Search found 209 matches

by AlanWS
Mon May 23, 2005 12:33 pm
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: Cleats or Hangers?
Replies: 4
Views: 2789

My seats installed with cleats over 30 years ago are still working fine. I used a single long cleat on each side of each seat, and fit them nicely to the curve of the hull. I don't remember whether I even put a layer of glass over it, but I might have. But I just hung the seats in my new boat from t...
by AlanWS
Sat May 14, 2005 10:25 am
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: Looking for lumber
Replies: 4
Views: 1761

You might also call to see whether any lumberyards in your area would be willing to check around and order it from one of their dealers, even if they don't normally stock it. Their cost of shipping, adding it to a truck full of lumber already on its way, is nothing compared to what you'd pay. That w...
by AlanWS
Fri May 13, 2005 10:49 am
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: Blush
Replies: 7
Views: 2661

In case anyone encounters the idea of cleaning off blush with vinegar, I want to warn against it. This is based on chemistry, not experience doing it. In case anyone want to know, here's why: Epoxies harden by reaction between basic amine groups in the hardener and epoxide groups in the resin (at le...
by AlanWS
Wed May 04, 2005 5:03 pm
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: Football Patch
Replies: 12
Views: 4263

If you are using a football because of your wider strips, that suggests you are concerned about the twisting, and probably don't know exactly how big you want the football until you get there. That's the usual reason the football is added last. I'll assume you don't want to build the football separa...
by AlanWS
Thu Apr 28, 2005 5:56 pm
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: Seat downsizing
Replies: 6
Views: 2001

Maybe it's just an indication of my age and physical condition, but the people I know are much more likely to wish they had made the canoe seats larger, rather than smaller. You save very little weight with smaller seats, so make sure they will be comfortable for you. As far as strength and caning g...
by AlanWS
Tue Apr 26, 2005 11:40 am
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: Clear thickener and/or filler?
Replies: 9
Views: 2977

I'm very sorry I wasn't clearer. After the first mixing step, I should have said to let it cool (complete the hardening it can do) before adding the second part of the resin. This method is very much like that mentioned by Rod Tait, except that you slow down the completion of the cure by making sure...
by AlanWS
Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:32 pm
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: Clear thickener and/or filler?
Replies: 9
Views: 2977

If you want it truly clear, one way to do that is to use just epoxy. The way to do that is to carefully measure out resin and hardener, but not to mix them yet. Add half the measured resin to the hardener and stir well. Let it react for about as long as your epoxy usually takes to set -- it will get...
by AlanWS
Fri Apr 22, 2005 6:52 pm
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: hardware & mounting seats/thwarts/yolk question
Replies: 13
Views: 4151

Silicon bronze looks more traditional, and you may consider it a better look. If you are considering stainless, you don't need anywhere near that thick a bolt. A 10/24 bolt (actually a machine screw) is plenty strong in tension. This is the only place I've been able to find them long enought to hang...
by AlanWS
Mon Apr 18, 2005 1:13 pm
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: mixing epoxy by weight
Replies: 5
Views: 2930

Measuring by volume is easier, but measuring by weight definitely can be more accurate. A reasonable compromise (if you are concerned about accuracy) is to measure by volume and check the weight. If it's off, you can fix the ratio by weight, and if it's OK, just use it.
by AlanWS
Mon Apr 18, 2005 1:09 pm
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: Epoxy & UV Protection
Replies: 8
Views: 2832

System 3 also makes an epoxy with some UV protection , their SB-112. It's still a good idea to use a UV absorbing varnish. Another reason not to put UV absorbers in the epoxy itself is that you need to protect all the epoxy. That means you need to filter out the UV before it penetrates, so only the ...
by AlanWS
Wed Apr 13, 2005 2:22 pm
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: It has begun.
Replies: 16
Views: 4942

Good luck on getting the price down to $100. I made one for under $100, but it was in about 1976, I used polyester instead of epoxy, and about 30 of us bought the wood, glass, and resin as a group. Epoxy is superior, but polyester is not too bad: that canoe is still in fine shape. If you don't have ...
by AlanWS
Fri Apr 08, 2005 4:31 pm
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: mortise and tennon joint for seats... details pls!
Replies: 13
Views: 4324

Even with power tools, it's pretty easy to measure from one face, and with one setup. One way is to make a spacer, thicknessed to match the tenon plus two saw kerfs. Making two cuts with the same face toward the fence, one with and one without the spacer block, leaves a tenon in register. On a table...
by AlanWS
Thu Mar 17, 2005 4:58 pm
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: Seat Hanging Question
Replies: 13
Views: 4467

System 3 mentions the problem of bedding stainless steel in epoxy. But they are referring to saltwater use. They say that the problem is if the bolt is partly covered, corrosion can take place. There is no problem with the part that is encased in epoxy, or the part that is exposed to air, but there ...
by AlanWS
Thu Mar 17, 2005 4:49 pm
Forum: Builders' Forum
Topic: OH MAN!! making a mess of my glass!!
Replies: 15
Views: 5159

Rather than waxed paper, which can leave wax behind, or plastic food wrap, which is so thin that it shreds when you try to peel it off, I found that heavy polyethylene film works well. I put on a patch of glass cloth wet with epoxy, covered it with poly film, and smoothed it out with a roller, press...