samb
LOVES Wooden Canoes
I’d been quite nervous of how to bend the planking on my WB&B canoe. Added to the fact, I was using European Lime instead of Basswood, it was a complete unknown to me.
I read everything I could find and after asking on here had advice from Paul Miller to reassure me that my ideas were certainly in the right direction; Thanks Paul.
This is a repair job on this canoe – To restore to ‘like new’ condition would have meant taking everything apart and starting again.
Once the ribs were sorted and the damaged plank removed, I cut the new plank a little over size.
I taped spacers to the ribs. Making the spacers by pouring boiling water over cut strips showed just how easy the wood was going to bend. I had intended to soak the plank first, but after this little experiment decided not to. I then held the plank in place with a strap at each rib and ran a batten along the top and bottom edge to ensure an even pull between the ribs. Rather than pour on hot water I used a wall paper steam stripper. Two people would have made things easier, but after holding the stripper in place for a minute or so, then moving it along the plank and holding it with my knee I was able to pull the each strap progressively tighter. I worked my way up and down the plank until it was tight against the hull along its length. At both ends I added a couple of wedges to hold the curve and at one end I added a ratchet strap so I could get it really tightened down.
From putting the oversize plank in place to turning off the steam less than 15 minutes. I now need to leave it to set then get a plank gauge to cut the plank to exact shape and size.
Sam
I read everything I could find and after asking on here had advice from Paul Miller to reassure me that my ideas were certainly in the right direction; Thanks Paul.
This is a repair job on this canoe – To restore to ‘like new’ condition would have meant taking everything apart and starting again.
Once the ribs were sorted and the damaged plank removed, I cut the new plank a little over size.
I taped spacers to the ribs. Making the spacers by pouring boiling water over cut strips showed just how easy the wood was going to bend. I had intended to soak the plank first, but after this little experiment decided not to. I then held the plank in place with a strap at each rib and ran a batten along the top and bottom edge to ensure an even pull between the ribs. Rather than pour on hot water I used a wall paper steam stripper. Two people would have made things easier, but after holding the stripper in place for a minute or so, then moving it along the plank and holding it with my knee I was able to pull the each strap progressively tighter. I worked my way up and down the plank until it was tight against the hull along its length. At both ends I added a couple of wedges to hold the curve and at one end I added a ratchet strap so I could get it really tightened down.
From putting the oversize plank in place to turning off the steam less than 15 minutes. I now need to leave it to set then get a plank gauge to cut the plank to exact shape and size.
Sam
