Cutting strips

[Rob from Hamilton]

Okay, I'm sitting here with my strongback up and my stations in place, all ready to start stripping. I've got 20' long clear cedar planks but I can't find anyone to rip them for me. Does anyone out there have any ideas? I would prefer someone in Hamilton (Ontario) or surrounding area, but I am willing to travel a short distance. I need to get these cut.
Any suggestions other than Aitchison Lumber and Exotic Woods? I've even tried a professional shop but they couldn't handle the lengths.
Let me know.
Rob

[Rick]

Rob, cabinetmakers may be able to rip them for you, try the yellow pages.

[Fred G]

There are lots of ways to rip them yourself. If you do a bit of searching this forum and the guillimot forum, there are some people ripping with skil saws.

[Kerry]

Rob,

Try posting a message on here:

http://www.canadianwoodworking.com/forum/

I believe there are some woodworkers from Hamilton on there and you might find someone quite willing to do it for you for the price of a case of refreshments or a few dollars.

Good luck.

Kerry

[davidb54321]

Rob,

If you want to use the entire length of your board, I would recommend the Skil-saw method. With a good, thin-kerf blade you can make excellent strips without spending a lot on tools and it is easier to move the saw than the long boards. I ripped all my own strips from 20' boards and have only 2 scarf joints in my Prospector. Having said that, next time I will have more joints because it was a lot of work handling the long strips in the small work space I used to build my canoe.

Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed the whole process, from ripping, routing the bead & cove, color matching, etc. It was/is a very rewarding experience. You will love the stares and remarks you get with your finished canoe.

[AlanWS]

I agree that the skillsaw method works well. I had done very little woodworking for the previous 30 years when I cut my strips from 20' clear cedar boards. I made a website describing the process partly so I could remember how to do it:

http://www.home.earthlink.net/~durgerian/id5.html

I did not rout the edges of the strips shown in the website. For a good description of that and many other things, see John Michne's site:

http://www.michneboat.com/Making%20Strips.htm

[Bryan Hansel]

I've found the skilsaw method much more enjoyable than a table saw.

Here's how I did it: http://www.nessmuking.com/mykayak4.htm

[AlanWS]

The splitter, that I called a "spreader" in my diagram, will help to prevent kickback of the circular saw.

[Rob from Hamilton]

Hi Guys,
This will be our fourth canoe, but these little problems seem to still pop up.
I like that circular saw method. It might be a good reason to go out and buy a new one! I'm so used to using my power mitre saw, I hardly use my circular saw anymore.
Thanks for the ideas guys!
Rob

[Jim Dodd]

I'm on board with with the skillsaw method too!
I first learned of this technic from the Minnesota Canoe Assc., and it is still the best trick I've learned!
Good luck!
Jim

[Pedro]

Hi Rob,
Did you use the skill saw method? If so how did it go? A question for you or Alan, Bryan, or Jim. Do you thickness / plane strips before they are beaded & coved. I did a test run on some pine with my 7 1/4 Makita with a not so sharp thin blade and they came out incredibly even and smooth. Thanks for any input.
Pedro.

[Rob from Hamilton]

Hi Guys,
Sorry to disappoint, but I just wasn't able to use the skill saw method. I had already set up my forms, and levelled my stronback, and didn't want to have to do that all over again, and I had no other place to try it. Plus, as I mentioned before, my saw isn't in the best shape. I hardly use it anymore and just didn't really trust myself. I ended up asking a friend to cut them, who is a canoe builder. He understood what I needed, and used a thin kerf blade on his radial arm saw, so I ended up with about a canoe and a half worth of wood. Plus, he kept all the strips in order, so we were able to easily match up strips.
Yes, it cost a few dollars, but it did save me time.
For my next boat, I might go out and buy a new saw, with a nice thin blade, and try it.

By the way, these strips are very smooth, with good thickness consistency, and didn't need to be planed.

Rob from Hamilton

[JNewman]

If I had seen your post earlier Rob we could have worked somthing out I am in Hamilton and have a Patternmaking shop. I have my strongback and moulds hanging from the ceiling right now. I started cutting my strips but got too busy, come fall I am going to get moving on the canoe.

[Rob from Hamilton]

Hi JNewman,
That's funny because the first guy I contacted to cut the strips was a patternmaking shop. They tried but after one cut, gave up. I guess they just didn't have the room they needed, and they were nervous about giving me the consistency I was looking for.
I'm still interested though. If you let me know, I wouldn't mind looking at your strips, and maybe you can cut some more for me later.
See, my trouble is, we cut enough for 1 1/2 boats, so we might be "forced" to build another one!
Rob from Hamilton

[JNewman]

That was probably my next door neighbor. My shop is a little smaller but I can open my back door and have more room for long cuts. I am cutting my strips from 14' long 8/4 lumber because I have about 200bf of that in my rack. I have cut some boards to 7/8" x 1 7/8". I have three of the diablo blades that I plan on stacking so i can cut three strips at once.