Two Years in the Making - My "Bucket List" Project
Two Years in the Making - My "Bucket List" Project
As a way of introduction, one of the things on my "Bucket List" is to paddle the Everglades in a "Ceder Strip Canoe" that I built myself. Well if all goes well, this appears to be the year. It's taken me two years to complete my "Prospector, but considering I have had the plans since 91, and been planning to get at it since then, I guess the actual construction time wasn't all that bad.
During that two years I have done a lot of reading, including Caneocraft, as well as the information on a variety of related websites. That said however, it has been this forum, and the advice provided by the people who contribute to it, who unknowingly helped the most. I do not believe there was one step taken during construction, that did not incorporate something I had read about here.
So thanks to all.
I'll include the link to all the pictures taken during construction(for anyone really interested) at the end of this post, but for the majority here are a few pics of the "finished canoe", (excluding seats). The reason there are no seats is that I intend on picking them up on my way south (Florida), and fitting them once I get there.
Overview
And Another
The accent strip on the sides are Walnut/Poplar/Mahogany/Walnut/Poplar/Walnut
The Compass Rose and Thwart
The Compass is constructed of Walnut and Poplar and is epoxied into the bottom. The thwart is Lacewood and as you can see the grain just "pops" when it's varnished.
I'll admit, that when it came to the moment of actually cutting the hole in the football to fit the Compass.....there was some real sole searching as to whether I really wanted to do it or not.
The Design in the Bottom
The idea for the two patterns in the bottom, which you can see here, and how to do them, actually came from John Michne's website. They are made of Walnut/Poplar/Walnut.
The Forward Deck and Carrying Handle
Both Decks and Carrying Handles are made of: Lacewood/Walnut/Birds Eye Maple/Walnut/Lacewood. The gunnals are constructed of ash with a walnut accent strip, and mahogany blocks to form the scuppers, with the idea coming from the Green Valley Boat Works website. Martin Step took the time to show me how to do the wrap around on the ends.
The After Deck, Carrying Handle and Mounted Coin
The mounted coin is the "Veterans Commemorative Coin" which was minted by the Canadian Mint in 2004. The "red circle" in the middle of it (which you can just see) is actually a Poppy which in Canada is a symbol of "Remembrance". Having spent 38 years in a Naval Uniform, I wanted to somehow acknowledge "The Service" of all Canadians who have worn, or will wear the Uniform of their Country. This was my way.
And that's about it. The link to all the pic's is:
http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/FCPO200/Canoe/
Again thanks to all those who unknowingly helped my build my first "stripper".
Regards
FCPO
(George)
P.S. Glen not sure if you'll move this to projects or not, but wanted to post in the forum to start. Thanks.
During that two years I have done a lot of reading, including Caneocraft, as well as the information on a variety of related websites. That said however, it has been this forum, and the advice provided by the people who contribute to it, who unknowingly helped the most. I do not believe there was one step taken during construction, that did not incorporate something I had read about here.
So thanks to all.
I'll include the link to all the pictures taken during construction(for anyone really interested) at the end of this post, but for the majority here are a few pics of the "finished canoe", (excluding seats). The reason there are no seats is that I intend on picking them up on my way south (Florida), and fitting them once I get there.
Overview
And Another
The accent strip on the sides are Walnut/Poplar/Mahogany/Walnut/Poplar/Walnut
The Compass Rose and Thwart
The Compass is constructed of Walnut and Poplar and is epoxied into the bottom. The thwart is Lacewood and as you can see the grain just "pops" when it's varnished.
I'll admit, that when it came to the moment of actually cutting the hole in the football to fit the Compass.....there was some real sole searching as to whether I really wanted to do it or not.
The Design in the Bottom
The idea for the two patterns in the bottom, which you can see here, and how to do them, actually came from John Michne's website. They are made of Walnut/Poplar/Walnut.
The Forward Deck and Carrying Handle
Both Decks and Carrying Handles are made of: Lacewood/Walnut/Birds Eye Maple/Walnut/Lacewood. The gunnals are constructed of ash with a walnut accent strip, and mahogany blocks to form the scuppers, with the idea coming from the Green Valley Boat Works website. Martin Step took the time to show me how to do the wrap around on the ends.
The After Deck, Carrying Handle and Mounted Coin
The mounted coin is the "Veterans Commemorative Coin" which was minted by the Canadian Mint in 2004. The "red circle" in the middle of it (which you can just see) is actually a Poppy which in Canada is a symbol of "Remembrance". Having spent 38 years in a Naval Uniform, I wanted to somehow acknowledge "The Service" of all Canadians who have worn, or will wear the Uniform of their Country. This was my way.
And that's about it. The link to all the pic's is:
http://s819.photobucket.com/albums/zz111/FCPO200/Canoe/
Again thanks to all those who unknowingly helped my build my first "stripper".
Regards
FCPO
(George)
P.S. Glen not sure if you'll move this to projects or not, but wanted to post in the forum to start. Thanks.
FCPO
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- Posts: 196
- Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:00 pm
- Glen Smith
- Posts: 3719
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
- Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada
Wow- outstanding!!! I am sure that this project is something very dear for a Navy man!
Very nice detail. I also like the lacewood - I have to admit that I have never heard of it (had to Google it to find out more).
I have to ask - why the everglades???
Happy paddling (and a safe journey).
Snowman
Very nice detail. I also like the lacewood - I have to admit that I have never heard of it (had to Google it to find out more).
I have to ask - why the everglades???
Happy paddling (and a safe journey).
Snowman
Snowman back East
- Patricks Dad
- Posts: 1476
- Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:11 pm
- Location: Warrenville, Illinois
- Redbird Bernie
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2010 3:14 pm
- Location: Illinois, USA
Wow is right! FCPO your boat is absolutely outstanding and a testimony to your skills as a craftsman! The accents are artwork in themselves. You must be very proud.
After spending so many hours toiling away in the workshop, I hope that you are ready for all the attention you'll be getting from now on. Rest assured that you are going to turn heads get lots of stares, compliments and inquiries.
Don't ever let it out of your sight and be sure to secure it well at all times. Something of that quality is especially prone to disappear.
Like mtpocket said, "I wouldn't even put it in the water"
Bernie
After spending so many hours toiling away in the workshop, I hope that you are ready for all the attention you'll be getting from now on. Rest assured that you are going to turn heads get lots of stares, compliments and inquiries.
Don't ever let it out of your sight and be sure to secure it well at all times. Something of that quality is especially prone to disappear.
Like mtpocket said, "I wouldn't even put it in the water"
Bernie
This is one of the prettiest canoes I have ever seen.WOW! How many hours went into the build? I looked at your album, but I'm still not sure how you went about the stripes and compass. I think many of us would appreciate more details about that. I just grought home some dried lumber and will start to rip it into strips, so this is excelent motivation!
My hat is off to you!
My hat is off to you!
- Bryan Hansel
- Posts: 678
- Joined: Fri May 14, 2004 6:36 pm
- Location: Grand Marais, MN
- Contact:
Gentlemen,
Thanks for all the kind comments. Makes it all worthwhile when fellow builders appreciate the time and work.
To answer Aljo's questions about the inlay in the bottom and the compass:
a) The wider strips are just pieces of walnut and poplar that I machined the same as I did the ceder strips, then I just glued them in like the rest.
b) The narrower strips are again walnut and poplar cut thinly, and glued together ahead of time, which I then glued in when it was time. I got the idea and how to from two different sites:
The first is John Michen's site in his builders corner, under the heading a "Different at: football"; http://michneboat.com/A%20Different%20Football.htm
The second is on the "One Ocean Kayaks" website under the Section "Inlay Techniques" at: http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/Wshophtm/Shop6b.htm
and under the Section, "Inlays" at:
http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/Wshophtm/Shop7a.htm
To do the Compass I cut four pieces of both walnut and poplar - 1 3/8th " by 6 3/4" and four pieces 1 3/8" by 4 1/4" (eight pieces total). Those were then cut "diagonally", resulting in two half's for each "point". It was then a matter of gluing one piece of walnut and one piece of poplar together to form a complete "point". From there just a lot of "fiddling" to get them to fit together properly and then finally epoxying them to form the completed Compass.
Hope that makes sense.
Regards
George
Thanks for all the kind comments. Makes it all worthwhile when fellow builders appreciate the time and work.
To answer Aljo's questions about the inlay in the bottom and the compass:
a) The wider strips are just pieces of walnut and poplar that I machined the same as I did the ceder strips, then I just glued them in like the rest.
b) The narrower strips are again walnut and poplar cut thinly, and glued together ahead of time, which I then glued in when it was time. I got the idea and how to from two different sites:
The first is John Michen's site in his builders corner, under the heading a "Different at: football"; http://michneboat.com/A%20Different%20Football.htm
The second is on the "One Ocean Kayaks" website under the Section "Inlay Techniques" at: http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/Wshophtm/Shop6b.htm
and under the Section, "Inlays" at:
http://www.oneoceankayaks.com/Wshophtm/Shop7a.htm
To do the Compass I cut four pieces of both walnut and poplar - 1 3/8th " by 6 3/4" and four pieces 1 3/8" by 4 1/4" (eight pieces total). Those were then cut "diagonally", resulting in two half's for each "point". It was then a matter of gluing one piece of walnut and one piece of poplar together to form a complete "point". From there just a lot of "fiddling" to get them to fit together properly and then finally epoxying them to form the completed Compass.
Hope that makes sense.
Regards
George
FCPO