I have done very little wood working, but I have done some restoration projects on stuff like furniture. I am interested in building a cedar strip canoe over the next winter, but I am a little hesitant as I think I may be biting off more than I can chew. Is this something you can jump into or should I get more experience with smaller projects first?

Also, any good books or other resources on this would be great so I can read up over the next few warm months before I start building in the winter.

Contact Dennis at Northwest canoe in StPaul MN, 651-229-0192, or visit the www at northwestcanoe.com. Plans, materials, workshops, everything you would need to build a stripper. He builds 24 footers for the US Park Service and Wilderness Inquirety that they use on the Mississippi with their programs. Dennis is a great guy and NWC is a sponsor on the board.
CB

Warning, you might get hooked on building your own.

I really encourage you to do this. the rewards are great, and you will get hooked. I have built 2 and I need to start another for my own peace of mind.

I was in your shoes and had a lot of self doubt about taking on a cedar strip canoe....... I am not a cabinet maker, but I have dinked around with making lots of stuff with wood. I always felt that I would rather make something than buy it. It is also in my nature to have my ducks in a row before setting off into the unknown.

Getting ducks in a row meant studying the methodology (book learning), getting hands on (seeing how it is done is a huge help), figuring out where I was going to build, getting materials, and finally making dust.

Canoe making has been on my mind since my teens (I am now 66). When I retired, the time was to act and that started with a model of a Chestnut Prospector 16' (a Christmas gift from my wife). That model used the same techniques as building a full scale.

Bear Mountain Cedar Strip Model

Building the scale model actually put me in position to go to full scale, but I needed to see and get my hands on a canoe build.

I took a course at North House Folk School with ken Koscik. It is a bit spendy, but it was time and money well spent. I knew what I was going to build before the class and took plenty of time to chew Ken's ear with questions specific to my build. On the way home from Grand Marais, I picked up my cedar from a BWCA board member (Tumblehome) who lives in Duluth. I also test paddled his canoe (the one I was planning to build....... so there I was with a 400 mile drive ahead of me, a head stuffed with new knowledge, and a stack of cedar on my racks...... i was ready to roll

North House Folk School Cedar Strip Class

Good luck. My best advice is get going and don't sit on the fence too long. Start with getting some books. I have 4. Ted Moores "Canoecraft" was the bible for me (detailed and you will build a fine canoe if you stick with his advice). I also like the "ways" of Gil Gilpatrick "Building a Strip Canoe" (I have his 1st and 2nd editions)

Yeah I have been looking at the site for quite some time. I think I would be building the Merlin.

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "
I really encourage you to do this. the rewards are great, and you will get hooked. I have built 2 and I need to start another for my own peace of mind.


I was in your shoes and had a lot of self doubt about taking on a cedar strip canoe....... I am not a cabinet maker, but I have dinked around with making lots of stuff with wood. I always felt that I would rather make something than buy it. It is also in my nature to have my ducks in a row before setting off into the unknown.


Getting ducks in a row meant studying the methodology (book learning), getting hands on (seeing how it is done is a huge help), figuring out where I was going to build, getting materials, and finally making dust.


Canoe making has been on my mind since my teens (I am now 66). When I retired, the time was to act and that started with a model of a Chestnut Prospector 16' (a Christmas gift from my wife). That model used the same techniques as building a full scale.


Bear Mountain Cedar Strip Model


Building the scale model actually put me in position to go to full scale, but I needed to see and get my hands on a canoe build.


I took a course at North House Folk School with ken Koscik. It is a bit spendy, but it was time and money well spent. I knew what I was going to build before the class and took plenty of time to chew Ken's ear with questions specific to my build. On the way home from Grand Marais, I picked up my cedar from a BWCA board member (Tumblehome) who lives in Duluth. I also test paddled his canoe (the one I was planning to build....... so there I was with a 400 mile drive ahead of me, a head stuffed with new knowledge, and a stack of cedar on my racks...... i was ready to roll


North House Folk School Cedar Strip Class


Good luck. My best advice is get going and don't sit on the fence too long. Start with getting some books. I have 4. Ted Moores "Canoecraft" was the bible for me (detailed and you will build a fine canoe if you stick with his advice). I also like the "ways" of Gil Gilpatrick "Building a Strip Canoe" (I have his 1st and 2nd editions)"

Thanks for the advice. I loved the idea of the model so I just ordered one and I am also going to order those books and read them in order to prepare for my first build. Probably bring one of them for my first trip in may.

There are several builds you can follow on the Internet. Great to get different perspectives and find similarities between builders. One of the hardest parts is settling on which model to build.

Just go ahead and jump in. It's not that hard to do.

I can't count the number of times I talked to people who always wanted to build a canoe. Many, many people talk about it, few ever do. It was sort of sad to talk to men in the 70's who still talked about their dream to build a canoe.

The key is to build the canoe. The longer you wait, the fewer years you will have to appreciate your dream.

I built my first one at 26 years old.

Do it!

Well I am still young (27 years old) and have plenty of time to do it, but there is no time like the present. I started to insulate my garage so I can convert it to heated in order to work on it in there during the winter months.

Tumblehome says it best,"the longer you wait......... your dream". Cant agree more with that.
I have heard too many people say,"when I retire I will have time", or "why would you even think of taking your canoe to the Boundary waters".

I built them, I can fix them, and have. AND I get to enjoy them with my kids and family. Cant get any better than that!
CB

I dont build wall hangers, they are to use and enjoy.

quote Thisismatthew: "I have done very little wood working, but I have done some restoration projects on stuff like furniture. I am interested in building a cedar strip canoe over the next winter, but I am a little hesitant as I think I may be biting off more than I can chew. Is this something you can jump into or should I get more experience with smaller projects first?

Also, any good books or other resources on this would be great so I can read up over the next few warm months before I start building in the winter."

I echo all the great comments others have said. You should do it, it is extremely rewarding. Take your time, learn a lot and enjoy the challenges that come up. You don't need to be a good wood worker to be a good canoe builder.

As others have said, call or go visit Dennis at NW canoe. The workshops are relaxed and hands on, just like you are at a buddies house helping build a canoe! He refunds the workshop cost on materials should you choose to buy from him, plus the plans are free.

You are on the right track by preparing your work area ahead of time. I did the same thing and found it awesome to not have to worry about where things were and if I had enough space to do what I needed.

The most important things I learned:
Very little bench space is needed, focus more on making floor space.
Do something about dust collecting, I made a cyclone to hook to my shop vac.
Get a good random orbital sander with a Velcro pad.
Buy lots of sandpaper and use it.
When sanding and glassing, turn off the lights often and use a shop light to look for imperfections.
Get a respirator rated for epoxy and wear it when sanding and glassing.
Get help when needed, especially for glassing.
Check and fix air bubbles often when epoxy is initially curing.
Make sure you have some ability to control the climate in your shop, both heating and cooling if possible.


Good luck, hope it works out for you.

Since we're on a building thread. I will make a few other points about building cedar canoes.

Cedar sawdust can really irritate some people. It is a very allergic wood. If you are an allergic person, you might have trouble working with cedar. I do. I became so allergic to the sawdust, even when wearing a 3M particulate respirator that I had to stay out of the shop for a week just to get better.

I'm not trying to scare anyone away just pointing out obvious issues some people have. On the other hand, someone like Alex Comb from Stewart River or the late, great Joe Seliga build/built canoes for decades and have/had no issues with cedar.

Anyway.... Keep it in mind. Epoxy can have the same effect so keep the curing epoxy off your skin. Epoxy is generally low odor and has few solvents but an organic respirator is still required in the shop when working with it, varnish too.

That said, nearly everyone who dives into the canoe building process finds it extremely rewarding and in a few months or less you have a canoe of your own. I've paddled only wood canoes for the past 20 years and believe me, I treat them just like any other canoe. They are light, strong, and most importantly very beautiful to look at, especially as the sun is low in the sky and the loons are calling while the canoe is on shore.

Tom

Yes, the dust can be an issue with your health. I have only built 2, but I noticed an increased sensitivity to the dust, especially cedar (even with a mask on). I like my 3M respirator, but I miss the opportunity to sip on a beer while working....... I have to down it first, or set it aside (outside the dust) and wait for my beer break.

quote HighPlainsDrifter: "
Yes, the dust can be an issue with your health. I have only built 2, but I noticed an increased sensitivity to the dust, especially cedar (even with a mask on). I like my 3M respirator, but I miss the opportunity to sip on a beer while working....... I have to down it first, or set it aside (outside the dust) and wait for my beer break."

This is my experience, too. I didn't notice it on the first boat, had mild irritation during the second, and after the third boat I have sneezing fits and plugged sinuses if I don't wear a mask.

My first boat was a Puddle Duck. The plans included in the book I bought were 'book size' that you were supposed to blow up to actual size, but I never did, ending up with a model about 4 feet long. Cost me about $20 in 6 foot pine boards and another $20 in epoxy and fiberglass. Proved to myself that I could do it and have built two full size Merlins since then.

All great from the guys here. The one thing I would add, is to definitely take a good long look at the Bear Mountain forum. Its been around for years and every possible question you might want to ask has been asked there countless times. The search feature is a tremendous boon to the home builder.

All models have been discussed there, not just the Bear Mountain plans (although yes that is the majority).

If you are thinking of solos, other models to check out are the Bear Mountain Freedom (15 and 16 foot versions), John Winter's Osprey, Kite, Shearwater and Raven, Carrying Place Canoe works (2 solos), Stewart River, and of course Northwest as you noted.

We all wish David Yost would release some of his solo plans (even the oder ones), but alas, no such luck for those of us who would love a cedar strip Magic.

Moonman.