Okay so as usual I have been flip flopping on various building project possibilities. I am thinking that a strip built pack canoe would be a nice first strip built project. I am not in a rush to get started since the Summer is the time to be indoors here in Tallahassee, but may start sooner if inspired and able to gather the supplies. I have some RAKA epoxy on hand that should be used while it is still not too old
Getting materials for decent strips here seems challenging. Nice pre-cut bead and cove ones are available for shipping from far away. That tends to be expensive and often the lengths are not ideal. I really don't mind scarfing the strips to get the lengths I want though.
I'd be quite happy sawing my own strips and planing the edges rather than beading and coving if I can buy some suitable lumber locally. So that opens the possibility of other lumber species. Things like poplar, cypress, and various species of pine are available locally. Poplar is less rot resistant, but is that really an issue when encases in epoxy? Cypress sounds like a decent candidate, but would be a little heavier. Maybe not bad with 3/8" thick strips? Ideally I want to keep it light, but realistically I'd think a boat that size is going to be pretty light if care is taken in the other choices regardless of the wood species within reason.
I will actually work the numbers when and if I have a better idea of what is possible.
Thoughts on any of that? Other suggestions?
BTW, I saw the Nick Schade roto bevel tool that uses the Veritas Mini Shoulder Plane to cut the bevels. I don't see any reason that you couldn't make a home made tool that uses a full sized shoulder plane (which I already own). That said eyeballing the bevels probably doesn't require all that much practice since they don't need to be perfect. If all else fails the tool and the Veritas plane are not all that expensive especially if you are going to build more than one boat and/or will use the Veritas plane for other woodworking tasks.
Getting materials for decent strips here seems challenging. Nice pre-cut bead and cove ones are available for shipping from far away. That tends to be expensive and often the lengths are not ideal. I really don't mind scarfing the strips to get the lengths I want though.
I'd be quite happy sawing my own strips and planing the edges rather than beading and coving if I can buy some suitable lumber locally. So that opens the possibility of other lumber species. Things like poplar, cypress, and various species of pine are available locally. Poplar is less rot resistant, but is that really an issue when encases in epoxy? Cypress sounds like a decent candidate, but would be a little heavier. Maybe not bad with 3/8" thick strips? Ideally I want to keep it light, but realistically I'd think a boat that size is going to be pretty light if care is taken in the other choices regardless of the wood species within reason.
I will actually work the numbers when and if I have a better idea of what is possible.
Thoughts on any of that? Other suggestions?
BTW, I saw the Nick Schade roto bevel tool that uses the Veritas Mini Shoulder Plane to cut the bevels. I don't see any reason that you couldn't make a home made tool that uses a full sized shoulder plane (which I already own). That said eyeballing the bevels probably doesn't require all that much practice since they don't need to be perfect. If all else fails the tool and the Veritas plane are not all that expensive especially if you are going to build more than one boat and/or will use the Veritas plane for other woodworking tasks.
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