Dry Planking

[Snikczar]

Hi I have an old Huron canoe and it seems restorable. The planking is very dry. Is the linseed oil/wood preservative method enough to get moisture back into the wood?

This will be my first time trying to restore a canoe....

 

[Snikczar]

Hi I have an old Huron canoe and it seems restorable. The planking is very dry. Is the linseed oil/wood preservative method enough to get moisture back into the wood?

This will be my first time trying to restore a canoe....

My dad is a carpenter and thinks the wood should be soaked or steamed to replace moisture, it that clarifies my problem, thanks.....Justin...

 

[chris pearson]

Dont introduce water, especially steam!!! Steam is only a vehicle to introduce heat. Thats why you need moisture content already in wood to be bent, the steam heats it, thats all. Mix up some boiled linseed oil and turpentine. Others can add about the ratio, I forget. This is the best way to add life back into the wood, and when you thin it, that allows it to go deeper into the cells of the wood. Good luck.

 

[Denis M. Kallery]

If you heat the mixture it will soak in even better. You must be VERY careful when heating though. Doing a little in the microwave is probably safer. On the stove use a double boiler.
Denis

 

[Dave Osborn]

50/50 mix of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits is what I've used. Warm it and paint it on until it won't soak in anymore. Use common sense around flames if you warm it up. I just needs to be warm, not hot.

 

[Dave Osborn]

Speaking of oiling hulls, I have encountered hulls that have so much oil in them, that when I've tried to sand it, the paper loads instantaniously. Anybody else have that experience? Any remedy?

 

[Dave Wermuth]

nope

not heard of that but I don't do alot of canoes. Maybe it did not cure? Maybe it could be stripped/dissolved? Maybe it was raw linseed oil instead of boiled? there is an abrasive that looks like a screen. Maybe? Is it on the inside? Or just the outside? Perhaps judicious use of a scraper?

 

[Snikczar]

question about plank spacing

Hi again, just getting around to start working on this canoe. The planks are dry and there's a good 1/16th to an 1/8 spacing between the planks, i assume from the dryness, is this a structural problem?

My dad who is a carpenter thinks so as he's seen photos of other canoes and the planks are tight, though newer....

Here's a couple pics, if I did this right...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=271926&id=648935032&saved#!/photo.php?pid=7194358&id=648935032&ref=fbx_album

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=271926&id=648935032&saved#!/photo.php?pid=7194359&id=648935032&ref=fbx_album&fbid=491180195032

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=271926&id=648935032&saved#!/photo.php?pid=7194360&id=648935032&ref=fbx_album&fbid=491180200032

 

[Dave Wermuth]

gaps

gaps in some w/c canoes is common. Not a problem. Not a structural issue. Some of the older and better quarter sawn planking will be tight but i would not worry about 1/8" even if that's what it is. A couple cays on the water and the gaps may close up.

 

[canoeguybc]

One of the distinguishing characteristics of Huron Canoes are the gaps between the planks. Learn to love them.

Check out my blog article on the subject:
http://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/2010/02/07/for-love-of-imperfections-huron-canoes-and-terry-thomas/