Hi everyone!
I'm almost done stripping out the port half of the football on my first canoe, a Freedom 15' and I've run into a bit of a problem. I've got about 2 strips to go and I dry-fit a couple of strips on station 7 (the center station) to see where they would land. It turns out to be about 1/32" shy of my centerline. Should I just put another strip on there? I'm worried that when I cut back to the centerline it will just be mostly glue and a bit of the bead left from that strip. Additionally, that strip won't really have any station molds to place it, as they start to fall away on the starboard side of the line. What would you guys recommend to solve the problem?
Thanks for the help!
Brian
Indianapolis, IN
Last strip of football lands just shy of centerline
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purple otter
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:16 pm
- Location: Grand Island NY
Thanks!
That's a good point. I've already cut and routed all my strips, so I was trying to avoid it, but you're probably right. It looks like I'll need to do a little setup in the shop again, but the good news is that I won't have to route the coves on the last strip or its mate on the starboard side. Thanks for the advice!
How about planing off the cove/bead from the second-last strip. If you do, it gives a couple of options. First, the final piece would then be a bit more than a sliver so may eliminate your concern. Also, you could omit that last strip for now, then when you finish stripping the bottom fill in the pointy oval shaped gap with a single piece of wood.
You need a "thinking chair" in the shop for this sort of thing. A place where you can sit down, perhaps with a drink, and ponder the problem and let the creative energy flow to imagine solutions.
One final note: it doesn't matter. No matter how you solve the "problem" it will turn out just fine. I often worried about small details and later would realize that it makes no difference. "Don't sweat the small stuff" as they say.
Cheers,
Bryan
You need a "thinking chair" in the shop for this sort of thing. A place where you can sit down, perhaps with a drink, and ponder the problem and let the creative energy flow to imagine solutions.
One final note: it doesn't matter. No matter how you solve the "problem" it will turn out just fine. I often worried about small details and later would realize that it makes no difference. "Don't sweat the small stuff" as they say.
Cheers,
Bryan
Bryan gives a good solution. I think I'd carry it a bit further. I'd plane off the last bead/cove, which ever is next to the center line (I'm not sure which way you're are setting your strips bead up or cove up) and finish your last two strips. Then finish up the other side of the football doing the same thing to the last strip. You will be left with a "gap" that you will have to trim a small strip to fit in. This takes a bit of messing around but you will be able to close the gap nicely with a little patience. Don't worry about the bead and cove at that point, you don't need it, edge fitting is perfect.
It's a little late now but a really good way of doing the football is mentioned in the construction notes on the Newfound Woodworks website. The football is the first part stripped, when dry it is removed and set aside for later, the rest of the boat is stripped up to the point of the football, the football is trimmed, fit and glued in and all done. I did that on my last canoe and it saved a lot of headach.
There is a detailed description on the web somewhere but I cannot remember where at this moment.
Finally, Bryan is so correct, "Don't sweat the small stuff". Once that boat is done, on the water with the sun at your back and the breeze in your face....none of the problems of present will even be remembered.
It's a little late now but a really good way of doing the football is mentioned in the construction notes on the Newfound Woodworks website. The football is the first part stripped, when dry it is removed and set aside for later, the rest of the boat is stripped up to the point of the football, the football is trimmed, fit and glued in and all done. I did that on my last canoe and it saved a lot of headach.
There is a detailed description on the web somewhere but I cannot remember where at this moment.
Finally, Bryan is so correct, "Don't sweat the small stuff". Once that boat is done, on the water with the sun at your back and the breeze in your face....none of the problems of present will even be remembered.
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vann evans
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:52 pm
- Location: Chapel Hill, NC
I am also building a Freedom 15 and have just finished stripping the hull. I have 2 suggestions for you:
1)I added a horizontal piece of wood between the center stations at the centerline to support the last few strips.It was flush with the tops of the stations. I covered it with wax paper so that glue would not stick to it. I also used bags of sand (25#) to weight the last few strips to hold them in horizontal plane as the glue dried. I wrapped a band clamp around the hull and strongback in 2 places near the final strips to keep the alignment proper from side to side.
2) I planed the edges of the last 2 strips to make them flat and thus easier to join. the glued edges were flat and gave great glue spaces. I also was able to use a slightly wider strip to make up the width difference. the wider strip will never be noticed.
Hope this helps you-
Vann Evans
1)I added a horizontal piece of wood between the center stations at the centerline to support the last few strips.It was flush with the tops of the stations. I covered it with wax paper so that glue would not stick to it. I also used bags of sand (25#) to weight the last few strips to hold them in horizontal plane as the glue dried. I wrapped a band clamp around the hull and strongback in 2 places near the final strips to keep the alignment proper from side to side.
2) I planed the edges of the last 2 strips to make them flat and thus easier to join. the glued edges were flat and gave great glue spaces. I also was able to use a slightly wider strip to make up the width difference. the wider strip will never be noticed.
Hope this helps you-
Vann Evans