Adding More Strips
With the seat out of the way it was strip adding day. Today's strips are starting to go up over the top, so a screw is necessary here and there. I got lazy yesterday and did not glue the ends together. I don't want to do it now because the c-clamps will be in the way. It's hard to believe this mess on the ends will look like a canoe later.
You really have to pay attention when adding strips to be sure not to have the joints all in the same spot. All the boards I bought were six feet long so the joints want to match up. That would not look right, and would be a weak spot if they all were in the same place.
One thing to be careful of is getting the joints too close to the ends. The strips have to bend down and in at the same time. It's a nice place to put a joint except that it's really hard to hold them in place with all the pressure from the bends. I tried a couple and they have gaps, so I won't do that anymore. Gaps don't look good. Here is a pic of this joint from both sides. I had to put in way too many staples to hold it in place and it still gaps a little.
I use an old bowl with some water to keep a glue rag in. It helps to keep the glue wiped up. Just try not to smear too much of it into the wood grain.
These pictures show how much the strips need to bend, this is why no joints too close to the ends.
I don't spend a lot on a stapler for this job. The glue is sort of hard on them. I put a piece of blue tape on the bottom to help keep out some glue. Probably someone that is more careful wouldn't have this mess.
I put in a picture of this tool, I don't know what it's called or where to get one, but they work great to snip off strips. I got this one at a lawn sale for a dollar.
Not a good picture but this is how much glue I use. It doesn't take much.
Even this much still squeezes out.
I think it helps to get the joint tighter if you can get above it. This stool works well. It's small enough to kick from one side to the other. I suppose if I were a little taller it would help a little.
Here is a shot of the inside. What you want is the strips tight against the station.
When they don't stay tight it's time for some dry wall screws.
A quick finger update. It's doing great. I lost a lot of feeling, it's very numb, but it still works. I've given it a real workout the last few days and it's standing up just fine. I'm not sure why all the skin is peeling off but I guess that's part of it. It doesn't look like much, but I'm sure that will come with time.
Here's a staple update. I had 14 strips on each side and was almost done stapling the last one when I ran out. I had started with a new box. So, that means I have used 1200 staples thus far. Wow, that sounds terrible. It's a lot, but you need to keep the strips where they belong. The other canoes I built were the same situation, so I guess it's normal. So here is where we stand. The strips are coming up over the side. Soon they will be laying flat on the top of the stations. The only problem there is keeping the glue in the cove until you are ready for the strip. Oh well, no need to worry about that yet. There are 18 strips on each side. It's looking "canoey". Not sure if that's a word but it works for me.
Not sure what the next couple days bring, but if I get a chance to work on it I will post an update.
With the seat out of the way it was strip adding day. Today's strips are starting to go up over the top, so a screw is necessary here and there. I got lazy yesterday and did not glue the ends together. I don't want to do it now because the c-clamps will be in the way. It's hard to believe this mess on the ends will look like a canoe later.
You really have to pay attention when adding strips to be sure not to have the joints all in the same spot. All the boards I bought were six feet long so the joints want to match up. That would not look right, and would be a weak spot if they all were in the same place.
One thing to be careful of is getting the joints too close to the ends. The strips have to bend down and in at the same time. It's a nice place to put a joint except that it's really hard to hold them in place with all the pressure from the bends. I tried a couple and they have gaps, so I won't do that anymore. Gaps don't look good. Here is a pic of this joint from both sides. I had to put in way too many staples to hold it in place and it still gaps a little.
I use an old bowl with some water to keep a glue rag in. It helps to keep the glue wiped up. Just try not to smear too much of it into the wood grain.
These pictures show how much the strips need to bend, this is why no joints too close to the ends.
I don't spend a lot on a stapler for this job. The glue is sort of hard on them. I put a piece of blue tape on the bottom to help keep out some glue. Probably someone that is more careful wouldn't have this mess.
I put in a picture of this tool, I don't know what it's called or where to get one, but they work great to snip off strips. I got this one at a lawn sale for a dollar.
Not a good picture but this is how much glue I use. It doesn't take much.
Even this much still squeezes out.
I think it helps to get the joint tighter if you can get above it. This stool works well. It's small enough to kick from one side to the other. I suppose if I were a little taller it would help a little.
Here is a shot of the inside. What you want is the strips tight against the station.
When they don't stay tight it's time for some dry wall screws.
A quick finger update. It's doing great. I lost a lot of feeling, it's very numb, but it still works. I've given it a real workout the last few days and it's standing up just fine. I'm not sure why all the skin is peeling off but I guess that's part of it. It doesn't look like much, but I'm sure that will come with time.
Here's a staple update. I had 14 strips on each side and was almost done stapling the last one when I ran out. I had started with a new box. So, that means I have used 1200 staples thus far. Wow, that sounds terrible. It's a lot, but you need to keep the strips where they belong. The other canoes I built were the same situation, so I guess it's normal. So here is where we stand. The strips are coming up over the side. Soon they will be laying flat on the top of the stations. The only problem there is keeping the glue in the cove until you are ready for the strip. Oh well, no need to worry about that yet. There are 18 strips on each side. It's looking "canoey". Not sure if that's a word but it works for me.
Not sure what the next couple days bring, but if I get a chance to work on it I will post an update.