The Bear Mountain Boat Shop

There has been some concern lately about bubbles under the fiberglass. Where do they come from? Why am I getting bubbles? Fluctuations in shop temperature are not a contributing factor. Those unsightly dime-sized bubbles under the fiberglass on the inside of a hull are caused by gaps between the str...

Another way to make scuppers is to epoxy scupper blocks to the inwale. I describe this on my web site. Here is a direct link to the scupper article:

http://www.michneboat.com/Gunwales.htm

- John

The Bob’s Special is normally built at 15 or 16 feet, but it is easily stretched to 17 feet to become the JennyB. Newfound used to sell the kit. I have built it at 17 feet, and it is a fast and capable canoe. To stretch it, add another frame 0 and space the forms at 13”. - John http://i15.photobucke...

Hi Russell - I have written an extensive article on my web site that describes making strips. Go to http://michneboat.com and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Click on the My Web Site link, then click on Builder's Corner. There is a list of building articles there - click on Making Strips. Bui...

Let me tell you about my HVLP experience. I was at a woodworking show, complete with lots of vendors. One vendor was demonstrating an HVLP spray system. She had an easel set up with a big piece of paper on it, and was showing how one could spray product with virtually no over spray. She had the gun ...

I am building another Adirondack guideboat, this time in the traditional manner. Rather than strips, I will use 3 to 4 inch wide thin planks, as was done in the original boats a century ago. This design requires planks to be scarfed together to get the length. The scarf ratio is 1:8, and the joint i...

Dan -

I have used a wood painter hole, rather than PVC or copper pipe. The technique I used is described on my web site.

http://www.michneboat.com/Building%20th ... ter%20hole

You may have to scroll down the page a little to get to the painter hole section.

- John

You might want to check my web site, http://michneboat.com. Scroll down to the end of the opening page and click on My Web Site, and then click Builder's Corner. There is an article in the list about installing gunwales. The screws are used only until the epoxy cures, then are removed and contrastin...

Dust in a boat building shop is normal, but it can be dealt with. Remember, it only has to be controlled in the air while varnish is applied and during the drying process. Here is a section on dust control, copied from Building an Adirondack Guideboat, used here with permission of one of the authors...

Every strip on the two boats seen here in the avatar on the left was scarfed. I prefer to scarf strips rather than the entire plank, since strips are much easier to handle. Properly made, scarfed strips are indistinguishable from natural full length strips in terms of strength and durability. The jo...

Dave -

See my web site, http://michneboat.com, for an in-depth discussion on making strips, as well as other things. Scroll down the opening page and click My Web Site. Then select Builder's Corner, and scroll down the list to Making Strips.

I hope this helps.

John

I have run many glued up cabosil/epoxy laminations through my planer to clean up squeeze out with no problems. If Randy had a single nick in a planer blade, it most likely was caused by a piece of foreign grit, possibly from sanding. Sandpaper dulls, and the grit that gets worn off can find its way ...

Hi Mark – Glad to see you are working on the guideboat, but I was somewhat surprised to see you are planning to go without the ribs. My very first guideboat was ribless, but was also disappointing. It was stripped over forms, with a plan to make and install ribs after fiberglassing the inside of the...

Tim - See my web site, http://michneboat.com . Scroll to the bottom of the opening page, and click on My Web Site. Then click on Builder's Corner, scroll down the list of articles and click on Filling the Cracks. That one has a lot to do with filling, such as avoiding defects in the first place and ...

Building an Adirondack guideboat takes more time than building a canoe, when you consider the preliminary work before any part of the boat is made. Your second boat takes less time, since you already have lofted the ribs and stems, made the patterns and bending forms, and built a support structure o...