greatlakes
LOVES Wooden Canoes
Any suggestions as to how best to make the cylindrical seat spacers? Are these basically hardwood dowels drilled through and cut to length?
Thank you in advance.
Frank
Thank you in advance.
Frank
Seat Spacers
- Thread starter greatlakes
- Start date
Michael Grace
Lifetime Member
Hi Frank,
Yes, just dowels with holes down the center. Wood type generally matches trim (seats, thwarts and in some cases gunwales). These are easy to make-just drill straight and don't drill yourself. I cut dowels to length on the bandsaw, beveling one end slightly to match its angle of mating with the gunwale. For drilling, I made a vertical holder by drilling vertically with the drill press into a block of hardwood with a forstner bit. A snug fit will hold the dowel vertically and keep you safe while drilling.
Dowels in home centers usually come in only one type of wood such as birch, but you can get different species by mail order from woodworker's supply stores. One such place is Constantine's in Ft. Lauderdale, FL (www.constantines.com). Different companies carry a greater or lesser variety of wood species, and "mahogany" is probably a generic term with no species defined.
Hope this helps!
Michael
Yes, just dowels with holes down the center. Wood type generally matches trim (seats, thwarts and in some cases gunwales). These are easy to make-just drill straight and don't drill yourself. I cut dowels to length on the bandsaw, beveling one end slightly to match its angle of mating with the gunwale. For drilling, I made a vertical holder by drilling vertically with the drill press into a block of hardwood with a forstner bit. A snug fit will hold the dowel vertically and keep you safe while drilling.
Dowels in home centers usually come in only one type of wood such as birch, but you can get different species by mail order from woodworker's supply stores. One such place is Constantine's in Ft. Lauderdale, FL (www.constantines.com). Different companies carry a greater or lesser variety of wood species, and "mahogany" is probably a generic term with no species defined.
Hope this helps!
Michael
Last edited:
Todd Bradshaw
Sailmaker
I have four new ones sitting here that I got from Old Town last month and they aren't even made from ash any more, like the old ones were. They appear to be birch, 5/8" diameter with a 7/32" hole down the middle. I haven't taken them out to compare to a vintage set, but offhand, they seem a bit skinnier than the old ones.
OP
OP
greatlakes
LOVES Wooden Canoes
Dowel Stock
Thank you, Michael. I found some 5/8" dia cherry dowels that will work. The block holder for drilling is a good idea.
Todd, from what I can tell, Old Town may be drilling the same stock 5/8ths dowels I mention above.
Frank
Thank you, Michael. I found some 5/8" dia cherry dowels that will work. The block holder for drilling is a good idea.
Todd, from what I can tell, Old Town may be drilling the same stock 5/8ths dowels I mention above.
Frank
Dan Lindberg
Ex Wood Hoarder
And if you have a hard time centering the hole, drill 1/2 way from each end and meet in the middle.
Dan
Dan
Todd Bradshaw
Sailmaker
I took one of the replacements out and compared it to the originals on my '72 OT Guide. The ash originals are 3/4" diameter and both the wood grain and the scale of them look a heck of a lot better. Looks like I'll be making the new ones. I figured I'd just spend a couple bucks and save a couple construction steps by just buying some, but these aren't going on my canoe.
