I found a nice piece of tight grained, light coloured, quarter sawn western red cedar that I want to rip into planking. It will be used to replace the rotten top row at the gunwales on my Chestnut canoe. The wood is extremely dry and it will likely split with all the nailing that happens at the gunwales. Is there a recommended way to add moisture to the planks in order to minimize the splitting from all the tacks at the edges? Could I just put them in a steam bag or is that too much moisture?
How to introduce moisture to dry planking
- Thread starter PeterE
- Start date
Dave Wermuth
Who hid my paddle?
I'd pre-drill . I also may put a wet towel on it and apply an iron. steam goes right into it.
Dave Osborn
LIFE MEMBER
PRE-DRILL THE PLANK.
Howie
Wooden Canoes are in the Blood
The title of this thread caught my eye, but the answers didn't address a question I've been wanting to ask: What do you folks think about rubbing on some tung oil on the inside of the canoe? The canoe is the 1936 13' 50 Pounder I've been working on, and while the ribs look to be the typical 5/32" the planking looks a little thinner than typical. From what I've read on-line tung oil penetrates cedar very well and gives the wood additional flexibility. Thoughts? Give it a couple weeks to dry before varnishing? O - how much would the wood's color change?
Howie.......What I did on every boat I have stripped. After stripping and Snappy Teak and the drying process : I use raw linseed ,thinned and liberally applied to a finish- sanded surface. After a day or two I wipe away any excess and later check with a thumbnail dragged over the surface. A dry nail and I am ready to stain for a match if you are going to try matching. I treat new wood the same way before installing as to stain in place is too fussy for me. Of course if there are many ribs in a row and on new planks together, then it makes sense to stain in place ( preferably already having established the staining process on some planking and a rib or two ). Raw linseed will not add much color but it soaks way in and provides a forgiving barrier for stain control. I have never had an adhesion issue with new varnish or any additional color from any of the other oils commonly used. Maybe TMI here and from the only one who does this. And so it it is. Howie, I have a half, 5 gallon pail for you if you want it.
Dave
Dave
Worth Gretter
LOVES Wooden Canoes
Dave, I really like that idea. I have used heavily thinned stain and wiped it off quickly, but I think your idea would be better.
