I didn't do a lot today. I finished transferring the form station patterns on to my 3/4'' plywood. I really thought when I started this project that I would need much more then the 4x8 sheet that they said I would need. What did I know...
I've also come to the conclusion that even though you have a really good jigsaw with the proper scrolling blade that's it's really really hard to get the cuts just right, a fraction of an inch outside the line to sand down so they're all even in the end. A bandsaw would've been a good investment for it's stability in cutting alone. I suppose it's time I got that spokeshave I've been looking for the last several weeks. There's no doubt that this will be a tedious process to get everything all even. All the form stations laying flat on the 2x6 form backer, and all the rounded edges matching up and plumb on the top side will more then likely require alot of shaving and shimming to get it right. And then after all that I have to cover the entire form with 3/4'' square long ribbands which also have to be free of divots and bumps. I have to admit this is the part I'm dreading. One wrong move and I get a wonky shaped boat. Wooooo!
All in all though, there's not a day that goes by that I don't learn something or have a feeling of accomplishment.
Onward!
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Building the form Part 1.
Geez I wish I had a bandsaw....
I got a sliding 10'' mitre saw, a table saw, a jigsaw, 12'' planer, clamps, hand planer, dozens of new hand tools, screws, nails, and tacks. But boy would I like a bandsaw, and a router! They just aren't in the budget right now, and really, although a little more difficult and time consuming, a good jigsaw will do the job of the bandsaw, for now.
In starting this project I tried really hard to make sure I have all the "necessary" tools. But it's the little things that you don't think of. Things like carbon paper to trace the plans on to the plywood. The chalk reel to ensure that you're placing the form stations onto exactly the middle of the form backer. The clinching iron to bend the tacks manually that are not in the range of the many strips of galvanized sheet metal on the form. And, let's not forget the many sawhorses. 2 for the form itself and at least 2 more sawhorses or benches for all the other cutting you need to do. Oh yes, and at least 2 sturdy benches or tables to catch the lumber after it comes out of the table saw or planer. Like I said before, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but alas it's good fun.
So off I go, I tack 2 sheets of paper on to the wall. The cross sections of the finished form and the canoe itself. A reference to always look upon in times of trouble. I look at them all the time, memorizing, fascinated by this whole process and only hoping that one day my boat will look even close to what this portrays.
I made the mistake of taping the carbon paper to the backs of the form patterns, hoping that this would keep them from slipping and sliding out from under the paper. Not only was this not needed, but it was silly. I could not get the carbon paper off without tearing at least part of the pattern paper. This ensured that if I ever want to make a second form, I will have to buy some more plans. Lesson learned. From this point on, I simply laid out the carbon paper, placed the pattern on top, and used some handy dandy hand clamps to hold it all in to place while I traced it. Simple.
While I was tracing the pattern for the stem mounts, I noticed it said that the stem mount should be 7/16'' away from the last form station. Just when I thought it figured out in my head how I was going to fasten it all together, they throw in a curve ball. It's ok, I got this....I've told myself I will not be calling Rollin at Northwoods Canoes every time I hit a stumbling block. It's just part of the process of learning....right? Right?
I got a sliding 10'' mitre saw, a table saw, a jigsaw, 12'' planer, clamps, hand planer, dozens of new hand tools, screws, nails, and tacks. But boy would I like a bandsaw, and a router! They just aren't in the budget right now, and really, although a little more difficult and time consuming, a good jigsaw will do the job of the bandsaw, for now.
In starting this project I tried really hard to make sure I have all the "necessary" tools. But it's the little things that you don't think of. Things like carbon paper to trace the plans on to the plywood. The chalk reel to ensure that you're placing the form stations onto exactly the middle of the form backer. The clinching iron to bend the tacks manually that are not in the range of the many strips of galvanized sheet metal on the form. And, let's not forget the many sawhorses. 2 for the form itself and at least 2 more sawhorses or benches for all the other cutting you need to do. Oh yes, and at least 2 sturdy benches or tables to catch the lumber after it comes out of the table saw or planer. Like I said before, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but alas it's good fun.
So off I go, I tack 2 sheets of paper on to the wall. The cross sections of the finished form and the canoe itself. A reference to always look upon in times of trouble. I look at them all the time, memorizing, fascinated by this whole process and only hoping that one day my boat will look even close to what this portrays.
I made the mistake of taping the carbon paper to the backs of the form patterns, hoping that this would keep them from slipping and sliding out from under the paper. Not only was this not needed, but it was silly. I could not get the carbon paper off without tearing at least part of the pattern paper. This ensured that if I ever want to make a second form, I will have to buy some more plans. Lesson learned. From this point on, I simply laid out the carbon paper, placed the pattern on top, and used some handy dandy hand clamps to hold it all in to place while I traced it. Simple.
While I was tracing the pattern for the stem mounts, I noticed it said that the stem mount should be 7/16'' away from the last form station. Just when I thought it figured out in my head how I was going to fasten it all together, they throw in a curve ball. It's ok, I got this....I've told myself I will not be calling Rollin at Northwoods Canoes every time I hit a stumbling block. It's just part of the process of learning....right? Right?
Cleaning out my work area...
So we've had a border living with my wife and I for a while now. He is really never home as he works for 3 weeks at another location, then is home but is really never here. He adds a little bit into the rent for the garage for him to store the vintage car he's working on. The garage is split in 2 so I figured I would use half as there's plenty of room for what he needs in the other half. The amount of shrapnel car parts and tools and random crap I found in there was staggering. I've already been to the dump once with a full truckload, he's brought 2 loads of steel to his work to trade in, and we still need to do probably another 2 loads to the dump to clean just one half of the garage to the point of being a workable area. That being said, it's about cleaned enough now that I can work without it feeling claustrophobic.
After reading the book "The Wood & Canvas Canoe" from cover to cover, I realized that it would probably be to my advantage to build my steambox first. You know, get those things done now that I'll need so that I don't have to stop mid-project to build it. It's a project in itself as I built it 4ft square and 8 feet long. Admittedly it's mostly out of 5/8'' plywood and not exactly the most stunningly beautiful thing in the world, but it will do it's job. I would've liked to build it out of cedar, but to be honest, just to have the smell of cedar steaming did not justify the cost of it. So, I decided I would hang it on a pulley system from the ceiling, keeping it out of the way when it's not in use. Pretty clever huh? Yeah so I'm not the first to do it that way...
Finally, after cleaning up the garage, building my workbench, building and hanging my steambox, and buying an embarrassing amount of tools, I am ready to begin building the form on which my canoe will be built. This, I believe, will be the part that I have to be most careful with, because one wrong measurement or warp in the form and it could totally affect the look and glide of the finished boat. Here goes....
After reading the book "The Wood & Canvas Canoe" from cover to cover, I realized that it would probably be to my advantage to build my steambox first. You know, get those things done now that I'll need so that I don't have to stop mid-project to build it. It's a project in itself as I built it 4ft square and 8 feet long. Admittedly it's mostly out of 5/8'' plywood and not exactly the most stunningly beautiful thing in the world, but it will do it's job. I would've liked to build it out of cedar, but to be honest, just to have the smell of cedar steaming did not justify the cost of it. So, I decided I would hang it on a pulley system from the ceiling, keeping it out of the way when it's not in use. Pretty clever huh? Yeah so I'm not the first to do it that way...
Finally, after cleaning up the garage, building my workbench, building and hanging my steambox, and buying an embarrassing amount of tools, I am ready to begin building the form on which my canoe will be built. This, I believe, will be the part that I have to be most careful with, because one wrong measurement or warp in the form and it could totally affect the look and glide of the finished boat. Here goes....
The plans are here!
See, there are a million plans out there for boats, but I wanted one with ribs and all that jazz. To me, they give more stability and strength, seeing as I like to go to fairly rugged areas on my canoe trips. Alot of the plans out there are for cedar strip epoxy finish boats that feel like you're paddling a plastic, lightweight, paper thin, boat that "may" get ripped open by the first jagged rock you hit. My apologies to those of you that enjoy those boats, it's just not what I wanted. I've paddled them, and I felt like I was paddling on eggshells. Again, only my experience. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to find the Northwoods Canoe plans. They arrived on one Tuesday afternoon, along with the book "The Wood & Canvas Canoe" that I had also ordered. Why? Because I had no idea what the hell I was doing in building a boat and hopefully this would help me along the right path. I started reading...
So I decided I want a hobby...
I used to work at a great summer camp for boys in Algonquin Park, Ontario Canada. It's name is http://camppathfinder.com If you have a son that you would like to teach values of teamwork, independence, friendship, dedication, discipline, self worth, and hard work, then this is the place to send them in the summer months. I guarantee in a very short time you will see some very admirable and welcomed differences. The basis of this camp is varying lengths of canoe tripping. The youngest are sent out for 3-4 days, while the 15 year olds can go out for 23 days at a time.
Make no mistake, these are not easy trips where the guide (counsellor) does all the work. Every child is given a pack to carry, a task to complete at the campsite upon arrival, or other job to do.
I had worked as the camp chef at other camps before, but none like this. There is no running water other then in the kitchen and to wash hands outside of lavatories. There is only outhouses and no showers. You bathe in the lake. All technology is taken away before going on to the island. This goes for the campers and for the staff. This promotes conversation, socializing, reading, card playing, guitar playing and singing, etc... All the things we as a society used to do before the age of technology, just as when the camp was discovered and opened in 1914.
In any case, Camp Pathfinder has a beautiful fleet of wood canvas cedar strip canoes built by Jack Hurley in Dwight Ontario. http://www.greenval.com/hurley.html . If you're ever in the market to purchase a cedar strip canoe, I highly highly recommend having him build one for you.
Since the day I left Camp Pathfinder I've wanted my very own cedar strip canoe, so this year I decided to take the plunge and "attempt" to build one myself. I began searching for plans that matched what I was accustomed to paddling....
Make no mistake, these are not easy trips where the guide (counsellor) does all the work. Every child is given a pack to carry, a task to complete at the campsite upon arrival, or other job to do.
I had worked as the camp chef at other camps before, but none like this. There is no running water other then in the kitchen and to wash hands outside of lavatories. There is only outhouses and no showers. You bathe in the lake. All technology is taken away before going on to the island. This goes for the campers and for the staff. This promotes conversation, socializing, reading, card playing, guitar playing and singing, etc... All the things we as a society used to do before the age of technology, just as when the camp was discovered and opened in 1914.
In any case, Camp Pathfinder has a beautiful fleet of wood canvas cedar strip canoes built by Jack Hurley in Dwight Ontario. http://www.greenval.com/hurley.html . If you're ever in the market to purchase a cedar strip canoe, I highly highly recommend having him build one for you.
Since the day I left Camp Pathfinder I've wanted my very own cedar strip canoe, so this year I decided to take the plunge and "attempt" to build one myself. I began searching for plans that matched what I was accustomed to paddling....
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