Building new canoes are an exciting time in the shop. A new Boreal is about to take shape. First step is to make all the parts. Here are the blank ribs, milled to 5/16" thick by 2 1/4" wide.

Each rib is tapered in width at each end using a jig that rides in the channel. I used to cut a bunch of ribs all at once, but it's easier to control doing just one at a time.

Shortly, I will be using this steambox for bending the wood. This is the best steam generator and steam box that I have had so far. There is a water reservoir that feeds directly to the generator, which is a steel cylinder with two electric hot water tank elements inside. As the water evaporates into steam, it is replaced with water from the reservoir.

Air dried Ash is bent for the stems.

Here is the mold, ready to be set up for building. Today, I got as far as preparing the gunnels, ribs, stems, and bringing the mold down and into the shop. I'm planning on bending the ribs on Thursday. I could probably do it tomorrow, but I have arranged for extra hands that can only come Thursday.
No comments:
Post a Comment