The Bear Mountain Boat Shop

Rod, I think the discrepency you are noting between theorectical and actual epoxy amounts is because most of the formulas for estimating epoxy weight only considers the epoxy needed to wet out. At least that is what I have always assumed. I don't think the formulas take the fill coats into account. ...

This whole business of wood finishing oils is laced with misinformation, misconception, misperception, and personal preference. To make it worse, most of this is intentionally caused by the finish makers themselves, whether rightly or wrongly by keeping their ingredient lists so secret. As a semi-pr...

I have never built a Bear Mountain boat so am not familiar with the plans. My first thought was wondering if you are supposed to shape and fair the inner stem to the molds and it is intentionally left 1/8 proud to allow for that?

Contrary to popular belief, most widely-available consumer varnishes are not actually waterproof, only water resistant. And most will allow water vapor (humidity) to enter and leave the wood, although at a much slower rate than unprotected wood. So if a canoe lives in a very humid place, over time t...

I am guessing that at least 50% of canoe builders use scarfed gunwales, simple because long clear, straight-grained hard lumber of 18-20 foot length is just not that easy to find. Ash is probably the most available because of what sedges said. If you do decide to scarf your gunwales, then you litera...

I would suggest that you seriously reconsider your choice of red oak for gunwales. Red oak is not rot resistant whereas white oak is fairly rot resistant. After a year, I doubt anyone could tell which one was used. But if you use red oak, almost certainly you will be replacing them within a couple y...

I haven't used basswood for boatbuilding so I can't comment on the workability but I have used it in woodworking and it is an easy wood to machine and work. Alot of the crown molding that is painted is basswood as it is very smooth textured. As stated by others, it doesn't have much grain pattern or...

There is a technical/practical reason for oiling gunwales instead of epoxying and varnishing them. Most gunwales are constructed of hardwoods, most of which are susceptible to mold infestation, especially ash. Because the gunwales are not protected with fiberglass like the hull but it still subjecte...

I also use Elmer's yellow Carpenter Glue as well as the dark colored Elmer's for dark woods like walnut.

If you just bought this glue, then I would suggest doing a test piece. Glue up 3 or 4 pieces about 6 inches long and take it in the house with you overnight. If it cures fine, then you know the problem is not the glue and probably not the moisture content of the wood. The cause would likely be low t...

Although Titebond III is being touted as the greatest glue ever made, it does have at least two characteristics that are disadvantages in certain circumstances. It has very poor initial tack, meaning the joint can move easily until the glue sets. Other yellow glues like Titebond and Elmer's have goo...

Yup, sounds to me like old glue.

The method Glenn described should give you more than enough strength. I wouldn't install them by just butting the end of the thwart against the gunwale, the joint need that mortise and tenon connection which both increases the gluing surface be at least 3 times, and adds a lot of shear strength. If ...

Dick, From just looking at the picture, it looks as though you carved the front and back out of 2 inch or thicker stock which leaves the uprights? If that is how you did it, aren't you worried that the uprights won't have much strength as there are very short grain? Not criticizing your work, it's v...

It doesn't work to cut the frame from one piece of wood because two of the sides would have really short grain which would break with very little weight. It's good that you are thinking about better ways, but unfortunately this one won't work. Sorry.