The Bear Mountain Boat Shop

I've made a couple of kitchen tables, using red oak. It is very porous ! Cut a very thin layer of end grain, say an 1/8" thick, and view it up against a light. It amazes me, how much air there is in red oak, for how much it weighs ! It will tend to split in time, unless you can seal it real goo...

Very Nice !!!
You did a great job of gluing strips, no excess yellow glue running down the sides, like my first canoe !
How did you like the fishline technic ?

Jim

You must be using a tablesaw to cut your strips. I use a skillsaw with a fence, and a thin kerf blade. It's a lot thinner blade. I can get by with three 1x8s for a solo, and four would be a great plenty. The skillsaw does a great job! Even with a thin kerf, I figure a fourth of the plank ends up in ...

Most reccomendations that I've heard, say 7 days, and this is more related to your health, because of uncured epoxy and your skin.

I'd go 7 days before sanding, or varnishing, if it were me.

Good Luck

Jim

Hi Dennis I learned this the hard way years ago ! I had layed out my bias strips for the ends first, thinking the main layer over the top would level everything out. Wrong ! I never did smooth out the bias strips, but I sanded the main cloth too thin ! I put on the main cloth, let it cure past the s...

Hi Dennis Just one suggestion. Do your end to end layer first, and then your side to side layer. On the outside. This will allow you to feather the seams, without cutting into your end to end layer. Starting at the stern with your side to side layer is right ! Wish I was there to help ! Good Luck ! ...

Usually, hulls sag the other way. What happens when you pull the sides inward ? You could with really good Duct tape, tape some weight to the underside of the hull, to pull it into shape,that way nothing would hinder glassing the inside. Just a thought ! I've not had this problem ! Good Luck ! Jim

Hi Mark Boat looks great ! One of my first boats was a Hiawatha, I sold it, and have regretted it ! It made a great solo boat, may have to add some tumblehome, and build it again ! Dragoon boating, I used to paddle and stern IDBA here in Iowa. Did you ever come to Iowa for the international races ! ...

Nice set up Denis ! The only thing I do different, is I run my strips "Between" the bit and the fence. If I want, say 3/4" strips, and my planks vary from 3/4" to 1", my setup will insure that all strips, from end to end are 3/4". Now for John, are your strips quartersa...

I have'nt used 3/16in. strips, but I wonder if they follow the shape of the forms better, especially with a stapeless construction ?
Jim

Just curious. Is the 9oz. that you're looking at from RAKA? If so, it might be the same as what I used. It will work great in a female mold, but I fear it will leave too much texture, or weave pattern, for a bottom . I too paddle my boats, and 90% of the time, I'm on the river. I always double botto...

Hi guys I'd vote for the outside with the kevlar. I've been in the process of building a James Moran type kevlar canoe for several years. Whats holding me up is the need for vacum bagging equipment. Anyway, kevlar is a bugger to cut, and once you apply epoxy resin, forget about cutting it ! I have b...

Sorry for my short answer, I was running late for work. I have overlapped cloth many times, if you feather the edges, it's very difficult to see where the overlap was. Running the cloth from gunnel to gunnel is a good technique ! It allows you to also beef up the hull. Running from end to end with y...

After the resin has set on the gunnel to gunnel cloth,you will need to feather the edge. Or it can leave a gap.

I'd do my end to end cloth first, and then the gunnel to gunnel.
Jim

The biggest problem that I see with knots, is that they are harder than the surrounding wood, when you sand you will have a lump to contend with. If I do have knots, I like them on the sides, not on the bottom. The grain in the strips is important, not only for strength, but for warping, and grain s...