I was thinking about making new cane seats for my canoe but wasn't sure about joining the wood so they would be strong. Three questions, should I buy cane seats from Old Town or does anyone have a site that'll show me how to make seats with the correct joining technique? Also, my third question is what type of wood could I use to make them? I really would like to make them given the proper technique.
Make Cane Seats vs Purchase Cane Seat
- Thread starter Solo Joe
- Start date
There are several books with information for building your own cane seat.
Building a Strip Canoe by Guy Gilpatrick
Feather Canoes by Mac MacCarthy
Illustrated Guide to Wood Strip Canoe Building by Susan Van Leuven
Building the Maine Guide Canoe by Jerry Stelmok
The Wood Canvas Canoe by Jerry Stelmok and Rollin Thurlow
The first two give pretty detailed information on how to build your own seats and to cane them by hand. Gil is talking about large canoes as compared to Mac's Wee Lassie size canoes. The Wood Canvas Canoe tell you briefly how to make your own seat but not how to cane it. Building the Maine Guide Canoe tells you how to build the seat and how to install pressed cane.
These books should cover pretty much what one needs to do it yourself. I am sure there are also other books out there. There are also articles in past issues of Wooden Canoe about hand caning.
Good luck and have fun!
Building a Strip Canoe by Guy Gilpatrick
Feather Canoes by Mac MacCarthy
Illustrated Guide to Wood Strip Canoe Building by Susan Van Leuven
Building the Maine Guide Canoe by Jerry Stelmok
The Wood Canvas Canoe by Jerry Stelmok and Rollin Thurlow
The first two give pretty detailed information on how to build your own seats and to cane them by hand. Gil is talking about large canoes as compared to Mac's Wee Lassie size canoes. The Wood Canvas Canoe tell you briefly how to make your own seat but not how to cane it. Building the Maine Guide Canoe tells you how to build the seat and how to install pressed cane.
These books should cover pretty much what one needs to do it yourself. I am sure there are also other books out there. There are also articles in past issues of Wooden Canoe about hand caning.
Good luck and have fun!
Max Peterson
LOVES Wooden Canoes
Making Seats
Do you have the old seats? If so, take the dimensions from them. White Ash is the most common wood for seats. It is strong and relatively light weight. Use mortise & tenon joinery. This is not difficult, and it is much stronger than dowels. You can look the process up in any woodworking book. A table saw helps, as does a drill. Then all you need is a sharp chisel and mallet. Hand caning is best, and it is kind of fun. You will have to pay attention while doing the first one. After that, you can do it while watching TV. Check your local library for a book on the subject. Drilling all of those holes is the worst part.
Do you have the old seats? If so, take the dimensions from them. White Ash is the most common wood for seats. It is strong and relatively light weight. Use mortise & tenon joinery. This is not difficult, and it is much stronger than dowels. You can look the process up in any woodworking book. A table saw helps, as does a drill. Then all you need is a sharp chisel and mallet. Hand caning is best, and it is kind of fun. You will have to pay attention while doing the first one. After that, you can do it while watching TV. Check your local library for a book on the subject. Drilling all of those holes is the worst part.
I say go for making your own!! There is nothing like setting on your own handy-work. It's not hard to do if you have or have access to a table saw and drill press. I've done it totally with hand tools just to see what they went through in the "old days". Not any harder, just takes a little longer. OK, a little bit longer than a little longer.
Ash is the most common wood used but I've used cherry, apple, mahogany, sitka spruce, Fir (Not that good...over time you can get splinters in your butt), Maple and walnut. But if you can get White Ash I would think that is the best.
As Max says, use mortise and tenon joinery, it's about the strongest going. Pretty much fool proof if you follow the directions given in any good woodworking book and measure carefully.
Of the books mentioned above, I think Gilpatrick has the clearest material on making seats. I bought it just for that section and found there was a wealth of other information that was useful. His emphasis is on strip built canoes but he has insights that apply to many other styles of building. They are easy to find (ebay has lots) and inexpensive to boot. And if you want to contact him, he's very friendly and helpful.
The other book that has a fantastic section on seat building and caning is John D. Michne's, Building an Adirondack Guideboat. Very well done book.
Caning is easy once the holes are drilled. But if you set up a little jig with your drill press the drilling doesn't take long either. I find caning by hand quite therapeutic so don't mind at all.
With a few simple jigs it takes me about two hours (with a couple coffee breaks) to make up and glue a set of two seat frames. The varnish actually takes longer due to drying time than anything. I usually spread the caning over a couple evenings while watching TV. So, I figure at my pace, about a week from rough board to installation into canoe. I usually let them sit a little longer to let the varnish harden but you wouldn't have to. I don't think you could get them delivered from Old Town in that length of time...maybe, depends where you live. And then you wouldn't have the pride in doing it yourself if you purchased them.
But before running out to buy any books follow Max's point and check your local public library. You'll be surprised what the have.
Ash is the most common wood used but I've used cherry, apple, mahogany, sitka spruce, Fir (Not that good...over time you can get splinters in your butt), Maple and walnut. But if you can get White Ash I would think that is the best.
As Max says, use mortise and tenon joinery, it's about the strongest going. Pretty much fool proof if you follow the directions given in any good woodworking book and measure carefully.
Of the books mentioned above, I think Gilpatrick has the clearest material on making seats. I bought it just for that section and found there was a wealth of other information that was useful. His emphasis is on strip built canoes but he has insights that apply to many other styles of building. They are easy to find (ebay has lots) and inexpensive to boot. And if you want to contact him, he's very friendly and helpful.
The other book that has a fantastic section on seat building and caning is John D. Michne's, Building an Adirondack Guideboat. Very well done book.
Caning is easy once the holes are drilled. But if you set up a little jig with your drill press the drilling doesn't take long either. I find caning by hand quite therapeutic so don't mind at all.
With a few simple jigs it takes me about two hours (with a couple coffee breaks) to make up and glue a set of two seat frames. The varnish actually takes longer due to drying time than anything. I usually spread the caning over a couple evenings while watching TV. So, I figure at my pace, about a week from rough board to installation into canoe. I usually let them sit a little longer to let the varnish harden but you wouldn't have to. I don't think you could get them delivered from Old Town in that length of time...maybe, depends where you live. And then you wouldn't have the pride in doing it yourself if you purchased them.
But before running out to buy any books follow Max's point and check your local public library. You'll be surprised what the have.
MikeCav
Restorer/Videographer
Joe, another consideration is how authentic do you want to be in your restoration?
If you are restoring an Old Town Canoe, they used hand woven cane (through holes in the seat frame) until, I believe, the late 1930's. After the Fair Labor Standards Act took effect, they could no longer pay workers to weave seats at home on a per seat basis (piece work) and OT switched to using pre-woven cane sheets attached with a spline to a groove in the seat.
I was spooked by the thoughts of hand weaving - till I did it. I got a "how to" booklet from the cane supplier and had a ball!
If you are restoring an Old Town Canoe, they used hand woven cane (through holes in the seat frame) until, I believe, the late 1930's. After the Fair Labor Standards Act took effect, they could no longer pay workers to weave seats at home on a per seat basis (piece work) and OT switched to using pre-woven cane sheets attached with a spline to a groove in the seat.
I was spooked by the thoughts of hand weaving - till I did it. I got a "how to" booklet from the cane supplier and had a ball!
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Thanks for the advise. I went to the library nearby and picked up the book, Building a Strip Canoe by Gil Gilpatrick. I read the seat section and think I'll try it this winter. I'll write in as the season gets on the way and I'll surely ask for more advise.
Thanks again,
Joe
Thanks again,
Joe
Lee Valley now carries most caning supplies and has a decent book on caning - not specifically for canoes though.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=57235&cat=1,46096,46105
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&p=57235&cat=1,46096,46105
