Brian Schultz recommends using Gorilla Glue to laminate the gunwales together. In my naivete, I bought Gorilla Wood Glue while purchasing supplies, way back last year. Not the same stuff. I watched the lamination video again before starting my laminating, and realized that, unlike Tom Wolff, I had The Wrong Stuff. Another trip to the hardware store ensued. And hey! Buy a couple more clamps while you’re at it!
In Chapter 1, I admitted to not being a woodworker. Many of the tools needed for this project were off my radar. One of them was a device called a “plunge router.” Brian showed what it was in his video. Now I have to buy one. No used ones on Craigslist. I read lots of reviews, and am going with the Chicago Electric. Yes, I know it’s probably a POS. I’m not buying a $500 router to build a single canoe, sor-ree. Hopefully it will make the 50 holes I need.
Another device was a wallpaper steamer. This was actually hard to find, and I’m not talking Craigslist here. Neither Ace Hardware nor Home Depot had one unless purchased online. No, I don’t want it next week. I’m an American, of course I want it now. The local Lowe’s had one, I hope to pick it up tomorrow. The ribs are already cut. I want to get them bent and into the boat as quickly as possible.
Armed with a flat board, a zillion clamps of various configurations, three blocks, 24 ounces of the real Gorilla Glue, and the very important surgical gloves, I watched Brian’s video one more time, then commenced to gunwale glueing. The process went as close to Brian’s video as a goober who’d never done this could do. The spring clamps were hard to put on- these 70-year-old hands kept needed rests, kept cramping up. Aging is an adventure unlike any other.
I probably used too much glue, ’cause a lot of chisel scraping was needed afterwards to remove the excess. I left the clamps on overnight.
While the glue cured, I sanded my stringers, something I started yesterday. Brian recommends rounding the stringers with a tool called a “Slickplane.” I almost bought one. Then I figured I would just sand them down. I already owned a sander.
This project started with 100 grit sandpaper. The first stringer took about 40 minutes. The switch was then quickly made to 60 grit sandpaper. The remaining stringers took 15-20 minutes each. If I intended to build more canoes, I would certainly buy the Slickplane. As it is, the stringers are sanded, with round edges, and that task is completed.
Friday, I visited my friend Mike Conneen, the table saw guy, to cut my gunwales. He does such amazing work- I’m lucky to have a friend like him. The gunwales came out beautifully. I picked up the router and the steamer on the way home. With any luck I’ll have a mostly framed canoe by Tuesday morning.
