Just wondering if anyone out there has used pre-cut station molds before?
I am new to canoe building and will be starting a 16' Prospector very soon (as soon as I finish the strongback) and thought they might be worth the extra cost to save some time and worry about getting them exact myself. After reading "Canoecraft" it seems like this is one area that needs to be exact in order not to have problems magnified down the road.
If anyone has used them before, I would like to hear about you experience with them.
This forum is great and I 'm sure I will be visiting many, many times during my project!
Pre-Cut Station Molds
Pre-Cut Station Molds
"I'm up, I'm dressed, what else do you want?
Station molds
Stovetop, it depends on who's doing the cutting 
I've used CNC cut molds and found them to be OK. They came with precut clamping grooves. The problem is the freight cost. Of course that depends on where you find your source. But if you buy a whole kit, including the precut molds, then the $60 mold cost is a good buy as the freight will be the same IMHO.
If your source is cutting with a jig saw and sanding by hand, you might as well buy the plans and cut them yourself. My Prospector took 2 1/4 sheets of 1/2" MDF. You can do it!
Ed...
PS: Welcome to the group, you'll have fun!
I've used CNC cut molds and found them to be OK. They came with precut clamping grooves. The problem is the freight cost. Of course that depends on where you find your source. But if you buy a whole kit, including the precut molds, then the $60 mold cost is a good buy as the freight will be the same IMHO.
If your source is cutting with a jig saw and sanding by hand, you might as well buy the plans and cut them yourself. My Prospector took 2 1/4 sheets of 1/2" MDF. You can do it!
Ed...
PS: Welcome to the group, you'll have fun!
Ed Alger
Station molds - I did not even buy plans for 2 canoes.
Plotting the molds from offsets was not difficult for me. It's just 2 coordinate groups, One at 2" along the horizontal baseline, and one at 2" spacing along the vertical centerline. plot them both on the same sheet and you are there! It won't take more than an evening. Remember to get the offset revisions from the web site if you do plot them yourself.
(I do have an engineering background)
Plotting the molds from offsets was not difficult for me. It's just 2 coordinate groups, One at 2" along the horizontal baseline, and one at 2" spacing along the vertical centerline. plot them both on the same sheet and you are there! It won't take more than an evening. Remember to get the offset revisions from the web site if you do plot them yourself.
(I do have an engineering background)
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davidb54321
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Stovetop.
Welcome to the forum. The mold cutting process is just one of many steps that go into your finished canoe. You should take care to get the molds as precise as possible, but it is definately something that anyone seriously contemplating building a canoe is capable of. It is also very rewarding to be able to do it all yourself, from start to finish.
Take your time, cut outside the lines, and sand to bring it all to a fair curve and your canoe will beautiful! The Prospector is a very fun canoe to build and paddle.
Welcome to the forum. The mold cutting process is just one of many steps that go into your finished canoe. You should take care to get the molds as precise as possible, but it is definately something that anyone seriously contemplating building a canoe is capable of. It is also very rewarding to be able to do it all yourself, from start to finish.
Take your time, cut outside the lines, and sand to bring it all to a fair curve and your canoe will beautiful! The Prospector is a very fun canoe to build and paddle.
David Bartlett
"I don't fully understand everything I know!"
http://photobucket.com/albums/b81/davidb54321/
"I don't fully understand everything I know!"
http://photobucket.com/albums/b81/davidb54321/