Babiche seats?

[Treewater]

Here is the current project. I see that the seats I want are called "Babiche." (was that a curse word?) So where do I find how to make a babiche seat?
No, it's not a Trailcraft. Don't know what it is. About 1955? vintage. Picked up in Vermont. Yes, I elected to varnish all the woold prior to covering. Haven't seen that done but seemed like a good idea.
Tim

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46800923@N02/4427474159/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46800923@N02/4428238800/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46800923@N02/4427474081/

 

[Dick Persson]

Hi Tim,

Babiche is a French Canadian adaptation of an Algonquian word derived from the Mikmaq ápapíj, meaning cord or tread.

A very good description of the principal of laceing can be found in Gil Patrick’s book “Building Snowshoes and Snowshoe Furniture”.

Dick Persson
Headwater Wooden Boat Shop

 

[Treewater]

got the book

Thank you Dick, found the book on bibliofind.

 

[Fitz]

Lacing

Here is an on-line primer on lacing the seats:

http://knotworkn.com/Lacing.html#CanoeSeat

 

[Treewater]

Thank you Fritz

Thank you Fritz. I'm on my way. I searched the internet for something like this but never found it. Anyone have suggestions for type of material and source? I guess plain rope/cord would do. I just want a seat.
Tim

 

[Greg Nolan]

Tim --

Nice work restoring that canoe frame.

I believe that Tandy sells some rawhide (babiche) lacing; Crazy Crow Trading Post (www.crazycrow.com) sells deer and elk rawhide, as does Sioux Trading Post (www.siouxtrading.com), which also has moose raw hide.

Several years ago I helped my daughter make snowshoes for a school project, and it took a bit of hunting around to get babiche -- more often called rawhide by modern retailers -- in different widths.

Snowshoe manufacturers have also used neoprene strips, and amateur builders have used nylon cord -- paracord -- and lampwick. like babiche, these should be varnished.

You might consider weaving the seat of nylon tape; weaving instructions may be found at http://shakerworkshops.com/resources/product-instructions/chair-tape-weaving-instructions/ and I suppose you might even use Shaker chair tape -- colorful, but being cotton, probably not the best idea in a water environment. Nylon tape is readily available in camping supply stores and some hardware stores.

 

[Thos Doran]

I did mine on a circa 1975 Huron using olive parachute cord. The pattern is authentic even if the material isn't and the final result was very taut and seems to be as durable as I could ask for.

Below is a link to another recent Babiche discussion:

http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?p=30009

And hot off the presses:

http://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/2010/03/14/how-to-lace-rawhide-seats-for-a-huron-wood-canvas-canoe/

 

[Treewater]

agreed

The babiche method is easy to get the hang of and the two seats I have done seem quite firm even with a first effort. Both the sites listed are good for instructions. My only caveat is that mortise and tenon joints would be best for the seat. On one seat the single screw in the end allowed twist and I had to pull the seat out and put an extra nail to hold it firm. Even with that, for a very light and simple seat, I really like it.
Tim