tips on trimming plank ends

Welcome to the new Bear Mountain Builders Forum - an interactive internet service we provide to encourage communication between canoe and kayak builders
Post Reply
anthony karakas
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:37 pm
Location: st louis Mo

tips on trimming plank ends

Post by anthony karakas »

Greetings,

Does anybody have any additional advice on trimming the plank ends flush with the inner stems?

I remember from my first build that this step, while it seems innocent, can be a bit tricky. Perhaps the teeth on my pullsaw are too big? What kind of saw do you use?

All advice is greatly appreciated!!
User avatar
Patricks Dad
Posts: 1476
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:11 pm
Location: Warrenville, Illinois

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by Patricks Dad »

You might not believe this but I use a belt sander. I fix a thin metal 18" ruler under the belt so I can see the angle the sander is at when I'm sanding. I stand above the canoe on a small step ladder so I can look down on the operation and eyeball the ruler relative to something that is perpendicular to the centerline (such as the end of the strongback). Takes just a few minutes. Prior to this operation, I cut the strips within about 1/8" using my handsaw.
Randy Pfeifer
(847) 341-0618
Randy.Pfeifer1@gmail.com
David James
Posts: 223
Joined: Tue May 11, 2004 9:04 pm
Location: Glenview, Illinois

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by David James »

Anthony, I cut the strip ends about ¼ inch out from the inner stem as I stripped the canoe. When I was ready to trim the ends flush with the inner stem, I didn’t cut them with a saw, I sanded them down with 80 grit sandpaper. I hot glued the paper to a ½ inch plank 3 inches wide by about 2 feet long. Why 2 feet long? So that this plank could “ride” on a second bow (or stern) mold rigged up parallel to the real mold. By holding the plank against both molds and rubbing the sandpaper part of it up and down against the strip ends I was able to bring the strips ends down perfectly flush and at a perfect 90 degrees to the centerline very easily. I took a bit of fussing to get the second mold into position, but it was worth the extra effort for me. Sure, the pros can do it with a spoke shave or a saw with one hand, but I couldn’t on my first boat, and expected the same trouble on my second. I got the results I wanted on the second canoe. Call me crazy, but I had no gap between strip ends and outer stems. Anyway,that’s how I do it.

Dave
"If given six hours to chop down a tree, spend the first four sharpening your ax." - Abraham Lincoln
anthony karakas
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:37 pm
Location: st louis Mo

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by anthony karakas »

Randy & David;

Those are both intriguing ideas! I suspected there was another way to perform this seemingly simple operation. I would like to get this joint tighter on this boat than i did on the first one.

Gentlemen I thank you both :tu
User avatar
Woodchuck
Posts: 140
Joined: Mon Aug 01, 2005 7:56 am
Location: Garden City, MI

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by Woodchuck »

I used a "microplane" available at Woodcraft. It is like a cheese grater, in fact, it was a cheese grater before they went into the woodworking market. The tool is fantastic for the job and I used it everywhere you want to revise the shape of wood. See my website for a photo under "stripping". nomad17.home.comcast net
Joe "Woodchuck" Gledhill
Garden City, MI
User avatar
Alan
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:09 am
Location: Rossland, BC

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by Alan »

Hello Gentlemen:
I'm working on a Rice Lake Skiff and am approaching the point where I have to smooth off the inner stem. Trying to get it perpendicular to the centre line – also trying to avoid the gaps that I had to fill on the old Redbird.
I've read the responses from Randy and Dave but I can’t quite picture the procedure described by Randy – how is that ruler placed? Under the belt? How does that work?
And, I do have another stem that I could use as a guide – but placing it appears to be more than “a little fussy”. Did you make another platform attached or adjacent to the strongback? Hmmmmm – maybe I’ll try that.
Pictures always say more.
Thanks for any help you might provide.
Alan
User avatar
Patricks Dad
Posts: 1476
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:11 pm
Location: Warrenville, Illinois

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by Patricks Dad »

Alan,

I don't have any pictures handy, but yes, the ruler goes under the belt. Any straight piece of thin metal that is stiff enough will do. It looks like a narrow pair of wings extending from the sides of the sander. From above looking down on the sander you see the profile the edge of the ruler aligned with the edge of the strongback (or some other reference).
Randy Pfeifer
(847) 341-0618
Randy.Pfeifer1@gmail.com
User avatar
Alan
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:09 am
Location: Rossland, BC

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by Alan »

OK Randy, I'm going to give your method a try - I'm wondering how that ruler stays in place under the belt while the belt is moving - am I misunderstanding?
Alan
User avatar
Patricks Dad
Posts: 1476
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:11 pm
Location: Warrenville, Illinois

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by Patricks Dad »

I tape it to the bottom of the belt sander using a piece of duct tape. the smooth side of the belt will rub on it but it has always lasted long enough to stay in place long enough to do the job. Depending on your belt sander, you may find a place where the rubbing is minimal.

good luck!
Randy Pfeifer
(847) 341-0618
Randy.Pfeifer1@gmail.com
User avatar
Alan
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:09 am
Location: Rossland, BC

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by Alan »

Ahhhh! Duct tape! And I a follower of the renowned Red Green. How could I not have considered that ubiquitous helper?
Thanks,
Alan
anthony karakas
Posts: 39
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2011 2:37 pm
Location: st louis Mo

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by anthony karakas »

Gentlemen,

I found the belt sander a bit too cumbersome and aggressive. After trimming the planks to within a 3/16" of the inner stem, I ended up using a very sharp spokeshave adjusted to cut extremely fine. I did adopt Randy's idea of standing directly over the stem, looking down on it, and keeping the handles of the spokeshave parallel to the end of the strongback. The results were very good and a vast improvement over my first canoe.
User avatar
Patricks Dad
Posts: 1476
Joined: Wed Oct 13, 2004 1:11 pm
Location: Warrenville, Illinois

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by Patricks Dad »

Good for you! Enjoy the rest of your build. She'll be in the water in no time!
Randy Pfeifer
(847) 341-0618
Randy.Pfeifer1@gmail.com
User avatar
HighPlainsDrifter
Posts: 77
Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 9:30 pm
Location: Brookings, SD USA

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by HighPlainsDrifter »

I have been watching this post and figured that you went with the belt sander. That tool in my hands can be dangerous (to the canoe). I have one additional "fine-tuning" trick.

Basically I did as you did and added one more step to clean up my work:
1) trim with fine tooth saw
2) spoke shave
3) sand-paper-on-a-stick....... stick is about a 16" length of 1x2. In the center of the broad side of the stick attach 60-80 grit paper (on the 2" wide side). Use the sand paper stick as you would the spoke shave keeping the stick parallel to the end of the strong back
User avatar
Glen Smith
Posts: 3719
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by Glen Smith »

Yup, I use the sanding stick method also.
User avatar
Alan
Posts: 27
Joined: Tue Aug 30, 2005 9:09 am
Location: Rossland, BC

Re: tips on trimming plank ends

Post by Alan »

Well, Randy, I used your method of placing the flexible ruler under the sanding belt - it worked like a charm. I had an old metal fold out ruler from which I had to grind the rivet - but I've got two more anyway. As it turns out my little Skil belt sander (a Sand Cat) had a metal flap under the belt so I could put the ruler under the flap with The Handyman's Secret Weapon and it stayed in place as though it lived there.
Thanks for the suggestion,
Alan
Post Reply