Good dogs become one with us. When I got a cut, scrape, whatever, Tippy would lick it clean and it healed. Since then I’ve heard conflicting theories about letting a dog lick open wounds. All I can say is, it worked for me. Go figure.
A new pirogue project in Tallahassee
- Thread starter PeteStaehling
- Start date
Everything from our childhood was a bad idea ( today ) but was OK Back then. The last laugh is ours since we survived our childhoods and are still around today. I like to think even tougher because of it. Heck we even make boats out of wood and skip the yuppy ( production line ) ones.
Yeah, we were once told by “experts” that you can’t successfully build a boat out of wood!
(Sound of angry buzzer) “ AAAAGGGGGGGAAA Wrong answer!”
(Sound of angry buzzer) “ AAAAGGGGGGGAAA Wrong answer!”
I am really realizing just how much I appreciate having my dog here by my side. She wants to be at my with me all the time and it is such a comfort in what have been difficult times. As I mentioned elsewhere she just had her spleen removed and may be on borrowed time now.
One of he reason for building this pirogue is that the Wenonah's round slippery bottom didn't suit her lack of surefooted-ness in her advancing years and I thought the flat bottom and a matte finish would help.
A likely outcome is that we have a couple months with her, but we have no guarantee of even that. If it turns out that it wasn't malignant she could make it much longer, but the majority of spleen tumors in dogs are apparently malignant, We have to wait for possibly as long as 2 weeks for the pathology report and they are apparently wrong 10-20% of the time so even them we won't really know what to expect for sure. We will just enjoy her as long as we can and as long as she is comfortable and has a decent quality of life. I dread the hard choices and the ultimate loss. It will absolutely break my heart when she is gone.
One of he reason for building this pirogue is that the Wenonah's round slippery bottom didn't suit her lack of surefooted-ness in her advancing years and I thought the flat bottom and a matte finish would help.
A likely outcome is that we have a couple months with her, but we have no guarantee of even that. If it turns out that it wasn't malignant she could make it much longer, but the majority of spleen tumors in dogs are apparently malignant, We have to wait for possibly as long as 2 weeks for the pathology report and they are apparently wrong 10-20% of the time so even them we won't really know what to expect for sure. We will just enjoy her as long as we can and as long as she is comfortable and has a decent quality of life. I dread the hard choices and the ultimate loss. It will absolutely break my heart when she is gone.
You’re a good man, Pete. Your dog is as lucky to have you, as you are to have her.
Marley is recovering very well from her splenectomy. Keeping her from doing too much is the chore at this point. She is feeling well enough that we can all enjoy each other's company. As long as no other conditions hit her we are golden. Fingers crossed that nothing has metastasized or at least if it has that we have some good time with her left.
Back to the pirogue... I rough cut the shape of the middle sheet of the bottom and the little end panels of the bottom. I was able to get the pieces with room for scarf joints with good usage of the plywood, so I will go ahead and scarf it rather than use butt joints.
Back to the pirogue... I rough cut the shape of the middle sheet of the bottom and the little end panels of the bottom. I was able to get the pieces with room for scarf joints with good usage of the plywood, so I will go ahead and scarf it rather than use butt joints.
You’re going to enjoy this boat after it’s built, as much as you are while it’s being built. Take Marley for a ride. In fact, if you choose to name your boat, I can think of a good name.
Glad to see you willing to try scarfing, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed
theres is always more than one way to skin a cat, here’s what I do using sawdust filled epoxy as glue"......
I scarf both matching pieces at the same time, I feel it’s easier to scarf one 1/2” thickness than two 1/4” thicknesses (assuming 1/4” plywood).
I like an 8 to one scarf, so for 1/4”, back up the panel on top 2”. Use the lines in the plywood as horizontal markers, when they’re parallel, you have an even scarf.
the scarfs are essentially end grain so they will soak up a good bit. Pass some unfilled epoxy over the scarf area before using the filled epoxy for glue up. Don’t skimp on filled epoxy, better to have to scrape some off than try to fill in an empty joint. Be careful when you overlap the joint. Overlap too much and you can starve the joint. I actually pull the joint back just a bit so I’m assured that when the clamps are applied I cannot starve the joint. Oh and don’t forget to put waxed paper on boths sides of the joint so you donthave to pry it your workbench
theres is always more than one way to skin a cat, here’s what I do using sawdust filled epoxy as glue"......
I scarf both matching pieces at the same time, I feel it’s easier to scarf one 1/2” thickness than two 1/4” thicknesses (assuming 1/4” plywood).
I like an 8 to one scarf, so for 1/4”, back up the panel on top 2”. Use the lines in the plywood as horizontal markers, when they’re parallel, you have an even scarf.
the scarfs are essentially end grain so they will soak up a good bit. Pass some unfilled epoxy over the scarf area before using the filled epoxy for glue up. Don’t skimp on filled epoxy, better to have to scrape some off than try to fill in an empty joint. Be careful when you overlap the joint. Overlap too much and you can starve the joint. I actually pull the joint back just a bit so I’m assured that when the clamps are applied I cannot starve the joint. Oh and don’t forget to put waxed paper on boths sides of the joint so you donthave to pry it your workbench
Thanks. I scarfed the joints on the sides and that is pretty much how I did them.
More progress...
I glued the bottom on and was dissatisfied that it wasn't attached reliably enough for proceeding so I taped the edge every few inches with blue painters tape, turned it right side up and added an epoxy fillets on the inside. The fillets are partially set up and everything seems to be staying in place fine with nice curves and no gaps.
I made a poor guess on my mixing of epoxy and micro balloons, mixing up too much, and quite a bit went to waste.
I plan to invert the hull tomorrow and get the chines and stems nice and smooth and fair before glassing the outside. I hope this winds up being a useable boat that isn't an eye sore.
I glued the bottom on and was dissatisfied that it wasn't attached reliably enough for proceeding so I taped the edge every few inches with blue painters tape, turned it right side up and added an epoxy fillets on the inside. The fillets are partially set up and everything seems to be staying in place fine with nice curves and no gaps.
I made a poor guess on my mixing of epoxy and micro balloons, mixing up too much, and quite a bit went to waste.
I plan to invert the hull tomorrow and get the chines and stems nice and smooth and fair before glassing the outside. I hope this winds up being a useable boat that isn't an eye sore.
When mixing , the narrower the container the faster the epoxy will set up in it. Smaller batches are the best way to go , more measuring and mixing but less waste.
As far as the boat being usable , With all of mine , If it floats I had it correct and if it sunk I would call it the Nautilus. ( All of them floated and are still floating today )
Only you will know the mistakes are there when it's done.
As far as the boat being usable , With all of mine , If it floats I had it correct and if it sunk I would call it the Nautilus. ( All of them floated and are still floating today )
Only you will know the mistakes are there when it's done.
Pete, if you have stem ends on your boat, where you drill through for a bow and stern line, epoxy in a short chunk of PVC pipe to run the rope through. If you have those ready to be glued in, whenever you generate a bit of extra epoxy, it can be applied to those. I always taped up a little cardboard form around those joints to hold the thickened epoxy I was artfully gobbing in. The back of a Big Chief tablet works fine. Needlessto say, that cardboard becomes a permanent part of the boat.
At this point I think it is pretty safe to say it will float. I think the question is how far back will you have to stand to not see the mistakes.
My boats are “50 footers”. From that distance, they don’t look too shabby.
I am flipping the hull and working on fairing all the edges and stems this morning.
Also good news on Marley's pathology report... Her spleen was removed and is still undergoing testing, but initial testing has shown no malignancy. So thus far it looks like a non malignant cyst that ruptured was the problem. There are no guarantees, but we are starting to hold out hope that she might have years rather than weeks or months left.
Also good news on Marley's pathology report... Her spleen was removed and is still undergoing testing, but initial testing has shown no malignancy. So thus far it looks like a non malignant cyst that ruptured was the problem. There are no guarantees, but we are starting to hold out hope that she might have years rather than weeks or months left.
Good for Marle!
Now, about your boat. Smooth is the operative word here. Hydrodynamically clean.
Now, about your boat. Smooth is the operative word here. Hydrodynamically clean.
Yeah, I really look forward to being able to take Marley out in the pirogue and it looks like maybe we will have many chances to be on the water together or worst case at least have some chance to get out. At this point she is feeling good and needs to be kept from doing more than the vet allows. Her staples stay in until next Friday and after that it probably takes a few days for the staple holes to heal before she is allowed near the water. Right now she is only allowed outside on leash.
As far the boat goes... I got the sanding done and applied a bit more epoxy and micro balloons in a few spots that will need a bit more sanding with a fairing board. The curves look pretty good to my eye. Not perfect but as I said good to my eye.
We will see how tomorrow's sanding goes, but I expect it will be ready for cloth and epoxy tomorrow if I have enough shop time.
Will do.
Here is a pic of Marley from 2014. Despite looking like a lab mix, she is actually a German Shepard, Rottweiler, welsh cardigan corgi mix.