Dave Osborn
LIFE MEMBER
If your brush starts hopping or feels like it is dragging as you tip through your rolled section and especially into the wet paint, you need more Penetrol.
Old Town "Lightweight" light restoration
- Thread starter nickb
- Start date
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nickb
WCHA member #8947
So after wet-sanding the crap out of the boat last week and letting it dry completely, I finally got up the courage to try another coat today. I stirred the paint extra long (just to make sure) and then, as-suggested, added a small amount of Penetrol - maybe a capful or less for the paint needed to cover the whole 11' boat. It was like night and day the difference. I think maybe I finally understand how rolling and tipping is supposed to work. Even before tipping, the paint was beginning to even out, which it did NOT do at all my first coats. After running a 4" bristle brush after the roller, it blended fairly well, and I can't see much for curtains or sags. It was like a totally different painting experience. It still won't be show worthy, because I couldn't sand it totally smooth without going through the filler, but I may be able to paddle it in public now... if people keep their distance...
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Dan Lindberg
Ex Wood Hoarder
Good work Nick.
And we need pics.
I've only used Kirby's on 1 canoe, and this is what I saw, a muted, duller finish.
On other canoes I've only used Interlux enamel, which I believe is no longer available.
It went on very nice and flowed out well.
Not sure what the next project will get.
Dan
And we need pics.
I've only used Kirby's on 1 canoe, and this is what I saw, a muted, duller finish.
On other canoes I've only used Interlux enamel, which I believe is no longer available.
It went on very nice and flowed out well.
Not sure what the next project will get.
Dan
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nickb
WCHA member #8947
Well, I don't know if it's good enough to share pictures, but it's definitely better than it was.
I think I know the answer to this question already, but just to make sure I'll ask anyway. I only have a small bit of paint left - not enough for a full coat. There's no way to spot treat some of the most offensive sections without doing a full coat, right? I'm assuming there's no good way to 'feather' a small spot without it looking blotchy. I could just order another can and do a whole coat, but my shop is unheated, and I'm running out of warmth as the calendar flies away.
I think I know the answer to this question already, but just to make sure I'll ask anyway. I only have a small bit of paint left - not enough for a full coat. There's no way to spot treat some of the most offensive sections without doing a full coat, right? I'm assuming there's no good way to 'feather' a small spot without it looking blotchy. I could just order another can and do a whole coat, but my shop is unheated, and I'm running out of warmth as the calendar flies away.
Dave Osborn
LIFE MEMBER
To me it's hard to spot paint and make it look good.
I'd order another quart, but in the mean time go ahead and paint over the bad spots.
Then sand the whole thing, add Penetrol to the paint.... (10% is only 3 ounces)
and apply the final coat.
Or...go paddle the way it is and re coat in the spring.
I'd order another quart, but in the mean time go ahead and paint over the bad spots.
Then sand the whole thing, add Penetrol to the paint.... (10% is only 3 ounces)
and apply the final coat.
Or...go paddle the way it is and re coat in the spring.
Dan Lindberg
Ex Wood Hoarder
Nick,
How many coats do you have on it now?
I stop at 4 max, more just add weight, and, I might have a different attitude about paint then other folks, I assume paint is a maintenance item and will be either covered and removed in the future, after some use, so I don't get too carried away with it.
I'm with Dave, go paddle it and enjoy it.
Dan
btw - if I were to get carried away with paint, I'd be spraying it.
How many coats do you have on it now?
I stop at 4 max, more just add weight, and, I might have a different attitude about paint then other folks, I assume paint is a maintenance item and will be either covered and removed in the future, after some use, so I don't get too carried away with it.
I'm with Dave, go paddle it and enjoy it.
Dan
btw - if I were to get carried away with paint, I'd be spraying it.
Dave Osborn
LIFE MEMBER
I'll disagree with Dan at the amount of weight another coat will add to a 15' Lightweight.
I typically do four coats as well, but recently needed a fifth coat on a Morris because I wasn't happy with the look.
It's up to you, Nick. You are functional as is.... If you want " the look", put the additive in another quart, and put a finish coat on it.
I typically do four coats as well, but recently needed a fifth coat on a Morris because I wasn't happy with the look.
It's up to you, Nick. You are functional as is.... If you want " the look", put the additive in another quart, and put a finish coat on it.
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nickb
WCHA member #8947
Actually the boat is an 11' Lightweight, and I also utilized lightweight #12 canvas to keep the weight down. Weight is not necessarily the primary concern, but this particular boat I had hoped would be light enough for my wife to carry down to our lake by herself, should she desire a solo paddle. I'm not opposed to another coat if it truly smooths things out even more, but I also want to get this in the water before it snows. The way this particular boat came into my life was as a near 'gift' with the expectation that it would be restored and used and cared for. As such I feel a... responsibility to paddle it this year - like it just needs to be in the water soon to fulfill the responsibility I feel from taking this canoe on, since it's already been so long since I began.
This doesn't, however, preclude another coat of paint next spring - which I think sounds perhaps like the best option at this point.
This doesn't, however, preclude another coat of paint next spring - which I think sounds perhaps like the best option at this point.
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Craig Johnson
Lifetime member
Use em when it's warm and work on em when it's cold.
Dan Lindberg
Ex Wood Hoarder
Ya, the weight of "one" isn't much, 0.5 to 0.75 lb for Interlux enamel and/or varnish, and maybe a bit more for Kirby's, but can you only put on 1 more coat? or will it be 2 or 3 or ?? coats.
Maybe it's more that I run out of patience want to have it done?
Dan
Maybe it's more that I run out of patience want to have it done?
Dan
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nickb
WCHA member #8947
It's likely I won't know if it needs more than 1 more coat until that coat is on and I see how it looks. I get the feeling that with this boat having the initial paint problems (at least until I re-canvas) I will always be striking a balance between making it look as good as it can, and dealing with the imperfections I couldn't quite get rid of. So hopefully it would be just one more coat to smooth things over as much as they can be without overly burdening it with excess weight. Though I know there are specific areas that could probably stand more. I also, like you Dan, really feel the need to get out and use it, as that is part of the expectation (and enjoyment) with this boat. I'm excited to take my daughter out in it (she's 2).
Greg Nolan
enthusiast
Keep in mind that when the canoe is in the water, nobody can see the paint on the bottom or bilges, and that when you are paddling, almost everyone looking at the canoe is 10, 20, or more feet away. That is to say, the paint imperfections you are worrying about are probably, as a practical matter, invisible or very nearly so. Paddle while you can, paint when you can't paddle.
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nickb
WCHA member #8947
Well, just to show you where we're at, I believe this little Old Town is finally water ready (for this fall at least). Maybe we'll do some more work to the paint in the spring, but I just needed to get it in the lake. I'll include a photo of the condition it came to me (complete with peeling paint on the canvas and ribs chewed by porcupines). As an aside, it also came with an Old Town-branded clamp-on padded portage yoke that looks like it dates from around the time the canoe was new.
I don't know if the decks were replaced at one point (they're not the old town shape), but I elected to add a 1969 era waterslide decal to the bow deck.
It's sort of funny to paddle - I've only been able to try it solo kneeling in the bilge - it feels very very stable, and will turn sharper than any other canoe I've paddled (I was heeled over a little also, so that helped... Definitely was more challenging tracking-wise since it's so short). With the thinner ribs and planking I could feel it flexing under my knees - I'm only about 150lbs and I don't know that I'd want want to be too much heavier sitting directly on the wood. Woah.
I don't know if the decks were replaced at one point (they're not the old town shape), but I elected to add a 1969 era waterslide decal to the bow deck.
It's sort of funny to paddle - I've only been able to try it solo kneeling in the bilge - it feels very very stable, and will turn sharper than any other canoe I've paddled (I was heeled over a little also, so that helped... Definitely was more challenging tracking-wise since it's so short). With the thinner ribs and planking I could feel it flexing under my knees - I'm only about 150lbs and I don't know that I'd want want to be too much heavier sitting directly on the wood. Woah.
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Dave Osborn
LIFE MEMBER
Nice......!
Greg Nolan
enthusiast
very nice . . .!
Dan Lindberg
Ex Wood Hoarder
Nice work Nick.
Oh, I suspect they are the correct decks, the short, lightweight OT's had different decks than the rest, they were simple shallow curves.
Dan
Oh, I suspect they are the correct decks, the short, lightweight OT's had different decks than the rest, they were simple shallow curves.
Dan
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nickb
WCHA member #8947
The decks are indeed just shallow curves. I wondered about their originality, as there was a strip without varnish under the stem bands that extended onto the inwales. It would appear that on this particular boat then, not only were the decks varnished with the stem bands in place, but it was painted after they had been installed as well as there was bare wood on the keel where the stem band had been. Stem bands were aluminum, and were painted the same color as the boat right up to the tip of the stem.
The aluminum stem bands and shallow curve decks were original in that period as described and shown in the period catalog pages below. More information like this is available from http://store.wcha.org/The-Complete-Old-Town-Canoe-Company-Catalog-Collection-CD-ROM.html if you want additional details.
Benson
Benson
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nickb
WCHA member #8947
Thank you Mr. Gray. Look like they also had one simple thwart amid-ships. Mine is missing any thwarts - and it looks as though someone paddled mine as a solo boat at one point as there are more holes (with diamond imprints) in the center than a thwart would require - as though a seat was hung there at one point. Mine seems to be holding it's shape without a thwart, but I'm sure it could stand a little reinforcement. Thank you all for your continued expertise and encouragement.
