Build in a tent?

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duncan
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 12:21 pm
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia

Build in a tent?

Post by duncan »

I've been assembling tools and knowledge for years now, and finally have reached the point where I need to start ripping strips and setting up the strongback. The only thing standing in my way: I have no place to build!

I bought my first house last winter, the basement won't work and I have no shed or garage. I do have a deck, and I may be able to convince my wife to let me set up there when the outdoor entertaining season is over.

My plan is to build a tent with a 2x4 frame, using plastic sheets for walls and roof. I'll insulate the walls and roof with whatever works, and the floor with styrofoam sheets, laying plywood on top to fasten the strongback to.

I can install pass-throughs for ventilation, power and a shop-vac dust collector.

I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia on the East coast of Canada. I can expect the temperature to fluctuate daily throughout the winter from -10 to +10 Celsius, (+/- 20 degrees Fahrenheit of freezing).

Question 1: Has anyone tried anything like this before?

Question 2: My usable space is 20 feet by 9 feet. I plan to set up the strongback on wooden rails so I can unclamp and slide it for and aft as necessary. Thoughts on this?

I don't want to start this if it is impossible. I don't want to wait a moment longer before I begin either!

Thanks everyone!
-Duncan
AlanWS
Posts: 209
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2005 4:30 pm
Location: Shorewood, WI

Post by AlanWS »

It sounds better than the way I built my first canoe: outside. I remember spending a lot of time covering it with plastic after every work session, and waiting for rain to stop. I built in the summer though.

The challenge in the winter will be comfort, and epoxy hardening. I have used an oil-filled electric heater with a fan to circulate heated air to bring an otherwise unheated garage up to temperature to allow glassing a canoe in late fall. Make sure the temperature is appropriate for any of the glues you use.

If you make the strongback movable, make sure it is extremely strong, as it would be a shame to pull it out of alignment. I try not to move mine until after glassing.
Alan
Markham_David
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2005 2:12 pm
Location: Markham, Ontario

Post by Markham_David »

You have the same work area as I have in my garage, so if you're building a 16 or 17 footer, you can set the strongback in place and not worry about the added issues involved in moving it.

Two concerns come to mind: snow load and cost. This temporary structure may end up costing several hundred dollars, and the plastic sheeting may collapse under the snow load.

Since I see this as primarily a means of keeping the weather off the canoe, you might want to consider a portable car garage. These are designed to support the snow, and will be quick to erect and dismantle. If height is an issue, it could be erected on a 2x4 kneewall to achieve more headroom. As well, you could perhaps sell it afterward, and recoup some of the cost. Also, you could dispense with the insulation and get a good 4800 watt construction heater. This should suffice for all but the coldest days. I don't know what your work schedule for the canoe is, but you could probably get the stripping and exterior sanding done before the coldest weather sets in, take a break till early spring if the weather turns too cold, then complete the remainder in time for summer.

Cheers, Dave
Robbie
Posts: 46
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2007 5:38 pm

Post by Robbie »

Hi, I bought my semi built woodstrip canoe last summer and put it in a portable garage as previously mentioned. I am still working on it but am very close to glassing now. The following is the pro's and con's of building in this structure.
Pro's; It's better than building outside in the elements.
I love building this canoe in the forest that surrounds my tent. I can hear the river roar after a rain while I'm contemplating the next plan fo attack and admire my work so far.

Con's; During the winter months the fluctuating of moisture inside the tent caused the hearring bone keel line to pop open at the joint. This was not an easy fix but I have repaired that problem. Moisture is your enemy when working with wood so remember that when building. The wood strips will swell and contract and move.
If you have the luxury of hooking up power inside the tent your lucky.

All in all I would build another in this location but ,without a doubt, a heated garage has it's benefits.
Hope this helps.
Nova Scotian
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 11:03 pm
Location: Halifax, NS

Build in a tent?

Post by Nova Scotian »

Duncan.....fellow Bluenoser (and Haligonian) here.
I am fortunate enought to have a shed (20x12), altought unheated, to have built my Bob's Special (I'm currently building a 16' sea kayak) I just decided to delay 'glassing and work on the deck this winter. it's surprising how many good 'glueing' days I got in Oct-April.

If time is not an enemy and there is no pressing timeline to complete - I say build the shelter with whatever works and build May-Sept...whatever is not done in that time span, no big deal. I'm pretty relaxed about completion time and built the 15' Bob's in a year and a half. Delayed gratification.

So why not just build during less harsh weather?.....oddly enough I found all sorts of reasons to spend time in my workspace with my little 25,000 BTU propane heater..tinkering and planning.

Stuart
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pawistik
Posts: 323
Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2004 11:20 pm
Location: Saskatoon, SK

Post by pawistik »

Another consideration with respect to temperature is not just during the epoxy work, but also during strip gluing. Other glues may be different, I used the LV 2002 HF glue. Not wanting the high electricity bill from keeping the shop warmer, I initially maintained a temperature of 5 to 10 C while stripping my kayak. I couldn't understand why my glue was drying to an opaque chalky white rather than the translucent amber it was supposed to be. The glue seemed to have sufficient strength, just the white colour was an issue. I finally figured out that it was related to the temperature. That particular glue needed to be over 12C to dry properly for me.

Elaborate set ups with light bulbs or small heaters, tarps and poly can go a long way towards raising the temperature immediately around the boat. I had very good results by creating a tent around my kayak, so perhaps a tent inside your tent could work.

See here for a blog posting regarding my warm tent set up: http://pawistik.blogspot.com/2006/02/de ... leted.html
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Cheers,
Bryan

p.s. We really enjoyed our time in the maritimes this summer! Here is a picture from our first meal after flying into Halifax. Link to it here

p.p.s. Coincidentally, Thrush Hermit is on the radio at the moment.
KenC
Posts: 190
Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 10:42 pm
Location: Oakville, ON

Post by KenC »

I have a nice big garage at home, but always thought if I was to start a project at the cottage, I'd build me a small version of one of these ....

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I think I've read where you can get inflatable greenhouse cover material for such a thing, which ought to improve the insulation value, but I can't remember where I read that, or for that matter whether I just hallucinated the whole thing.

Stimson Marine sells plans for this sort of thing ... they call it a bow-roof shed ... but I think all the detail necessary is in that picture above.
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