Old Town?

[Gregory Messier]

Greg, what grit(s) are you using. Big difference!

Hi Todd,
I started out with 80 grit but it was taking too long so I stepped it up to 60 grit on a random
orbital as Dave Suggested. Interestingly the planks don’t seem to have been faired at the factory in 1910 as the original saw marks were still present throughout.

 

[Benson Gray]

Interestingly the planks don’t seem to have been faired at the factory in 1910 as the original saw marks were still present throughout.

Their non-OSHA approved fairing technique shown below was probably not developed until after 1910.

Benson

 

[Todd F]

OSHA SMOSHA...boy would I love to have one of those! Actually very impressive how they must have been able to "feel" how much they were fairing and when to back off. Great photo!

 

[Dave Osborn]

Seems to me I’ve seen a vintage video footage of this wide belt hull fairing process…..or was I dreaming it?

 

[Todd F]

Dave, I think you are correct. Not sure where though. Pretty impressive, these folks were studs.

 

[Todd F]

 

[Gregory Messier]

Their non-OSHA approved fairing technique shown below was probably not developed until after 1910.

Benson



View attachment 52452

That gigantic belt sander looks terrifying!

 

[Gregory Messier]

For some reason it feels like I just climbed Everest. My first hand caned seat but I’m just reflecting on the fact that the bow seat is twice as wide!

 

[Michael Grace]

Looks like a very good job; you should be pleased. Caning is tedious but can be a lot of fun, especially when completed! Back when I lived where a warm fire was needed, I loved to spend a cold day or evening caning in front of the fireplace or wood stove. Nice memories.

When you get your binder cane on, this seat will look even nicer. You'll get faster and better as you do more. Don't worry about the larger bow seat. It will go easier now that you've got one under your belt. Forgive me for asking (and I hope I'm seeing something incorrectly), but is this to top of the seat frame? The curvature that can be seen makes me think I'm looking at the bottom.

 

[Gregory Messier]

Hi Michael,
Thank you for the kind words.

You have a great eye! Yes I flipped the seat but only because someone years ago attached webbing with huge galvanized wire fence staples in the top of the seat. I really wanted to preserve the old mahogany instead of building new seat frames so I flipped it. I was thinking no one would ever notice but you proved me wrong.

On the binding do you just bind the four sides to the last hole leaving gaps at the corner. Or do you somehow make a complete circuit with the binding cane?

Greg

 

[Michael Grace]

Hi Greg,

Seats come either with or without corner holes. On ones with corner holes, just run binder cane from corner to corner, forming a rectangle. Most often on seats without corner holes the cane simply makes a circuit all the way around, leaving rounded corners.

As for the flip, no worries. Most important is to get your canoe back to a place where you can enjoy it. Past repairs to seats are common and they often leave the seat frames with unpleasant fasteners, holes, and iron stains. Solutions besides flipping the frame include making new seat frames and spending lots of time on repairs. Old fasteners can be dug out, iron stains can be corrected (or at least attempted) using oxalic acid, and holes can be filled with epoxy and sanding dust. Just some food for thought but if you want to go canoeing, just do what makes you happy.

Michael

 

[Gregory Messier]

I’ve got the new canvas filled and am considering painting it with the Design #10 paint scheme even though it was originally a solid dark green boat.

Do you all have any strong reservations about not putting it back to the original color?

If not how are you reducing the ridge left by the masking tape on two tone paint jobs? Are you wet sanding that down or is there some other trick?

 

[Benson Gray]

Do you all have any strong reservations about not putting it back to the original color?

The usual answer starts with "It's your canoe..." Paint can easily be changed so have fun and pick something that you like. My canoe shown at the link below was originally all dark green and now has a design number ten. The ridge is not significant with modern tapes. Please provide some pictures when it is finished,

Benson

An Old Town Charles River model in AA grade with double mahogany gunwales from 1907

The pictures below show an Old Town Charles River model in AA grade with double mahogany gunwales from 1907 and fancy turned drops on the seats. It appears to have been modified after it left the factory for a canopy as shown by the four metal mounting points in the gunwales. Benson

forums.wcha.org

 

[Todd F]

Greg, look forward to seeing how your paint job turns out!

 

[Gregory Messier]

The usual answer starts with "It's your canoe..." Paint can easily be changed so have fun and pick something that you like. My canoe shown at the link below was originally all dark green and now has a design number ten. The ridge is not significant with modern tapes. Please provide some pictures when it is finished,

Benson

An Old Town Charles River model in AA grade with double mahogany gunwales from 1907

The pictures below show an Old Town Charles River model in AA grade with double mahogany gunwales from 1907 and fancy turned drops on the seats. It appears to have been modified after it left the factory for a canopy as shown by the four metal mounting points in the gunwales. Benson

forums.wcha.org

Hi Benson,

What a beautiful boat! My trepidation about going away from the “correct” solid green is now gone. Thank you as always for sharing your wisdom and point of view.

Cheers,
Greg

 

[Gregory Messier]

After what seemed like an eternity of fairing and sanding the hull I made a new keel out of ash and fastened it.

This morning I finally got the first coat of color on after two coats of System Three Pennant Primer yesterday. The base color is Epifanes #72 Dark Green Yacht Enamel. I’m starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[MGC]

That Epifanes is such great paint to use. That's a heck of a nice looking first coat.
The one I painted the other day also looks fabulous after one coat.
I'm waiting for a can of Interlux Flattening Agent (out for delivery, so they say) to knock back the shine on the final coat.
Has your wife asked where the end tables have gone?

 

[Gregory Messier]

That Epifanes is such great paint to use. That's a heck of a nice looking first coat.
The one I painted the other day also looks fabulous after one coat.
I'm waiting for a can of Interlux Flattening Agent (out for delivery, so they say) to knock back the shine on the final coat.
Has your wife asked where the end tables have gone?

It was a desk actually, she was willing to let me chop it up. On casters they make a great mobile canoe stand.

 

[dtdcanoes]

GREG,
I have to ask about the Cumulus clouds in the filler. I have never seen this. The Company called Finesse Pinstriping has a Mylar tape that is VERY thin and makes for beautiful edges and they have as narrow as 1/16" for fine turns in fancy designs etc. Isn't the Epi friendly stuff. Looks like a winner , Greg.

 

[Gregory Messier]

GREG,
I have to ask about the Cumulus clouds in the filler. I have never seen this. The Company called Finesse Pinstriping has a Mylar tape that is VERY thin and makes for beautiful edges and they have as narrow as 1/16" for fine turns in fancy designs etc. Isn't the Epi friendly stuff. Looks like a winner , Greg.

Greg,
I think the cumulus clouds you’re referring to are from the fairing compound I used. It’s Quikfair by System Three and I applied a skim coat over the filler. Where I had to apply a 2nd coat in spots it causes that cloud look you are referring to. I’ve used it on the other canoes I’ve done with great results.

Thank you so much for the tape recommendation that’s definitely what I’ll use.
Cheers,
Greg