doing a floor in a house you randomize the joints!
You can butt joint the ends or use a small 45 degree scarf joint you don't even need to use epoxy to glue the strips because the epoxy and cloth will turn the strips into the core of composite.
Most of our builds were Moore's designs, this was my personal prospector, I gave it to my daughter many years ago and now it sits in her Sunny backyard rotting away
just like doing a floor in a house you randomize the joints!
You can butt joint the ends or use a small 45 degree scarf joint you don't even need to use epoxy to glue the strips because the epoxy and cloth will turn the strips into the core of composite.
Most of our builds were Moore's designs, this was my personal prospector, I gave it to my daughter many years ago and now it sits in her Sunny backyard rotting away
I have been looking for decking material, but so far I am only finding pressure treated lumber. I did find a place a few hours away that sales S/U/E grade (standard/utility/economy) might be worth a drive to see what it looks like.
You're welcome, white cedar is the absolute best choice, has a slight peppermint smell, it's nothing at all like Western red thats dark, splinters & splits
It's hard to come by in long lengths so you may find yourself cutting lots and lots of strips from shortboards but as I mentioned you can randomize the joints.
It's hard to come by in long lengths so you may find yourself cutting lots and lots of strips from shortboards but as I mentioned you can randomize the joints.
