WoodNCanvas
LOVES Wooden Canoes
I am part of a group getting set to head to a remote Northern First Nations community to restore wood canvas Freighter canoes....everything we need to work with has to be trucked in by ice road....
These Freighters are workhorses....meant to be used....and subject to rough use at that....
One of the things we are debating over is the type of covering for the canoes....to fibreglas or to canvas....
Bill Miller was most gracious to supply a wealth of info on fibreglassing....and provided some great insights into its use....
But there remain some concerns over fibreglas vs. canvas....one, that we just prefer canvas....two, that fibreglas on a wood hull can be difficult to remove for future restoration, especially if one uses epoxy resin in fibreglassing instead of polyester....three, that interior wood such as planking will get wet, and swell; as the planks absorb moisture they expand; as they expand they move and come in contact with the other planking next to them; in a rigid hull like one fiberglassed there is little or no room for such movement, possibly resulting in cracks; canvas permits more 'flexibility' of the hull....
Whether fibreglass or canvas, we need to create the most durable covering....if we are using canvas, then we need to possibly use an alternative filler....like an epoxy filler....
There was a recent discussion on epoxy filler in the thread on Keewaydin Expedition Canoes, http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?8425-Keewaydin-Expedition-Canoes . Dick Persson decribed his use of WEST epoxy....Dylan Schoelzel discussed Gluv-It....
Mike Elliott has written about alternative fillers, http://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/alternatives-to-traditional-wood-canoe-canvas-fillers/.
We have met with Dick Persson....and Dick kindly provided more details on his use of and approach with WEST epoxy....personally I really love the finish on his canoe done with the WEST filler....
Since we are still fact-finding....still looking for all of the info we can find on epoxy filler, I thought I would turn to the WCHA forum for any more advice, experience or opinions....with as much specific detail as possible....hopefully Dick and Dylan may add to what they have already contributed....
What we would like to know is anything such as:
What experiences have others had with epoxy filler?
WEST? or Gluv-It?
Any other type of epoxy used as filler?
Methods of application of epoxy filler?
Thanks for any info provided,
Mike
These Freighters are workhorses....meant to be used....and subject to rough use at that....
One of the things we are debating over is the type of covering for the canoes....to fibreglas or to canvas....
Bill Miller was most gracious to supply a wealth of info on fibreglassing....and provided some great insights into its use....
But there remain some concerns over fibreglas vs. canvas....one, that we just prefer canvas....two, that fibreglas on a wood hull can be difficult to remove for future restoration, especially if one uses epoxy resin in fibreglassing instead of polyester....three, that interior wood such as planking will get wet, and swell; as the planks absorb moisture they expand; as they expand they move and come in contact with the other planking next to them; in a rigid hull like one fiberglassed there is little or no room for such movement, possibly resulting in cracks; canvas permits more 'flexibility' of the hull....
Whether fibreglass or canvas, we need to create the most durable covering....if we are using canvas, then we need to possibly use an alternative filler....like an epoxy filler....
There was a recent discussion on epoxy filler in the thread on Keewaydin Expedition Canoes, http://forums.wcha.org/showthread.php?8425-Keewaydin-Expedition-Canoes . Dick Persson decribed his use of WEST epoxy....Dylan Schoelzel discussed Gluv-It....
Mike Elliott has written about alternative fillers, http://canoeguybc.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/alternatives-to-traditional-wood-canoe-canvas-fillers/.
We have met with Dick Persson....and Dick kindly provided more details on his use of and approach with WEST epoxy....personally I really love the finish on his canoe done with the WEST filler....
Since we are still fact-finding....still looking for all of the info we can find on epoxy filler, I thought I would turn to the WCHA forum for any more advice, experience or opinions....with as much specific detail as possible....hopefully Dick and Dylan may add to what they have already contributed....
What we would like to know is anything such as:
What experiences have others had with epoxy filler?
WEST? or Gluv-It?
Any other type of epoxy used as filler?
Methods of application of epoxy filler?
Thanks for any info provided,
Mike
