The Bear Mountain Boat Shop

I'm building the Ranger and working on the inwales right now. The question I have is flotation and how big a compartment should be to work best. I am planning on closing in from station 6 to the end and filling it with foam. If I did this at both ends and the canoe capsized would that be sufficient ...

I made my forms out of particle board and didn't use any finish or sealer. I did use 3 coats of paste wax on the perimeter and about 3 inches into the form sides. I put the paste wax on after the form were on the strong back. It worked like a champ and I had no problem removing the stations and the ...

I have been sanding the inside of my Ranger for quite some time now and I wish I was done but I'm not. But in between sanding I have been designing my decks and building two paddles. I went with the beaver tail. My next decision is whether to put in bulkheads. I'm going with a long deck similar to t...

I just flipped my Ranger on Jan 19. I have been sanding it on and off ever since, pondering my next step of laying up the cloth on the inside. My question is, should I fillet the inside stems before the cloth or after. I would think before would be the way to go but this is my first canoe and I am o...

Thanks Jim, I was hoping it was a product to be tested. I actually like the amber tone. How far will a quart go on a Ranger. I am thinking about spraying it on so it would have to be thinned 50/50. I have sprayed alot of laquers and hope it works the same. Thanks again Jim

Happy New Year everyone, Im just finishing up my 4th coat of resin after sanding. Everything looks good and in a couple of weeks I will be flipping my Ranger to do the inside. My question is can I put a couple of coats of varnish on before hand, while it is still on the forms. It would seem like the...

Thanks Jim I am planning on using mahogany for the gunwales. I notice that the stations 6,7 and the stem sheer lines have quite an abrupt sweep, and wood take something more than just fastening to the canoe. I guess I will just have to find out. Thanks for the insight. brooks

I have just finished laying up the cloth on my "Ranger". I am very pleased with the results and now I am thinking about my outwales and if I could bend them around the canoe while its on the form and maybe even fasten them while it is still on the form. If I extend all my sheer lines with ...

Hello all. I am also in the process of building the Ranger. I love the lines and the wide beam. My progress has brought me to attaching the outer stems and everything has come without a hitch until now. Maybe its nothing. Dry fitting is great but scribing the forward edge of the stem to start the fa...

Rod That is the plan I had until the 3/8 became 1/8 after I faired the hull into the stem. My prelimenary layout showed me that the 3/8 that is needed for the band was going to be 1/8. For me to get the 3/8 I would have to take off the outside layer of the stem. Alick makes sense with his explanatio...

I just dry fit the outside stem as I mention in "another question".Lets go back to the inside stem and fairing it to an 1/8 of an inch on the leading edge. After stripping, it adds up to be just shy of 3/4 and adding the outside stem to fair to the hull line I have found something interest...

I have just dry fit my stems. What I am wondering is that most of you builders out there are I'm assuming,are using some kind of white glue on the stripping process. I am using titebond 3 and i am very happy with the result. While all the stripping is going to be encapsulated in the cloth and resin,...

Lacquer and polyurethane has already tested well but I have not tried 2 part epoxy. I don't see any issues. I do see how well it works in every situation. My brother builds guitar rosettes in place, dry fitting and spreading the ca glue and its done. The thin ca glue spreads like lacquer thinner int...

Has anyone use this type of glue. It comes in thick medium and thin. I have used it quite successfully on dry joints. The penetration is phenomenal. I'm just wondering if its been used to fill in gaps. After you sand the dust into the gaps use thin ca glue over the gaps which penetrates, bonds and s...

I'm going to use all these tips. The register mark at the ends is ingenious. I can also see why not to make it too tight. The compound miter is key to a perfect fit. This is an awesome forum.