POLL: Strip build -- staples? glue? clamps? other?

[WoodsNWaters]

I was all-in on avoiding staples on my first strip canoe but words written by Nick Schade resonate with me:

"A wooden boat will suck up all the perfectionism you can feed it, and you need to pick your battles."

Not the tidiest poll, especially for those who have built boats with staples and entirely without. But I'm fishing anyway.

I'm looking for the method you use most on a canoe. I'm sure a single canoe can use all the choices and more but what predominates.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[stripperguy]

I’ve been building strippers since 1978, almost exclusively with staples. It comes down to personal preference, just like all the boat building choices.
Especially for a first time builder, I would say use staples

 

[Alan Gage]

Mo' staples is mo' betta.

I am not bashful with the staples. I have 2 guns setup. One with 9/16" staples for going into the forms and another with 1/4" for between forms (strip to strip).

I do not care how it looks. It doesn't bother me one bit. I just want a functional canoe and I want it done now. It's not some zen experience for me. I fill the entire hull with tinted and thickened epoxy before fiberglassing to fill all gaps, cracks, and holes (including staple holes). They're not very noticeable after that.

Case in point. This is an area of high stress where the strips did not want to conform.





Same area after filling and glassing:



I also don't worry so much about perfectly fitting strips:


After Fiberglass:

 

[Cruiser]

If you set aside all other build considerations and just narrow it to this question, then personal preference comes to the front of the line (as SG suggests).

The advice I usually give is to find a staple built strip boat (or possibly pictures supplied by Allan TYVM) and see how the staple marks hit you, if you don't really notice them, go with staples, it's easier and doesn't seem to interfere with your boat vision. If you look and see a lot of marks and holey stuff that offends your building soul, then they aren't for you ... period.

First boat or not, if you see the holes and they kind of stick out to you, then don't build with staples .... it's all you'll notice after the work is done.

I like to play some with build techniques, but using staples, where they will show, is not likely something I would ever try, I find myself drawn straight to the marks they leave and it just doesn't fit my wood building paradigm,


Brian

 

[Gamma1214]

"A wooden boat will suck up all the perfectionism you can feed it, and you need to pick your battles."

I think that's an extremely accurate observation.

Personally, I staple and consider the staple holes part of the building method so the visible holes don't bother me in the least (although I can honestly say that I've never gone medieval on an area like Alan demonstrates upthread).

It's certainly builder's choice and I 100% agree with Cruiser. If the blemishes bother you, find other methods.

I'd consider building stapleless someday (just to try it) but I'd consider building with internal & external stems for the same reason. I'll probably ease into it though and start small by actually filling the staple holes on this winter's build. I've never sealed a hull or filled staple holes either... so many options, so little storage space.

 

[Jim Dodd]

Simply, if you do staples right ? They are not that much of a distraction.

All canoe designers use staples ? Why ? They want the strips to be true to the forms !
So do I !

I've done it both ways ! Staples rule !


Jim

 

[memaquay]

40 plus canoes now, staples on all but one of them. On the 20 foot freighter I used screws to hold the half inch strips on, lol.

 

[WoodsNWaters]

Thanks to everyone who voted or responded so far. I will certainly read any further replies with interest.

When I first read Rob Mack's comments about stapleless construction, I knew "this is a better way". We will see how the idea holds up.

Now I've finished Nick Schade's excellent book Building strip-planked boats. Where he says staple holes are simply the way things are. This idea makes lots of sense.

I will certainly staple the first strip on each side, which are shear and covered by gunwales almost their whole length. I can then feel my way along the next few strips to see how things go. I did buy a glue gun with high/low power specifically for this build. Then again, there are 8 staplers here but we can eliminate the 3 pneumatics. The others include 2 big chrome Arrows and an electric Arrow.

Again, thanks,
Dave

 

[scoutergriz]

I've got 2 of those electrics- they really save your wrist- one has 3/8 the other has 9/16 and they're also 2 different colours red and yellow, plus I write the staple size on masking tape and stick it on both sides of the rail. I've also got a handful of hand staplers with various oddball sizes in them including a couple of narrow-crown 2025's.
but I've also used wedges and straps, and wedge where I can and staple where I can't. they don't bother me because, if you look at any historic builds, you can find at least a few brass tacks or nails used where needed, so really they're part of the heritage.