I was working in northern Ontario this fall, spending three weeks on a canoe restoration project in Fort Severn.

We got one canoe, which has in canvas when I arrived, nearly finished, needing only fnal paint and varnish.  One canoe has all of its structural repairs completed, gunnels and keels for several canoes are made and ready to go, as well as planking for all remaining repairs.

Herman Miles, the young fellow that was working with me in the canoe shop in Fort Severn. He's done a lot of work overcoming personal adversity towards living better and being a better person, husband, and father this past year. I wanted to recognize his efforts and show appreciation for the improvement in our working relationship this year. I taught him paddle making last year, So I made a paddle for him.

I'll be back up through the end of October/early November.  My friend and fellow canoe guy is John Hupfield of Lost In The Woods Boatworks.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometime during the summer, well mid July, actually, the humidity in my shop experienced overnight spikes and caused traumatic glue failure to the viola da gamba that I am making for my wife. 

 The instrument can be fixed, even though its a PITA to do, the trauma was to me. 

 Anyway, I've been spending a lot of time this past week getting my shop cleaned and organized for winter and I finally was able to start addressing this situation.  I think that it may have actually taken this long just to face the task, not just to make the time.

 

 

 

Dorge's Field.

October 12, 2013.

 

I've been spending WAY too much time this past week cleaning and organizing the shop. Winter is coming and I need to wind the toy back up again. Should be able to keep it up for about a week or so!

Part of this cleaning is finally getting my DIY thickness sander painted, using Chestnut Green, of course!  Yes, this an old Delt radial arm saw re-purposed. I picked it up at the municipal dump, the motor was toast and I already repaired another radial arm saw that I picked up at the dump, so this was surplus.  Works great as a thickness sander!

 

The Kildonan "Timber Cruiser" is all done and ready for her annual October canoe trip. This is the same canoe that graces the banner of My Canadian Canoe Routes website, just in case you should think to yourself "My, why does that canoe look so familiar?".  You can see the screen capture of the banner on the Sept 1 post.