cleaning up difficult to reach parts of stems.

alick burt

LOVES Wooden Canoes
Hello Folks
Here is a little tip I thought up and found useful today whilst cleaning up the white lead and last bits of varnish on my stems.
The gap is too small for even my skinny fingers to hold sandpaper so I folded a small piece and gripped it between two thin pieces of wood like so.

20161104_150528.jpg

Then worked it between the ribs like this.

20161104_150540.jpg

I had to change the paper quite often as such a small piece clogs quickly and I was also careful to make sure it was narrow enough so it wasn't cutting into the ribs.

Cheers

Alick :)
 
Hi Alick,

I was just lookong at your pictures and really noticed what you're working on; is this the Gordon canoe you'd mentioned in another post?

I have an old Gordon model Lakefield canoe with the alternating strip construction; here's a link that leads to pictures: https://cdober.smugmug.com/share/cdober-canoes
Follow the "Alma's Canoe" path to see it. Does this look like what you're working on? If you have pictures of yours I'd be very interested in seeing them (I'd bet others would too!).

Cliff
 
Hi Cliff
Yes this is the Gordon Canoe (Felix's Canoe)that I mentioned in other posts.
There are many similarities and I have been doing a blog on my website as well as posting a few pictures here.This is how I discovered she is a Gordon.http://www.woodencanoes.uk/single-p...oe-Teak-cleaner-reveals-something-interesting

I also have the back seat but am missing the bottom boards though I still have the clips that held them in.It would be nice to get a picture or tracing of some originals so I can replicate the shape and make some from the correct timber.

20161008_120307.jpg

20161008_120337.jpg

Will be posting more as work progresses.

Cheers

Alick
 
Alick, the clips you have may be intended to hold down a grid style floor rack as some other manufacturers made. In my canoe the floor boards are planks of basswood (about 1/4 to 5/16ths thick) that are screwed in place. I think pictures from the link I sent previously shows enough of their shape to allow adequate reproductions to be fabricated if you wanted to go that route.

I also put up several additional shots that show the rear seat and it's mounting. You might note too the canoe's serial number is stamped into the bottom of the seat.

I hope some of that helps...

Cliff
 
Thanks Cliff
My seat doesn't have a thwart directly in front of it like yours and the ribs go to the top so I think it has always been that way but the seat itself is almost identical apart from mine has a few worm holes and I haven't seen any numbers on it.I will keep a close eye on it when I give it a clean.
I don't have a seat back like yours (and might make one) and..
I was given a rear seat piece which appears to lean against one of the thwarts but it has a curious feature in that it has a slot where a keelson would be but my canoe has no keelson I guess it may have been made to fit all boats in the same range and just slotted to make it universal or perhaps it is from a different boat.I will take a pic of it tomorrow if I remember.
Cheers
Alick
 
Hello Folks
I took some pictures of my seat bits today.
I took the rear seat supports out to make stripping behind and around them easier. They and the seat parts all have a bit of woodworm which I will treat but there is no sign of any serial no.
20161107_102734.jpg

20161107_102722.jpg

The other seat appears to be a back that leans against a thwart though like I said it may be from another canoe as mine has no keelson and the part has a slot in it for one.Does anyone else have one of these?

20161107_102610.jpg

it has a cross piece that fits under the thwart on its back.

20161107_102621.jpg

cheers

Alick
 
Hi Benson
That's an interesting variation and I like the shape too.I bet they are good to paddle with when its windy as you can sit low in the canoe to cut down wind resistance.

Cheers

Alick
 
Interesting setup. I like it.
I try to set my seats as low as possible to keep the center of gravity low and I need to sit as I can no longer kneel (damn knees and old age). I'll try and incorporate this design in my next canoe

Thanks
Mike
 
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