Hey, I've been working on the DK touring canoe for a while and i have all the parts cut out, and im planning to begin the fiberglass tomorrow. A few questions:
1. I decided not to use the designs for the seats included, what are other options and how would i mount them?
2. a while ago Jem sent me instructions for building a pirouge or soemthing, and it says to use a strip of 1x2 lumber for the gunwales, do i just epoxy that to the side?
3. any suggestions for a first time epoxier?
Dk touring progress and questions
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jem
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Re: Dk touring progress and questions
1.) You could glue some 1x2 to the sides of the hull and the them glue a traditional canoe seat on top of them. Or you make your own flat bench seat. I'm going to post up a new seat for sale later today to check back for that.buildingacanoe wrote:Hey, I've been working on the DK touring canoe for a while and i have all the parts cut out, and im planning to begin the fiberglass tomorrow. A few questions:
1. I decided not to use the designs for the seats included, what are other options and how would i mount them?
2. a while ago Jem sent me instructions for building a pirouge or soemthing, and it says to use a strip of 1x2 lumber for the gunwales, do i just epoxy that to the side?
3. any suggestions for a first time epoxier?
2.) Yes, mix the epoxy and then some woodflour filler to make it like a thick ketchup. Use that as glue. The 1 x 2 might be tough to bend. If so, glue on 2 layer of 1/2" x 2" (or lumber close to that).
3) Where gloves and old clothes, work in a well ventilated area (open a window), use a drop cloth, keep pets out of the work area, keep a good supplier of paper towels and extra gloves on hand, epoxy at room temp is easier to work with than when it's cold, work in small batches at first until you're more comfortable with it, plan ahead so you minimize waste, clean up the drips and runs before it cures, and have fun!
Basically, be safe and smart with it and give yourself time to get the feel of it.-Matt. Designer.
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Kayak Jack
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Buildingcanoe,
While at first glance, gunnels look like a straight line, they usually are a gentle curve. I wouldn't plan on taking a straight board and simply gluing it into place.
If you have the pieces all cut out, and all ends of short plank-pieces mated and glued to form boat-length planks, take the plank that forms the sheer line, and look along its top surface. Not a straight line, I'd imagine.
Whatever you plan to use as a gunnel or rub rail, lay underneath that gunnel edge and draw a pencil line along it. The wood above the pencil line is waste that will not fit into your boat. Now, that 1X2 is probably wider on the ends than in its middle?
An alternative is to take a piece of wood much wider, draw the upper curve, and then mirror that as a bottom curve and cut off the waste both top and bottom. Now, you will have a piece of wood that will (1) fit your gunnel all along its length, and (2) be the same width full length.
The center of a gunnel is its point of maximum stress. So, if you cannot make a gunnel out of a single piece of wood, do NOT splice in the middle. That would place the weakest point where the most strength is needed. Instead. use two splices on each side, and have the center piece as long as you can get it with your two splices near the ends somewhere.
NOTE: If any of this advice conflicts with anything that Matt tells you, do what Matt says.
While at first glance, gunnels look like a straight line, they usually are a gentle curve. I wouldn't plan on taking a straight board and simply gluing it into place.
If you have the pieces all cut out, and all ends of short plank-pieces mated and glued to form boat-length planks, take the plank that forms the sheer line, and look along its top surface. Not a straight line, I'd imagine.
Whatever you plan to use as a gunnel or rub rail, lay underneath that gunnel edge and draw a pencil line along it. The wood above the pencil line is waste that will not fit into your boat. Now, that 1X2 is probably wider on the ends than in its middle?
An alternative is to take a piece of wood much wider, draw the upper curve, and then mirror that as a bottom curve and cut off the waste both top and bottom. Now, you will have a piece of wood that will (1) fit your gunnel all along its length, and (2) be the same width full length.
The center of a gunnel is its point of maximum stress. So, if you cannot make a gunnel out of a single piece of wood, do NOT splice in the middle. That would place the weakest point where the most strength is needed. Instead. use two splices on each side, and have the center piece as long as you can get it with your two splices near the ends somewhere.
NOTE: If any of this advice conflicts with anything that Matt tells you, do what Matt says.
Kayak Jack
Doing what you like is FREEDOM
Liking what you do is HAPPINESS
I spent most of my money on whiskey and women - and I'm afraid I just wasted the rest.
Doing what you like is FREEDOM
Liking what you do is HAPPINESS
I spent most of my money on whiskey and women - and I'm afraid I just wasted the rest.
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Oldsparkey
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Not to throw a monkey wrench into the works but..........
When I do the railing I have found that the rails will conform to the outside of the boat when using "C" Clamps. I start in the middle of the boat and run a full length strip all the way along the outside of the boat, on one side , Then trim the ends. Next is to put the one on the other side and again trim the ends so they are flush with each other.
The inside railing ,on some boats has to be cut so it fits between the ribs , if there ribs (or there aren't any) then I can use a full length strip that has been measured and cut to fit the inside.
Everyone has a different way of doing it , I am use to doing it this way and it works for me , why argue with success. I like to use one inch by quarter inch strips and sometimes half inch by quarter inch strips depending on the boat. The home improvement stores in my area have both in strips up to 18 feet ( continuous ).
Chuck
When I do the railing I have found that the rails will conform to the outside of the boat when using "C" Clamps. I start in the middle of the boat and run a full length strip all the way along the outside of the boat, on one side , Then trim the ends. Next is to put the one on the other side and again trim the ends so they are flush with each other.
The inside railing ,on some boats has to be cut so it fits between the ribs , if there ribs (or there aren't any) then I can use a full length strip that has been measured and cut to fit the inside.
Everyone has a different way of doing it , I am use to doing it this way and it works for me , why argue with success. I like to use one inch by quarter inch strips and sometimes half inch by quarter inch strips depending on the boat. The home improvement stores in my area have both in strips up to 18 feet ( continuous ).
Chuck
Remember:
Amateurs built the Ark...... Professionals built the Titanic
Visit some fine paddlers at The Southern Paddler
Amateurs built the Ark...... Professionals built the Titanic
Visit some fine paddlers at The Southern Paddler
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Kayak Jack
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No sweat, Matt. I told that very thing just last week.jem wrote:Jack, mind if I put you in contact with my wife?Kayak Jack wrote:
NOTE: If any of this advice conflicts with anything that Matt tells you, do what Matt says.
Kayak Jack
Doing what you like is FREEDOM
Liking what you do is HAPPINESS
I spent most of my money on whiskey and women - and I'm afraid I just wasted the rest.
Doing what you like is FREEDOM
Liking what you do is HAPPINESS
I spent most of my money on whiskey and women - and I'm afraid I just wasted the rest.
-
dangermouse01
- Posts: 200
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- Location: Palm Bay, FL (east coast)
More epoxy tips:
1. Do a dry run of what you plan to do BEFORE mixing the epoxy. Gives you an idea of the steps involved and to locate any tools that maybe needed, like extra clamps. Its a good time to find out that the step may require another pair of hands, and gives you a chance to locate a helper.
2. Like Matt said, mix small batches of epoxy, epoxy generates heat while curing (ecto-thermal or something like that). The larger the mass of epoxy the more heat generated. A large batch may start kicking off in the cup before you can use it all.
3. Mix the epoxy throughly. Bad mixing is towards the top of the list of problems for epoxy that wont cure (or takes a long time).
4. If it is cold out and you are trying to heat your work area, use ELECTRIC heaters. Kerosene and gas space heater emissions can cause epoxy to take forever to cure.
5. Epoxy is expensive. If there is something you can use any left over mixed epoxy for, use it. Coat that piece of wood, fill that hole.
6. Clean the epoxy off your skin before it cures. GO-JO or Fast Orange works good and they smell nice to boot.
&. Dont mix the epoxy in waxed paper cups. I like the clear plastic 9oz party cups. Buy from a bulk warehouse store, 200 for about $6. I use a new cup for each batch I mix. Some people just mix the new batch in the container they are using.
One thing I like to do, is keep the cups that I used to mix the epoxy in, the next day you can check to cup to see if the epoxy is cured rather than keep peeking at the wood parts.
Have fun with it, your almost a pro now.
DM
1. Do a dry run of what you plan to do BEFORE mixing the epoxy. Gives you an idea of the steps involved and to locate any tools that maybe needed, like extra clamps. Its a good time to find out that the step may require another pair of hands, and gives you a chance to locate a helper.
2. Like Matt said, mix small batches of epoxy, epoxy generates heat while curing (ecto-thermal or something like that). The larger the mass of epoxy the more heat generated. A large batch may start kicking off in the cup before you can use it all.
3. Mix the epoxy throughly. Bad mixing is towards the top of the list of problems for epoxy that wont cure (or takes a long time).
4. If it is cold out and you are trying to heat your work area, use ELECTRIC heaters. Kerosene and gas space heater emissions can cause epoxy to take forever to cure.
5. Epoxy is expensive. If there is something you can use any left over mixed epoxy for, use it. Coat that piece of wood, fill that hole.
6. Clean the epoxy off your skin before it cures. GO-JO or Fast Orange works good and they smell nice to boot.
&. Dont mix the epoxy in waxed paper cups. I like the clear plastic 9oz party cups. Buy from a bulk warehouse store, 200 for about $6. I use a new cup for each batch I mix. Some people just mix the new batch in the container they are using.
One thing I like to do, is keep the cups that I used to mix the epoxy in, the next day you can check to cup to see if the epoxy is cured rather than keep peeking at the wood parts.
Have fun with it, your almost a pro now.
DM
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buildingacanoe
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- Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:17 pm
thanks
Thanks for all the help guys, i have to run to work now but when i get back i'll post pics of the progress (and screwups) of the past 2 days. Thanks again!
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jem
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Re: thanks
those are not "screwups". Those are "learning opportunities".buildingacanoe wrote:Thanks for all the help guys, i have to run to work now but when i get back i'll post pics of the progress (and screwups) of the past 2 days. Thanks again!
-Matt. Designer.
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buildingacanoe
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:17 pm
back
Hey i uploaded all the pictures, lemme just give you a basic overview of how it went:
The joint on the floor panels was horrible, there was a gap running all across so i broke it apart (the epoxy that is) and will be epoxying it back together tommorow.
i put too much epoxy on the bulkhead as you can see in the picture.
the side joint went ok, i'll fiberglass it tomorrow.
Heres the link, tell me if it doesnt work:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/alb ... 5398iyhYfd
The joint on the floor panels was horrible, there was a gap running all across so i broke it apart (the epoxy that is) and will be epoxying it back together tommorow.
i put too much epoxy on the bulkhead as you can see in the picture.
the side joint went ok, i'll fiberglass it tomorrow.
Heres the link, tell me if it doesnt work:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/alb ... 5398iyhYfd