Messin with a Morris

[fred capenos]

Our Morris was seaworthy when we bought it and we've had a blast using it. Knowing that it's last restoration didn't meet any of the WCHA standards, I was somewhat timid about getting started. The good news that I was about to learn is no major damage had been done and it isn't going to be a very big project at all.

The canoe is now picked apart and all the rib tips have been replaced. The steel tacks had pretty much given up all of their holding power and the last restorer added ring nails. All this plus the large steel finish nail that held the rails together trashed the tips beyond repair. New deck frames were in order as were rail and stem extensions. We had already redone the seats and thwarts.

Phil, our friendly groundhog weather predictor, tells us that winter is now over (it's snowing as I write this) but it won't be long till I have the old gas mask on and the stripper will be doing it's work. I'm sure I'll have a few questions down the road like the size and type of rivets that were used to hold the outside stems onto the cedar inside stems. Fred

 

[fred capenos]

More Photos

Here a few more photos of the Morris restoration

 

[Kathryn Klos]

Thanks for the update, Fred. When you mess with a canoe, it comes out beautiful. Will we see this one at the Assembly?

Kathy

 

[Steve Ambrose]

Fred, when you splice the tips how do you get the new tip to blend with the old wood? I did some on the bow and stern of the Guide I reworked and didn't have much luck getting them to take stain.

 

[fred capenos]

Stain

Steve,
After you make the pieces that you will be splicing onto the rails,sit them aside and save some material from each piece. Next, refinish the original parts to your liking including linseed oil, shellac and varnish et.etc. (take care not to contaminate the surfaces that will be spliced together)
The product that I use to stain is made by Minwax. It comes in 1/2 pint cans and over the years I've accumulated most of the shades. I start out with a small measured amount of "Natural" #209". I then add a few drops of the shade that I'm tring to duplicate. It takes awhile but you can adjust the colors to an exact match. It may take several different shades. The trick is to keep track of the recipe and have enough like wood to do the tests on. After you are satisfied with the shade, allow it to dry on the test piece then put the same varnish on the test piece. If you are still satisfied after the varnish has dried, do it again to the good pieces, mask off the seams and epoxy them together. Hope this helps. Fred

 

[fred capenos]

Kathy,

Thanks for the compliment. We will be taking the Indian Girl to the assembly this year.

 

[Kathryn Klos]

I figured the Indian Girl would go to the Rushton Assembly... but thought you *might* take two (I think we will).