The Bear Mountain Boat Shop

Jim What kind of wood did you use in your layup? Any chance of seeing a picture of the laminated gunnel on the canoe? Thanks Joe Actually that is a feature strip, with all the Paper clips. I used Aspen, and the darkest WRC I could find. Aspen, or Poplar would make a good laminate, with a hard wood ...

My Strongback serves as a long clamping table. I cover it with plastic. The real secret to laminating gunnels, is Clamps, and lots of them. Oh and epoxy mixed with fillers. https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/y390/JimDodd/.highres/IMG_1569_zpsalhnhqa2.jpg https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/y3...

Joe I get my S-glass from Sweet Composites, An excellent choice as opposed to E-glass. It wets out just like E-glass, but is supposed to be 25% stronger and more resistant to wear. It costs a lot more, but that's the way it is. http://sweetcomposites.com/index.html I believe Nick Schade had a link t...

Totally possible. I found a good print shop made it so easy and inexpensive ! adjusting the form spacing, and the stems, is accomplished with a Fairing Batten. Simply, the Batten is just a strip, that you would use to build your canoe. Lay batten on the forms and the stems, and check for irregularit...

In my experience, and this is the way I do it. After I have wetted the main layer of cloth, and the epoxy has hardened enough, that I can trim it at the stems. A razor blade works great. I lay the widest bias strip. Wet it out, and immediately lay the narrower on on and also wet it. Yes there will l...

Me ! I wouldn't rely on just the glass to hold up to the forward, or the side thrust of an Outboard motor, on a canoe's Transom ! Few of us have built hulls with transoms, for outboard motors. Me included. So what advise I'm about to offer should be taken with a grain of Salt. First I would consider...

Eric. nearly all Spar varnishes I've used are labeled " Not for use below the waterline." I used them, without problems, on my canoes. As Stephen states Epifanes, is top of the line. Hull prep is the most important thing, removing any blush that may have developed, during the epoxy cure, s...

I replied to this post on another site.

Yes, I build all of my strippers, and composites, with flotation chambers.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4570

Yes, temp is a big thing when cure time is involved. You will need to fill the weave on the patch. Now that you have the patched wetted out and past tacky ? Keep it inside and add fill coats about an hour apart, until the weave is filled. Two, maybe three coats on the flat. Use a scraper, ( carbide ...

Eric A foam roller, my favorite is the Cigar type foam rollers, do an excellent job of applying an even coat ! In fact I use them for the entire process. Early builders didn't have foam rollers, Now we do ! Use them you will like them ! https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/y390/JimDodd/.highres/IM...

If you sand into the weave ? You are weakening the cloth. Always allow enough time to get all the fill coats on, or wait until you can. Sorry ! A very light sanding. and add fill coats. The clarity of the final product might suffer some. But it's better than weakening the integrity of the cloth . Go...

I had a guy climb into one of my hulls years ago. When he was getting out, I heard a crack. After getting it home, I found the crack. I never let anyone in my boats on dry land, again. The canoe was glassed with one layer inside and out. Since then I always double the outside football. A lesson I le...

Excellent Brian !
With your permission, I may share this thread. Certainly worth sharing !