OK, finally getting the gunnels on! The filler has set up very nicely and won't take much to get a smooth finish. I tried something on the Chestnut that I'll do again on this canoe: I mixed microrballoons, like you'd use in epoxy, into the enamel base coats. It builds well, sands easily, and prepares a very nice base for the final paint.
I always love it when you trim the canvas down for the gunnel installation. NOW it starts looking clean and canoe-esque.
As you can see, lots of clamps are a treat. I've been adding to my collection over the years.
There's a fair bit of rise to the sheer at the ends. I steam this bend into the inner gunnels, but not always to the outer ones. They usually take the bend pretty easy, but on some canoes like this one, need some encouragement. At the focus of the bend, I clamp a piece of wood over the gunnels and another one to the deck. I pour boiling water over the gunnel to relax it, then using a pipe clamp I start coaxing it up to its final resting place.
Screws are standard #8 x 1.2" Brass set on every other rib. They are Robertson drive. I won't use anything else-slot drive screws are an abomination.
Seat caneing is almost done. I do that in the evenings while watching TV. After the main grid strands are in, one or two strands per night is easy and it adds up pretty quick. I use the pattern that Peterborough and Chestnut used. Kildonan also used it, but weren't as tidy in weaving it. Lay out the gird strands weaving a double strand, then the diagonals with each intersection either above or below the grid. The result is a combination of squares and X's. I prefer this pattern over the pinwheel pattern.
The cane is natural strand. I've found the best way to soften them is to soak them about 1/2 hour in the morning, then put the damp strands into a ziploc bag till later in the day. They can stay in thebag quite awhile. Then they are nice and supple as the moisture goes all the way in. Just soaking them 1/2 hour and they dry out too quickly. OK for the grid strands but the diagonals take longer and need to be more supple. Leaving them soak longer and they start to go grey, getting pretty dark if left very long in the water.
