Tapering and Varnishing Outwales

[IthacaBill]

I have a question for you guys out there...My canvas is freshly painted, and I'm ready to install my outwales. I found some 13/16" x 18.5' Ash, custom milled. How should I go about fitting them to the canoe, and tapering the ends, steam bending, etc. I have 1 1/2" Bronze screws from Northwoods. Do I shape (taper) them on the canoe or beforehand? Do I varnish and sand them before I install so that all surfaces are treated? Should I predrill and countersink the holes?
Any advice/pictures would be great. Everyone has helped so much durring this (my first) restoration...and I'm almost done!! I will actually be able to bring the 1915 Kennebec to the assembly this year!

 

[Dan Lindberg]

Bill,

Others will no dought respond with more answers but...
Here's what I do,

I mill/cut all the features before fitting the gunwales to the canoe (some add the radius after installation), including the taper, the rabbet and the top radius.

I check "fit" the gunwales to the canoe and mark where the curves have to start/end.

Then I steam and bend just the ends, about 4 ft. If you have a lot of shear, you might want to practice on some scrap 1st. With the top radius on the gunwales, sometimes additional guide blocks have to be added to the bending form.

After bending, I fit them to the canoe, and drill/countersunk the screw holes and screw the gunwales to the canoe.

With the rail attached, I run a belt sander over the top surface so that the inner and outer gunwales and the rib tops are all even. If a lot of material is removed, I also touch up the top radius to make sure a full radius is there. I also round over and sand the gunwale ends so that the end of the canoe looks good.

I then remove the gunwales and do a final light sand and add 3-4 coats of varnish.

The gunwales are then installed "for real", and 2-3 more coats of varnish over over both the inner and outer gunwales and decks. The inner gunwales and deck should already have had 3-4 coats varnish. The rest of the trim, seats, thwarts, yoke gets 5-6 coats varnish off the canoe and are finished when installed.

Note that these number of varnish coats are for a working canoe, show canoes will get many more (I assume).

Dan




"How should I go about fitting them to the canoe, and tapering the ends, steam bending, etc. I have 1 1/2" Bronze screws from Northwoods. Do I shape (taper) them on the canoe or beforehand? Do I varnish and sand them before I install so that all surfaces are treated? Should I predrill and countersink the holes?"

 

[IthacaBill]

Tapering Outwales

About how much should I taper the ends? From 13/16" down to about 1/2" or so? And not to be ignorant, but what is the rabbet? I've seen it in many books, but none of the glossaries explain exactly what it is. Also, you must taper before bending, right?

 

[Dan Lindberg]

The taper - I would try to match the dimension from the factory, it will vary depending on manufacturer, some are 1/2, some even down to 3/8.

The rabbit - This is the cutout on the under/backside of the outer gunwale. It's there to provide a "lip" that covers the canvas and planking. The lip, again depending on manufacturer, is about 3/16" high by 3/16" deep.

If you have a piece of the original outer gunwale, you should try to copy it. (Or find someone who has a canoe like your's that has a sample to copy.)
Also, sometimes the cuts/surfaces on the outer gunwales are at slight angles to better match the canoe, this will depend on how much tumblehome or flair the canoe has.

Yes, taper before bending. At least for me, (and I'm still a rookie) I want all the machining done before I bend or fit, though adding the top radius before may be more work.

Dan

About how much should I taper the ends? From 13/16" down to about 1/2" or so? And not to be ignorant, but what is the rabbet? I've seen it in many books, but none of the glossaries explain exactly what it is. Also, you must taper before bending, right?