Cedar Strip Canoe build-along

[ZipSnipe]

Great looking strongback Gary, that was my biggest mistake was making a crappy strongback and I paid dearly with an extra week of fixing my cutting corners, can't wait to watch the progress!!!

[Kudzu]

I have to agree. I like the strongback. Except for the wheels, that concerns me but mine doesn't have to move once it is in place. I could see some flip-down wheels, when I was done I could then move it out of the way.

[SteveS]

After doing the Bowron Circuit last year with the family, I've been mulling over the idea of making a canoe. I'd be interested in seeing your progress.

[Mike77]

What have you decided on attaching your strips? Do you plan to route the edges with a canoe bit or are you going to leave them straight? Are you planning on staples or clamps? If clamps, have you developed or seen a good clamping system for them?

I have seen a few completed canoes. A fellow student in high school made one using staples. No matter how you try, the staple holes do show.

A guy in Montana makes very beautiful canoes and puts one in the store at Glacier Park every year. It stays on display the entire season, but someone usually buys it the first couple weeks. The last one I saw he charged $3800. I'm guessing he's probably getting more these days.

Mike

[Gary™]

I do plan on stapling the strips - I have and Surebonder Air Stapler and Arrow too. I'm in the belief this is my first canoe and not too worried about the staples showing. I do plan on getting them in a nice line.

I have the bead and cove bits. I'm planning on making my coves 3/32" deep which helps reduce damage to the fragile edges and also allows them to mesh better with the adjacent strips.

I hope this is not my last canoe.

[32ojdidit]

Gary, I did my first kayak with staples and my second without. I found it really is not harder doing the second without the staples and when I did get in a bind I would use them (usually at the bow and stern). Something to consider.

[Mike77]

I have a couple books with plans, I also have the router bit. I planned on building one but I have a long list and not enough time. I have the advantage of living in Montana. There is a sawmill in Bozeman that does mostly western red cedar. They said they would custom cut the boards to whatever dimension I wanted. The borg seems to be lacking thick, straight, long pretty wood. Most of the boards are for fences and very thin.

Good luck on the build.

[Robert Adams]

Are you going to climb cut the strips? The reason I ask is many of the people I have talked to that have made their own strips climb cut them on the router table because the cut is quite a bit better and less tear out.

I was thinking of getting red cedar from a local supplier as theirs is pretty nice. Have used lumber from them for pergolas and decks.

And whose router bit set did you end up getting?

[Gary™]

Weather cleared long enough to "rough" rip the strips for the canoe.  "Rough" means they're just under 3/8" thick now;  they'll get drum sanded to 1/4" but must be scarfed first.  They were planed to 3/4" thick before ripping.  Ultimate goal is 3/4" by 1/4" strips with bead and coves.

Here they are; 1248ft of strips.  My arms are tired.

   

Each strip is numbered to identify the board and sequence.

   

The 8' infeed and outfeed to rip the 12' boards.

   

Rockler thin strip jig used to get consistent thickness.  Blade is 1/4" Timberwolf.

   

Lots of sawdust, this is what the dust collector missed.  I bagged it up so I can use it as filler later on.  Glad I used the respirator and hearing protection.

   

Next step is to begin scarfing the strips and also making the feature strips.  Nice feeling to be making sawdust!!

[Robert Adams]

That would be allot of work on the band saw. I assumed you were running it through the TS.
I have made quite a few 1/8x 1/4 sticks on the tablesaw and planer. That gets old quick.