Strip Canoe Question | SouthernPaddler.com

Strip Canoe Question

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rpecot

Well-Known Member
Nov 10, 2006
406
0
Katy, TX
Hey guys…

As some of you from the Rendezvous may recall, I plan on starting a strip anoe some time this spring. I’m not ready to start yet, but a question has been nagging at me for a while. I can’t seem to find the direct answer I’m looking for, so I thought I’d tap the vast well spring of knowledge that is the "Old Sparkys Forum."

So here’s the deal. I’m leaning towards building this boat. Being from Louisiana, I think it is only right that I build it out of cypress (or at least mostly out of cypress). I plan to rip and mill the strips myself. Here’s where I need some clarification/advice/help. The Prospector is a 16’ boat. I will need strips longer than 16’. Can I easily find lumber in excess of 16’ for my project or should I plan on scarffing a bunch of strips? What have others done? :?:

Sleepless in Slidell,
Russell
 
S

sheena's dad

Well-Known Member
Oct 30, 2006
125
0
Moscow, Idaho
rpecot;

I know you can get strips from here:

http://www.newfound.com//

They have a couple of boats I wouldn't mind trying to build.

Steve

p.s. i forget the exact page but if you look up the tools they have for sale, at the bottom of the page they'll have a link. I think they charge something like 60 cents a linear foot.
 
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Mutinousdoug

Active Member
May 7, 2005
33
0
Colorado
When I built my stripper 3 years ago, I bought 18' cedar boards to rip. they were plenty long for a Prospector 16'. It was a challenge to find clear 18' cedar boards but not impossible at the specialty lumber yard. Not all of them made it to 18' but enough of them did that I didn't have to scarf any. You only need about 6" in height on each side of the full length strips for that design, the rest are patched onto the bow or pinched into the "football" in the bottom.
HTH
 
S

seedtick

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2006
1,161
7
Denham Springs, LA
Don't know that we have anything that short, might have to go with a 20 or 22 foot board.

PM me or friend Keith and tell us what you're after...never done a stripper before but a 22 foot board 24" wide will probably get you close to what you need
 
D

dangermouse01

Well-Known Member
Sep 8, 2006
312
1
Palm Bay, FL (East coast)
I agree with Bob, a friend of mine was talking about making a stripper kayak and said that he wanted to mill his own strips. He found a mill local, that had some really nice cedar 2x4 up to 18'. Told him if he bought twice as much wood as he needed, I would pay for half and help him cut them down and everything. He built a two router fixture that we ran the strips thru that did the bead and cove in one pass. Spent about 6 hours there on a Friday, started with 2x4's and ended up with bead & cove strips, he got enough for his boat, I have enough for my future kayak and money-wise it cost me less than $175 + 6 hours of time.

DM
mike
 
R

rpecot

Well-Known Member
Nov 10, 2006
406
0
Katy, TX
Wannabe said:
Russell,
you'll save money and enjoy it a lot more if you mill your own strips. Heard of a guy that milled out enough in a day to make three canoes. Have fun.
Bob
Click to expand...
I was gonna wait until the packages came in, but I guess I'll say it now. I recently had a birthday and managed to scoop up a few bills. I ordered the freud bead and cove bits and a thin kerf blade for the table saw. I'm still a ways away from starting, but I'm building up my tool cabinet :D Should be in next week.
 
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Wannabe

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2007
2,645
2
on the bank of Trinity Bay
Russell,
If you put a 7 1/4 '' thinkerf skilsaw blade on your tablesaw it will do fine for cutting through 3/4 '' boards. Just dont rush it. It will save a little more wood. Unless you need more sawdust. Bead and cove router bits will be well worth the investment.
Bob
 
I

islandpiper

Well-Known Member
Jul 6, 2006
2,556
4
Ponchatoula, Louisiana
www.islandpiper.com
rpecot, call ACADIAN HARDWOOD LUMBER co in Ponchatouls, ask for Mr. Bob.......he's the man, and will make sure you get what you need, they are a complete cutter, sawyer, millling outfit and have enough cypress on hand at any time to build a medium size city. they will mill to any spec.........

Need the number ? phone me or drop me an email when i am at work. Piper
 
W

Wannabe

Well-Known Member
Apr 5, 2007
2,645
2
on the bank of Trinity Bay
Russell,
Rember to rip your strips a hair over 1/4'' so the cove bit doesnt leave such a fragile feather on the strip which is easy to damage. Any little bumps that will leave will be takin care of when you sand the hull.
Bob
 
K

Kurt Loup

Well-Known Member
Sep 10, 2003
110
0
Baton Rouge, LA
www.loup-garou.net
If the timing works out right, when I mill the strips for my next project we can help each other out. It's a drag ripping all the strips by myself. If you want to help and want to drive over to BR, we can mill both of our strips at one time. I have all the tools necesary for the job, just lack an extra set of hands. I also run all my strips through a planer. This saves a lot of time sanding during fairing. Sanding is the worst part of the job. Let me know if this interest you.

Kurt
 
H

hairymick

Well-Known Member
Dec 8, 2005
2,107
2
Queensland, Australia
HEY MOUSE!!!! :D

Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I agree with Bob, a friend of mine was talking about making a stripper kayak and said that he wanted to mill his own strips. He found a mill local, that had some really nice cedar 2x4 up to 18'. Told him if he bought twice as much wood as he needed, I would pay for half and help him cut them down and everything. He built a two router fixture that we ran the strips thru that did the bead and cove in one pass. Spent about 6 hours there on a Friday, started with 2x4's and ended up with bead & cove strips, he got enough for his boat, I have enough for my future kayak and money-wise it cost me less than $175 + 6 hours of time.
Click to expand...

Any chance of some piccies of the router set up please? :D

enquirig minds NEED to know :shock: :D
 
R

rpecot

Well-Known Member
Nov 10, 2006
406
0
Katy, TX
Kurt Loup said:
If the timing works out right, when I mill the strips for my next project we can help each other out. It's a drag ripping all the strips by myself. If you want to help and want to drive over to BR, we can mill both of our strips at one time. I have all the tools necesary for the job, just lack an extra set of hands. I also run all my strips through a planer. This saves a lot of time sanding during fairing. Sanding is the worst part of the job. Let me know if this interest you.

Kurt
Click to expand...
Hey Kurt, thanks for the offer. The key to this would indeed be timing. It would be great to meet and discuss strip building with someone who's done it before - not to mention getting a hand with some of the work :wink: . Only thing is I'm not really on any schedule right now. I'm working on a couple garage projects that need to get done before I can start. (one of the projects is cleaning out the garage to make space for the build! :roll: ) I've been telling myself I want to start "this Spring" but that's about as close as I've gotten to setting a date for construction. And my "Spring" start date is begining to come into question.

When do you plan on starting your next project? Realistically, I wont have a free weekend until mid-late-April (if that early).
 
K

Kurt Loup

Well-Known Member
Sep 10, 2003
110
0
Baton Rouge, LA
www.loup-garou.net
I have some home owner projects to complete, such as painting the house and replacing some facia boards, etc. before I can think about it. I plan to start on the facia boards and siding Friday. Once that is finished, I need to finish building a card catalog style cabinet I started on back in November. The top of the cabinet is ready for glue up. Hope to fit this in over the weekend too. End of April is probably optimistic for me. We can mill the strips in a day even if we aren't ready to start stripping. They will be there when ready to start stripping. I get off at 11am on Fridays, so that day works for me too.

Kurt
 
L

Lee Schneidermann

Well-Known Member
Dec 6, 2007
150
1
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
I'm no stripper, but I did do a strippped top for my kayak. The comment about not needing all the strips to be "full length" is absolutely correct.
I ended up using alot of the drop off pieces to fill in the shorter areas.
I would highly recommend that you invest $15.00 in a small pull saw. I bought mine from a box store locally on a fluke. It ended up making the project down right enjoyable as I amazed my co-workers with nice tight-fitting joints. (nothing like it to boost your ego and confidence!!)
Butt-joints on your stations won't hurt a thing, you'll hardly see 'em once everything is epoxied and glassed.
Send pictures as you do it.(or money :lol: ) We gladly accept either!

Lee
 
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