Western Red Cedar Strip Canoe Update

[Woodbender]

Okay guys - I finally have another update for you.  As you can see we've been busy around here.

We got the hull final faired and ready for fiberglass. We used System Three's Silvertip Laminating epoxy to wetout the fiberglass.  Nice stuff to work with and I'd do it again for our next canoe.



This is looking down at the gorgeous curves of the 38 Special (that's the name of the pattern)



I have had a marvelous time convincing people that fiberglass actually wets out clear.  But here's the proof.


And another one;


Last two show the hull after the fill coats have filled up the weave of the fiberglass.
Side view;


Top view. This is Chris' canoe. It's a long distance solo canoe specifically designed for extended solo camping trips.  He's a very happy but very tired owner. We started this day at 1:30pm but didn't get to bed that night until 1am the following "day".


Thanks for looking.  This is why we've been quiet lately.
The entire process has been documented here;
http://home.wmis.net/~eastmant/projects.html

[Don K]

Awesome canoe!! I wish I had that amount of building skill.

[Tom]

I'm flabbergasted.

I  hope you don't leave all of the conversation on your webpage.  This thread will get a lot of attention for a long time.

[WDH]

What a masterpiece 8).  I know that you are proud.

[Dave Shepard]

That is amazing. Makes me want to build one.!


Dave

[Don P]

Awesome!!!

[LeeB]

That's gorgous. I wouldn't want to take it out for fear of scratching it up.

[Cedarman]

I'm fiberglasted.  That sure is pretty.  Can something that beautiful be put on the water?  It would make all the other canoes jealous.

[Woodbender]

Lee & Cedarman

Yes they can be put on the water  ;D in fact they are quite sleek as far as moving through the water with minimal drag. A lot of competition rowing sculls are made this way.

And they are deceptively strong.  I've read through some of the destructive analysis tests on these boats and the forces required to "hole" these fiberglass hulls is mindblowing. (yes someone actually put objects through one of these hulls)

They are coated with a new coat of protective UV varnish every couple years.  You literally can't help to scuff them up a bit but then they are built to be used.  A new coat of varnish gives you a brand new hull every couple years good as new! 

I'm off to church  8) see ya guys! 

[Norm]

Wow, that's beautiful. Thanks for the update.

[Patty]

WOW!  8)    That is absolutely beautiful!

Enjoy yourself with the new toy.  ;)

[Larry]

Beautiful canoe.  I also really liked your web site where I learned what it takes to make one.  Father and son working as a team is also impressive.

I have one question.  As you lay the strips do you edge glue them?  If not what holds it together when you pull the staples?

[Woodbender]

Hi Larry.

Yes they are edge glued. There are a couple different ways to do that. Most guys go with a bead-n-cove strip meaning one side of the strip has a rounded edge and the other side has a concave edge so when you glue them together you have an interlock of sorts.  It gives a fair amount of gluing surface this way.

We went with the second way of edge gluing and that is a rolling bevel. In both ways the strip is laid against forms that are almost like skeletal ribs and edge glued to the previously laid strip and stapled to the form to hold it to it's prescribed shape.  A rolling bevel has no bead-n-cove shaping at all. One starts with a 1/4"X3/4" strip which starts 90° square on all 4 corners of the strip and we bevel the proper angle with a hand plane. Each strip.

The angles change from place to place on the canoe as the strip travels from the stern to midships to bow and the strip can go through some real twisted contortions.  To simplify that we only need to bevel one edge of the strip - the bottom edge to mate it to the one already installed on the forms.

Each has it's pro's and cons.  Some who have learned building with one style are comfortable with it and stay with it. Some have worked with both and switch back and forth from one project to the next depending on what kind of mood they're in I guess.  I've heard equally valid arguments in both camps.

Then some guys add misery to that and don't use staples at all. :D  It makes for some real creative clamping but boy do the finished boats look nice.  That's next in my book.

Thanks for looking.