Canoe Project 2!
- Thread starter jon r
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I went to the bottom of the garden and cut the bramble, it took about 10minutes to strip the bark and bend it. It's still green, and easy to bend, but tougher than willow. I'll leave it for a few days to let it dry and see how long it takes to keep its shape. I am pretty sure it will become very hard when seasoned. After I removed the bark the diameter is 1/2", 12mm at one end and 11mm at the other end. Its probably more even than willow branches.
I like your seat Jon, including the colour
What sort of material is curtain side? Is it the stuff they use on lorries? You could use all sort of things, including tarp, thick polythene. May not last long but very cheap!
good job i have got all the materials i need for the canoe. Look here:
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23632
Looks like there wont be a canoe project 3. or any other projects for that fact
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23632
Looks like there wont be a canoe project 3. or any other projects for that fact
Hi Jojo, curtain side (as I call it any way) is the heavy duty vinyl/pvc cloth they use on wagons to close the sides in with folding curtain's. I used to work as a sign maker and screen printer at one time and could get off cuts for nothing (we used it to make banners for pub's etc). I have seen it on ebay (they sell it to make custom boat covers) If you wanted some you could try someone who makes wagon's or custom tarps. You could join 2 or more colours to do a multi coloured self coloured skin I suppose, like how they assemble hot air balloons from joined segment's. You could make good pack's and bags from it as well; they'd probabaly end up looking a bit like the old wet look red or blue berghaus(??) sack's from the 70's!! I reckon even recycled old material could work. You can print on it, and it even repairs well. And I think it can be welded to get watertight seam's, I expect you know how to do that with newspaper and an iron we used to make crude bivvy bags that way years ago in the scouts? I used it for drum head's (west african peg style) simply as I thought it might work and because it was there! It also made heads for my talking drum and it does take some stick
Cheers Jonathan
Im getting pretty excited now! All the wood work is done for now. I now need to fit the canvas!!! YAY!
Im going to need advice about this canvas business though...... Am i going to have to make cuts in the canvas to make it fit around the stems of the canoe? Please help! Do i need to get a needle and thread out too?
On my last canoe the canvas just stretched to the shape of the canoe but this time i have got vertical stems! I havnt a clue how im going to do it this time.
Heres a pic of the canoe now! She has curves baby!
Im going to need advice about this canvas business though...... Am i going to have to make cuts in the canvas to make it fit around the stems of the canoe? Please help! Do i need to get a needle and thread out too?
On my last canoe the canvas just stretched to the shape of the canoe but this time i have got vertical stems! I havnt a clue how im going to do it this time.
Heres a pic of the canoe now! She has curves baby!
That looks awesome! I didn't realise you were gonna put those bits at the top on either end, I thought the ply bits were gonna get carved into a dragons' head and tail! Can't wait to see this finished and on the water, I reckon that will float and handle beautifully.
Jon, you've done a superb job on this one!! You deserve to be pleased with yourself!
You will have to split the canvas to do the stems. Put that beautiful canoe frame upside down on some trestles, preferably tie the frame to the trestle so it does not move too much. Fold your canvas along the length to give yourself a centreline you can mark that with a marker of some description, drape your canvas over the whole thing and put your centreline on the keel, you can put a few tacks to hold the canvas in place along the keel, start one end with a couple of tacks then go to the other end, stretch the canvas and tack, then put a few tacks every foot or so. Then from the middle of one side you can pull the canvas tight and tack it along the gunnel, start in the middle, level with a tack on the keel, so you can stretch the canvas without distorting it too much: like that: tack 1 then 2 then 3 then 4 then 5, 1 being the middle. Make sense?
4 2 1 3 5
Then do the other side in similar fashion and so on along the whole length. You probably will need to adjust by removing some tacks every so often to pull creases out You can cut the canvas along the gunnells ( don't split the ends yet) but give yourself enough of it to be able to grip and pull tight. When its tacked along both sides, say every 4" you can start doing the ends. By then you should see how to finish the stems, cut the canvas , giving yourself enough to pull and tack one side along the stem, then the other side. Be careful that you may have problems with splitting the ply, try to stagger the tacks so they don't all end up in the middle layer of the ply. It may be worth your while to put a few screws through the tickess of the ply to prevent it from splitting. As they will have to stay there try using brass screws so they won't rust. Enjoy
You will have to split the canvas to do the stems. Put that beautiful canoe frame upside down on some trestles, preferably tie the frame to the trestle so it does not move too much. Fold your canvas along the length to give yourself a centreline you can mark that with a marker of some description, drape your canvas over the whole thing and put your centreline on the keel, you can put a few tacks to hold the canvas in place along the keel, start one end with a couple of tacks then go to the other end, stretch the canvas and tack, then put a few tacks every foot or so. Then from the middle of one side you can pull the canvas tight and tack it along the gunnel, start in the middle, level with a tack on the keel, so you can stretch the canvas without distorting it too much: like that: tack 1 then 2 then 3 then 4 then 5, 1 being the middle. Make sense?
4 2 1 3 5
Then do the other side in similar fashion and so on along the whole length. You probably will need to adjust by removing some tacks every so often to pull creases out You can cut the canvas along the gunnells ( don't split the ends yet) but give yourself enough of it to be able to grip and pull tight. When its tacked along both sides, say every 4" you can start doing the ends. By then you should see how to finish the stems, cut the canvas , giving yourself enough to pull and tack one side along the stem, then the other side. Be careful that you may have problems with splitting the ply, try to stagger the tacks so they don't all end up in the middle layer of the ply. It may be worth your while to put a few screws through the tickess of the ply to prevent it from splitting. As they will have to stay there try using brass screws so they won't rust. Enjoy
Thanks once again Jojo! You are a hero! You make it sound so easy!
I'll proberbly get onto that tomorrow. I dont have the tressles anymoe because the builders needed them back but i'll see if they have finished with them again. I think i use those tressles more than they do!
Im really proud of this canoe and i can hardly beleive i actually made it!! I have amazed myself!
Many thanks!!!!!
Jon
I'll proberbly get onto that tomorrow. I dont have the tressles anymoe because the builders needed them back but i'll see if they have finished with them again. I think i use those tressles more than they do!
Im really proud of this canoe and i can hardly beleive i actually made it!! I have amazed myself!
Many thanks!!!!!
Jon
Tell you what, It may be an idea to round up any sharp corners the canvas touches. Bit more work for you! Also for finishing the tacks need to be every 2" to keep the canvas tight....even more work
Bit more work for you! Also for finishing the tacks need to be every 2" to keep the canvas tight....even more work
As long as you don't go all 'Emperor Nero' on us!
I can't wait to see the finished canoe..Keep up the inspirational work Jon.
I can't wait to see the finished canoe..Keep up the inspirational work Jon.
You must come to West Wales with your canoes some time.
We have some of the best canoeing in Britain over here....and it would give me a chance to "borrow" a go in your excellent looking craft!
John (BCU L4C)
We have some of the best canoeing in Britain over here....and it would give me a chance to "borrow" a go in your excellent looking craft!
John (BCU L4C)
Thats quite amazing jojo! Just goes to show that there is a massive variety of materials out there to use! Next you will be saying we can use leaves to make canoe ribs!
Fitted the canvas today! Shes looking beautiful! I just followed your instructions jojo and this is what i came up with.
Fitted the canvas today! Shes looking beautiful! I just followed your instructions jojo and this is what i came up with.
Phwoar
Well done, mate. You've done really well. Before you start painting, I would suggest you put some short "deck" both end, just a triangular piece of canvas to cover both ends, say up to the cross beams. That helps to keep water out and give you a bit of protection to whatever stuff you want to keep dry. It's worth folding the canvas 2 o 3 times and sewing it to reinforce the edges that goes across the boat. Once tight and tacked across, you can think about putting some covering battens on the outside of the gunnels to cover the tacks and the edge of the canvas. Then, put a cap over the top of this and you're finished! She is a beauty, well done:You_Rock_
Then, you'll need a nice paddle to go with it
Then, you'll need a nice paddle to go with it
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