building my canoe
- Thread starter jon r
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Im Very impressed! I wish I had the time and the dedication to do something like this! One day im sure!
How do you know the ribs will fit? do you sort their shape before you go to dry them or do you just hope for the best?
Regards, Bunn
How do you know the ribs will fit? do you sort their shape before you go to dry them or do you just hope for the best?
Regards, Bunn
for the first few ribs it was a bit of a guessing game, but then when i had them correct and fitted the longitudinals, the rest of the ribs just take the right shape when i pressed them in.
But i do roughly measure the rib wood before hand. And if they snap i just make a smaller rib for the ends which taper. If you get what i mean
But i do roughly measure the rib wood before hand. And if they snap i just make a smaller rib for the ends which taper. If you get what i mean
That looks really good JonR 
You probably won't need to put the ribs so close together toward the ends because they wont need to support your weight. are you also using hazel for the longitudinals?
You probably won't need to put the ribs so close together toward the ends because they wont need to support your weight. are you also using hazel for the longitudinals?
Thanks! Everything is hazel, is that good or bad?
Considering this is the first i have ever made i think im doing pretty well
Considering this is the first i have ever made i think im doing pretty well
Jon R, you are doing extremely well ! Hazel is not a boat building wood, but that matters not at all 
when native people made their canoes they would have used the best most appropriate wood, but I am sure that they would also use whatever was available. After all your canoe will not spend all its time on the water, and if you don't let her get full of rain water it will probably last a very long time!. When I build mine, I use a mix of linseel oil and a bit of red oil paint to protect the frame, but you can also use varnish, that would last longer than the oil. :You_Rock_
! Hazel is not a boat building wood, but that matters not at all when native people made their canoes they would have used the best most appropriate wood, but I am sure that they would also use whatever was available. After all your canoe will not spend all its time on the water, and if you don't let her get full of rain water it will probably last a very long time!. When I build mine, I use a mix of linseel oil and a bit of red oil paint to protect the frame, but you can also use varnish, that would last longer than the oil. :You_Rock_
jon r said:Thanks! Everything is hazel, is that good or bad?
Considering this is the first i have ever made i think im doing pretty well
The currachs were usually made of hazel wands. They were stuck in the ground and bent over instead of drilling through though.
stovie said:Great work Jon. Puts our little scout jobby in the shade
Keep at it.....
have you had yours on the water yet? cant wait to see a pic!
Are you all drawing straws to see whose going to test it out!
Hope you dont fall out at this time of year, it would be a bit nippy! You will have to try it out in the bath!!
I need some advice on putting in a seat!
how am i going to fit a seat inside?
What should the seat rest on? I dont want loads of pressure put on only a few ribs!
Should i attatch it to the gunnels?
How far down inside the boat should it go?
how am i going to fit a seat inside?
What should the seat rest on? I dont want loads of pressure put on only a few ribs!
Should i attatch it to the gunnels?
How far down inside the boat should it go?
jon r said:I need some advice on putting in a seat!
how am i going to fit a seat inside?
What should the seat rest on? I dont want loads of pressure put on only a few ribs!
Should i attatch it to the gunnels?
How far down inside the boat should it go?
That looks ace and well done you for avin a go, "avin a go" is missing from life a lot these days !
JonR Here are the couple of drawings. Easier to understand as a drawing than the long explanation!
Jojo
What book is this scanned from? It looks like the same thing as I have made, but far more refined.
Thank you
What book is this scanned from? It looks like the same thing as I have made, but far more refined.
Thank you
Hi Torjusg. I scanned these drawings from "The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America". There are dozens of drawings from Native American canoes from various tribe, ans weel as skin boats from the arctic. It s a real useful resource book. That's the book I used when I built my canoes. can scan more pages if you are after something specific and it's in there.
can scan more pages if you are after something specific and it's in there.
jojo said:Hi Torjusg. I scanned these drawings from "The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America". There are dozens of drawings from Native American canoes from various tribe, ans weel as skin boats from the arctic. It s a real useful resource book. That's the book I used when I built my canoes.
I think I want to get the book if it is still in sale. But I have heard something about the Iroquis making permanent canoes of spruce bark, if you find that and scan it for me I would be most grateful!
thats fantastic jojo! Will i be able to bend hazel like that for the thwarts without it breaking?
Woke up this morning with a bad wrist!
doesnt look like im going to be doing much to my canoe today! Must have over done it yestersay
Woke up this morning with a bad wrist!
doesnt look like im going to be doing much to my canoe today! Must have over done it yestersay
I think I want to get the book if it is still in sale. But I have heard something about the Iroquis making permanent canoes of spruce bark, if you find that and scan it for me I would be most grateful!
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The only mention I have read about spruce canoes are in this book. I have quite a few on Native Americans way of life and artifacts and I can't remember seeing any mention of this. there was also an article on birchbark canoes in the Wooden Boat magazine, i think I have got it somewhere, if you want some photos. I can fish it out and scan.
From the book: There is ample evidence to support the belief that many of the tribes also used temporary canoes of other bark such as elm and spruce. Invariably the quality of these other barks, particularly spruce were such that their use was often more laborious and the results less satisfactory than with birch..... but with care spruce bark could be used to build a canoe almost as good as one of birch bark.
So it must be possible to build a good spruce bark canoe but it may well take more time and effort to get a good result. It seems it was a fairly common occurence than in need people did use whatever was available.
I had a quick look on amazon.com and the book is available .
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The only mention I have read about spruce canoes are in this book. I have quite a few on Native Americans way of life and artifacts and I can't remember seeing any mention of this. there was also an article on birchbark canoes in the Wooden Boat magazine, i think I have got it somewhere, if you want some photos. I can fish it out and scan.
From the book: There is ample evidence to support the belief that many of the tribes also used temporary canoes of other bark such as elm and spruce. Invariably the quality of these other barks, particularly spruce were such that their use was often more laborious and the results less satisfactory than with birch..... but with care spruce bark could be used to build a canoe almost as good as one of birch bark.
So it must be possible to build a good spruce bark canoe but it may well take more time and effort to get a good result. It seems it was a fairly common occurence than in need people did use whatever was available.
I had a quick look on amazon.com and the book is available .
I should think so Jon R, if you use green wood it shoud do the bend easily, or using hot water to soften drier wood, worth trying with a spare bit first! Post some pics when you have tried I think I may give it a go sometimes! I like the whole idea of how you are doing it.
regarding those cross members, Jon, you can go quite thin on them, because the gunnels work in compression, they are trying to straighten up in other words so not putting much strain on the thin part of the wood
Post some pics when you have tried I think I may give it a go sometimes! I like the whole idea of how you are doing it.regarding those cross members, Jon, you can go quite thin on them, because the gunnels work in compression, they are trying to straighten up in other words so not putting much strain on the thin part of the wood
