Day 4, Row/sail canoe version 2

Day 4, Row/sail canoe version 2. Build time: 8hrs.

Started the day by bending in some test ribs to make super sure the measurements were right before committing to my last plank of good bending oak. The rib measuring system I have developed is pretty neat but I’m still learning how it works in the larger sized boats.

Interestingly the test ribs were from a board that I cut up this summer and then set aside because it had too many cracks but even after baking in the sun for four months and drying out for another six the wood bent incredibly well. I’ve never found air dried wood to bend that well but it seems like the plank to plank variability of bending oak often times supersedes any general observations.

To get the best yield out of my dwindling oak supply I chucked a thin kerf circular saw blade in my table saw. I’ve done this on red cedar quite a bit but I’m not sure if it’s safe on hardwoods. It’s tempting because you literally get an extra rib for every four ribs you cut. I’ve never had a problem, I just know it’s not really designed to be used in a table saw. Does anyone have any insights on this? If it’s safe I’d like to recommend it to my students but I definitely don’t want to be endorsing anything that is stupid or dangerous.

Sent the test ribs to the test rib graveyard and bent the real ribs in the afternoon. A bit of a challenging bend because I was having issues with an experimental steam box, and I’m still refining my free bending technique for a larger size boats. Fortunately the wood is fairly forgiving, and by alternating which end of the rib goes in the opposite mortise unequal tensions from uneven steam box temperatures are balanced out.

I worked late to get the stringers on. I always try to get the stringers on the same day that I bend because it really helps to even out the shape while the ribs are still somewhat pliable. It also shows me if there are any mistakes that need to be corrected while I still have the steam box set up.