Yesterday and today I steamed and bent my stem strips. So, with that, I guess it is official, I am building a Ranger 15'

I sat on the fence a long time before I decided on the Bear Mountain plans for the Chestnut Canoe Co. Prospector Ranger 15'. A big part of that decision was based on 1) a desire to build a canoe with history and 2) one that could be built comfortably in my shop. This will be my "pleasure craft" so to speak.

I will add new pictures from time to time. The link below will get you to my photo journal. The current picture shows my elaborate steaming device.



Ranger 15' build

Highplains,

I sure do love your passion for canoes. It really gets to you doesn't it? There is no such thing as having too many canoes.

I'm starting on my next wood/canvas canoe soon. I have a few major projects all going on at once so I've been a bit apprehensive to jump in on this one, but I must. I have decided to glass the outside instead of canvas it. The clear wood outside is equally pleasing to me vs. canvas. I would prefer to stay completely traditional but the strength of the canoe is most important. I was thinking of using Dacron instead of canvas on it to keep the weight down but that's out now too.

I have another big trip coming up next season and want a solo canoe that can handle a rough ride and that's why epoxy/glass is my best choice.

Good luck on your next canoe.

Tom

Looks like fun! I have always been interested in the steaming process for the stems. We don't use a stem / keel on ours, not sure why just the way the guys showed me on the first one.

Tom
Building is addictive. There are many nice looking designs to be found. Cedar strips probably make the building job easy and they are nice looking. But I think the best looking canoes are wood/canvas..... I like the classic look of ribs. I suppose that is the direction that I should be going ......... maybe the next one :)

Joe,
You must be in full concentration in this photo...I see No Bud bottles!
SunCatcher

Stems are bent and glued and the forms are cut. Next step is to set up the strong back......

Before heading to the strongback, I decided to check the feel of paddling a compressed Ranger upside down..... hope this canoe paddles better stretched out :)

Water looks a little "green" Joe!
SunCatcher

A bit of a whoops along the way. I was going pretty good and then discovered a crooked nose on my build. I should have listened to my batten..... it spoke the truth, but I ignored. Good thing wood can be fixed.

Joe,
I was past your neighborhood on Sunday, went to Waubay Ice fishing, with son and friends, so didn't call. But still wanting to come see the new project. I like the last picture...Has the "Normal" bottle of BUD heavy in it!
Nice Job,
SunCatcher

HPD,
Do you have a progress report for us? Forms #1, #7, and #14 are locked in on the 38 Special!

Ben

The canoe project came to an "all stop" on January 8. My last progress was a picture (showing 17 strips each side).

A major (and much needed) floor project in my home has kept the lights off in my shop. Today some trim strips wrapped up the house work. I need to clean the shop of home improvement tools and focus on my neglected canoe.

You sound like you are charged up and running....... go for it !

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "
Ben


The canoe project came to an "all stop" on January 8. My last progress was a picture (showing 17 strips each side).


A major (and much needed) floor project in my home has kept the lights off in my shop. Today some trim strips wrapped up the house work. I need to clean the shop of home improvement tools and focus on my neglected canoe.


You sound like you are charged up and running....... go for it ! "

This 38 Special has been kind of a pain so far. I read the nwcanoe build instructions and really didn't like how they do the bow and stern, so I redesigned them to be built like a bear mountain boat with the inner and outer laminates. After getting all of the forms up, the batten told me that the first and last forms were way off, probably 3/8" per side at the gunwales. After quadruple checking everything, I built new forms the way I wanted them, and everything looks good now. I'm going to spend a beer or two double checking everything tonight, then start stripping tomorrow.

Ben
After a couple beers, everything starts to look good.......... you better check again the day after the beers :)

Finally got a strip on my canoe today! The first since Jan 8. Hopefully, I am back in the saddle.

Finally getting on a roll with my Ranger. Here is where I am at as of Leap Day 2012. I am planning to plank the bottom in the classic 'football' shape.

Progress as of March 8.

The bottom is now 1/2 closed. Picture shows where I am going with that. I think that laying up the planking following the Ted Moores style is a bit more demanding than what I did on the Merlin....... or maybe I am more demanding of my work.

Cutting the planks down to the center line is difficult. I am using chisels and a rabbit plane....... working around the molds is a pain.

All and all I am still taken by the lines of this hull. No regrets so far.

5 planks into closing and needless to say, I am pleased as punch as to the way she is looking. The lines of this canoe are starting to pop with each plank. I love the lines..... I think the wood colors and the pattern on the bottom are going to be knock down gorgeous when sanded out and finished...... they already look good to me.

No mistakes on my angles so far and this gets me past a critical spot of having no replacement planks with the same color. So, some tense moments have been spent removing wood very carefully for the fit.

Anyway, I am very anxious to get 5 more planks on to get up to the next rich dark chocolate color change......... That blue tape generally marks where the stem piece will cap off the bow (or stern) of the canoe

Very nice work.

Beautiful work! Make sure you glue up the last two strips before you get to the end to get the curve! You are doing awesome!

Is that cut down the middle stressful or what???

Ben

Not sure what you are saying about gluing up 2 strips. Is that the method Moores talks about on page 132? If so, then I understand what you say.

Yes, the cut down the middle was stressful. But, I think cutting the angles and bevels on each plank ranks right up there....... especially when you have limited stock of the same color. A do or die situation (not really, but)

I drive myself nuts. I will grab a plank, draw the cut line, fatten the cut to give me some wiggle room, knock off the fat wood with a chisel, try it, and it fits like a charm. My problem then lies in maintaining that perfect angle and bevel while I remove the "fat stock". Usually I go off and then it is down to the wire between getting that perfect fit back and having my benchmark tell........ game over!

:) been lucky so far

One thing that helped me with the angles is to use a saw to cut the strip about 1/4" too long, and do the angle with a small hand plane. I have better control, and it is easier to take off that last little bit to get the index lines to match up. I have never liked chisels, but your experience may be different.

Planking is going very well. No major blunders as yet. I only have 5 planks to go to closing time, and they are all the same color.

Ben
I use a number of tools to shape my angles. Sometimes I rough cut with saw or chisel. After that I use a small hand plane and finish with sanding blocks (2 grits). I spend a lot of time worrying these angles to death :)

That is absolutely Spectacular! I just need to talk you out of using those staples... :)

With a sigh of relief........ the bottom is closed. A lot of work remains, but I am glad to have finished up the angle cuts. Hanging planks await and they go pretty easy (once I figure out a color scheme).

Beautiful! I spent a couple of hours last night going through this post and your other one on your Merlin build, and I really enjoyed both.

It's funny, before looking at that strip Merlin for sale on CL yesterday made by Bob Barrons I'd never really thought much about such a boat. Today a buddy and I looked into a cedar strip boatbuilding class offered up at the North House Folk School from 8/2-8/12. Not sure we can make it work as we're coming out of WCPP on 8/2, but we are seriously thinking about it!

Highplains,

I showed my wife your last picture and I only let her look at it for a moment. She said "Tom, that's you".

I have the same color shirt, same tool apron, similar build, and have many pictures of me working over a stripper.

BTW, I'm glad you are so in love with building the canoes. Few people get as far as you with the passion. Many people talk about it, few do it.

:)

Tom

quote Frenchy19: "Beautiful! I spent a couple of hours last night going through this post and your other one on your Merlin build, and I really enjoyed both.


It's funny, before looking at that strip Merlin for sale on CL yesterday made by Bob Barrons I'd never really thought much about such a boat. Today a buddy and I looked into a cedar strip boatbuilding class offered up at the North House Folk School from 8/2-8/12. Not sure we can make it work as we're coming out of WCPP on 8/2, but we are seriously thinking about it!"

Don't overlook Northwest Canoe if you're looking into classes. Red Cedar teaches them right here in the Twin Cities.

Today I finished cutting the sheer lines.

The collective bunch of cedar planks are starting to look like a canoe :) I am still taken by her lines. This canoe will be interesting to paddle and I am letting myself think that maybe she will float this year.

I think that cutting 4 identical sheer lines is more demanding than cutting a true center line. To get identical points (4 identical curves) on the hull at appropriate mold stations (port and stbd. bow and stern), I used a technique that I saw on the Bear Mountain video by Nick Offerman. He used the top of the strong back (as reference), a framing square and smaller square to locate the points on the hull. Worked good if you had a third hand.....

She is a true beauty, and I have thoroughly enjoy following this thread.
Thank you.
Where is the video you mention?
Does it need to be purchased?

Found it!

Good progress as of late:
* dados for the stems cut
* staples pulled
* stems glued on
* stern stem faired

I found that it was slow going shaping the stern stem. It was difficult to arrive at the final shape of the stem and be content with the way the hull flowed into the stem. The stem seems delicate for this canoe. Anyway, with the experience of the stern behind me, I attacked the bow stem with chisel, spoke shave and plane (more confident knowing the shape that I was aiming for :)

The stem looks great! A sharp spoke shave is worth its weight in gold.

On a side note, I dropped my 12 year old stanley block plane that I do all of my football strip angles with, and the adjustable throat plate broke off. I bought the standard and low angle Wood River set from Woodcraft, and the planes are awesome! Using the same scary sharp sharpening system, I can't believe how much easier these planes are to use.

I can't wait to see it after the glass!

Ben

Thanks for the thumbs up on the stems. Shaping the stem is a bit of an art. While I work on wood removal, I think of the hull going through the water...... I want it smooth w/o a ripple :)

In the words of Ted Moores "When fairing a hull, I feel like a sculptor liberating the boat I want from a bunch of flat boards"..... poetic for sure.

I might post a picture of the hull after sanding. Today, I did one side with just 80 grit. Wow, did the colors pop...... blew me away, swept me off my feet, and I fell in love with her.

I want to buy some new planes, especially a low angle. I need to take a look at what you bought.

So how you doing? Pictures?

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "
Ben


Thanks for the thumbs up on the stems. Shaping the stem is a bit of an art. While I work on wood removal, I think of the hull going through the water...... I want it smooth w/o a ripple :)


In the words of Ted Moores "When fairing a hull, I feel like a sculptor liberating the boat I want from a bunch of flat boards"..... poetic for sure.


I might post a picture of the hull after sanding. Today, I did one side with just 80 grit. Wow, did the colors pop...... blew me away, swept me off my feet, and I fell in love with her.


I want to buy some new planes, especially a low angle. I need to take a look at what you bought.


So how you doing? Pictures?"

HPD,
I should have some pictures up after the weekend. I have 3 more strips to go and the football will be done. The stripping goes pretty slow without staples. I have also been building a new back seat for my Freedom. I wanted to move it 6" forward and drop it a bit. The first coat of varnish will go on tomorrow.

In the words of Ted Moores: "When fairing a hull, I feel like a sculptor liberating the boat from a bunch of flat boards"

And so after 2 dusty but very enjoyable afternoons with 80 grit on the RO sander, I liberated my Ranger. I feel like a proud Dad with a new baby to show off :) I will fill a couple of voids and then hit the hull with a long board and 120 grit.

I have a lot of flat grain in this hull. Flat grain can be tough to work with if you want to go fast. You have to go slow, watch the chip curl, listen, and watch the RO sander. In the grain, summer wood is hard and will resist the sander while the neighboring spring wood gets chewed away. The long board is the great equalizer and kinda rewarding to use after the roar of the RO.

So here she is after a round of 80 grit

HPD,
That is one awesome looking canoe! You can be proud of your work.
I have many times thought of doing a Chestnut Prospector but never got around to it. Too many designs-too little time.
I bet it will look beautiful with a finish on it.
Dick

I finished glassing the exterior. 6 oz cloth. Systems III Silver Tip Laminating Epoxy with slow hardner. 3 coats. I also added 3 layers of bias cut strips on the stems (much like is shown in the NorthWest Canoe Builders Note Book. I did not use a "skim coat".

I worked this one alone while my wife mixed batches for me. I tried Ted Moore's advice on glassing where you start from one end and go forth. It went ok, but I had to hustle. I would rather glass with 3 people (1 mixer and 2 applicators) and work out from the middle (in both directions).

The job is acceptable, but there are some things that pop out to me. I swear I can see where I had to stop resin application and squeegee. It looks like the hull wet up differently.

I think I am going to let the epoxy cure and sand the exterior before I take it off the molds.

Thanks for taking us along on this project.
I am thoroughly humbled by your attention to the important steps.
I want to learn, and I know that's accomplished by doing.
You've set a good example here.

Highplains,

It is best to sand the canoe now before you take it off the mold. I sand down to 150 grit and stop. The final sanding can be done after the canoe is nearly finished. The reason I don't sand down to 220 is there is always some epoxy drips on the outside of the hull that is spilled from glassing the inside. Therefore I like to do the final clean-up sanding just before the varnish.

You probably can see where you left off on the epoxy batches. Trapped air bubbles at the epoxy and bare glass seam are a common cause. Also, epoxy temp makes a big difference in lay-up clarity as well as differences in the mixing of each batch. Darker wood shows more imperfections too. It's hand-made craftsmanship and small imperfections are a makers mark. The canoe looks great.

Tom

I really like how you laid out the strips. very sharp!!

Today I finished sanding the exterior. Getting a good feather job on my bias strips was a bit of a pain. I have a few spots where I sanded to the weave and they are going to get a dab of epoxy later on. Right now I have had my fill of white fine epoxy dust. I think sanding epoxy is about the most distasteful part of building.

So here is a picture of my toast to the last day on the molds and a canoe that is free at last......

Beautiful! I'm not going to mention all of those little holes. :)

That is a beautiful boat. Thanks for keeping us updated.

It was a good Father's Day boat building weekend. The inside of the Ranger has the glass and has a second (and last) coat. I am looking forward to wood work rather than epoxy work. Epoxy stresses me out. There is no room for error and no time for a beer break :)

I tended to follow Ted Moore's book on the inside glass work. This time I used a full sheet on wet-up. I chickened out on the full sheet for the Merlin. I had my helpers (my son and wife) and that made the going smooth. The glass went down sweet and we were able to get a very uniform mat finish with the wet up.

Today I put on the second coat. I followed Moore's advice on using the squeegee to distribute the resin (pulling up a puddle from the bottom) and to remove excess (on my Merlin I used a brush to distribute). After excess was removed, I dry brushed to get rid of the squeegee marks. I only used the brush to apply in the tight areas of the bow and stern. The squeegee method was very sweet and I am now a convert. I was able to get nice coverage and a nice uniform mat finish.

My face grain on the inside has a few waves but they are now part of the canoe. On the outside I used a long board to flatten the face grains (summer wood is a B____ to work wanting to throw the tools and sand paper into the soft woods)

All in all a nice relaxing weekend and nice to have the glass work done

It has been a while since I posted an update of the Ranger.
** Gunwales are on (glued and screwed)
** Gunwale screw holes will be plugged
** Black walnut used on seats and trim work
** The picture shows a light colored wood for my seat hangers. That wood is scrap plywood. They will be replaced with walnut.
** I am not sure if I will cane the seats or use nylon web. I am leaning toward cane because of tradition.
** I have a lot of detail work remaining..... sharp edges will be rounded over, all trim will receive a couple coats of epoxy before the final assembly (and ultimately varnished)......... BUT the tricky stuff is behind me and now I will move on to mindless finishing :)

This canoe is not destined for the water this year. She will get wet in 2013.

I have been spending a lot of time with my son and Grand Daughter as of late, so canoe work has taken the back seat. But it is almost varnish time!!

All the trim wood has been cut, fitted, sanded, and is generally ready for sealer (epoxy) and varnish. A couple of close ups of her parts are attached as well as the canoe and Kendra (my Grand daughter) and I.

I will seal and finish my seat frames before covering them. I am leaning now toward web seats rather than cane (easier, more comfortable, and I can always change to cane later). Gunwales are ash and the rest of the trim is black walnut.

The interior finishing work on my Ranger is complete.

I only have the outside hull to varnish. 99% of the prep work on the outside of the hull was done before I took her off the molds, so that sanding mess is behind me. Baring major sags and runs, the outside (and the canoe) will be finished in December.

I decided to web my seats rather than cane. The webbing on the seat can easily be removed and replaced with cane if the urge ever hits me. I think I will work on my caning skills and paddle building skills for the remainder of the winter.

The canoe now weighs in at 54 pounds. I was hoping for less, but gaining weight is an easy thing to do....

Still looking beautiful.

On New Years Day I applied the final coat of varnish to the exterior hull. I only put on 3 coats. Frankly I was getting tired of doing varnish work.

I figure that if I use the canoe as I plan, it will have ample opportunity to get additional coats in the future.

The finished canoe weighs in at 55.5 lbs. She is a bit heavier than I wanted but this is a rather broad and deep canoe. Bear MT gives a range of 45-55 lbs........ so I came in 0.5 lb over specs :)

I am now on to building my first paddle. It is a welcome break from the large canoe project. I am using Gilpatrick's 2nd edition as my guide. I like the Yankee Engineering of Gil....... so far so good. I doubt that I can stop building at one.

Good luck on that paddle. Your canoes looks wonderful.