You don't need to feel intimidated by the idea of building a cedar strip canoe yourself. Using epoxy, fibreglass cloth and cedar strips makes it fun and easy. A quick and simple description of the building process, tools used and costs involved will stimulate enough interest to overcome fears.
Building a cedar strip canoe requires very simple techniques and tools. Building a cedar strip canoe out of cedar strips, epoxy and fiberglass cloth is a 6 step process. Anyone with basic tools and skills can build a canoe..
Step 1
Build a simple strongback to support the molds and create a centerline. It requires two dry, straight 2x6 pieces of lumber. Screw the two pieces together to form a T shape base to build the boat on. Put some legs on the T so that it stands on it's own.
Step 2
Cut up plywood into molds that will form the shape of the canoe. You can use eitehr a jig saw or a bandsaw to do it. Next, cut the molds for the stems (the stern and the bow). Put the molds onto the strongback in the appropriate places (the plans will give you the meaurements.
Step 3
Make or buy the 1/4" by 3/4" strips you will use to build the boat. If you make your own strips you will need a table saw, band saw or radial arm saw to rip the cedar strips from 1" x 4" straight grain, clear cedar boards. Then bead and cove the edges of the strips using a router. If you don't have those tools or want to go faster you can buy pre-made strips.
Step 4
Bend the strips in place around the molds. Ther is no need to steam the strips. They bend quite well. The strips get glued to each other and nailed or tacked to the molds. Different types of glue can be used.
Step Five
After all the strips are in place and glued pull all the nails or staples. Clean any excess glue off the hull. Sand the outside of the hull until it is nice and smooth. Lay the fibreglass cloth on the hull and trim it to make it lie flat. Apply epoxy to the cloth as the instructions indicate. Put the outer gunwales on the hull to stiffen it up. Take the hull off the molds and turn it over. Sand the inside and epoxy it. Next, install the inner gunwales and the decks in the bow and stern.
Step Six
Build the thwarts and seats. Install any hardware that you plan to use. Protect the hull with some spar varnish or some other UV protector. You've just finished your first canoe.
Building a cedar strip canoe requires very simple techniques and tools. Building a cedar strip canoe out of cedar strips, epoxy and fiberglass cloth is a 6 step process. Anyone with basic tools and skills can build a canoe..
Step 1
Build a simple strongback to support the molds and create a centerline. It requires two dry, straight 2x6 pieces of lumber. Screw the two pieces together to form a T shape base to build the boat on. Put some legs on the T so that it stands on it's own.
Step 2
Cut up plywood into molds that will form the shape of the canoe. You can use eitehr a jig saw or a bandsaw to do it. Next, cut the molds for the stems (the stern and the bow). Put the molds onto the strongback in the appropriate places (the plans will give you the meaurements.
Step 3
Make or buy the 1/4" by 3/4" strips you will use to build the boat. If you make your own strips you will need a table saw, band saw or radial arm saw to rip the cedar strips from 1" x 4" straight grain, clear cedar boards. Then bead and cove the edges of the strips using a router. If you don't have those tools or want to go faster you can buy pre-made strips.
Step 4
Bend the strips in place around the molds. Ther is no need to steam the strips. They bend quite well. The strips get glued to each other and nailed or tacked to the molds. Different types of glue can be used.
Step Five
After all the strips are in place and glued pull all the nails or staples. Clean any excess glue off the hull. Sand the outside of the hull until it is nice and smooth. Lay the fibreglass cloth on the hull and trim it to make it lie flat. Apply epoxy to the cloth as the instructions indicate. Put the outer gunwales on the hull to stiffen it up. Take the hull off the molds and turn it over. Sand the inside and epoxy it. Next, install the inner gunwales and the decks in the bow and stern.
Step Six
Build the thwarts and seats. Install any hardware that you plan to use. Protect the hull with some spar varnish or some other UV protector. You've just finished your first canoe.
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