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My first boat project was a 14' canoe. A real beauty. Now I want to build another one, after I finish my second kayak wich is half way there. But I would like to make it longer and fancier than the first one.
So I thought of a way to build it without staples. I don't want to use special clamps and I want the project to go along at a good pace. Not just 4 strips a day...First let me tell you I'm using the bead and cove strips.
Here is the way I would do it. There is a glue I use in model airplane building. It's a little like Crazy Glue... It's called cyanoacrylate. It as the advantage of setting fast (a few seconds) and being very strong. But... It is also very brittle and cost a fortune. This is why I wouldn't use it for the whole project.
So I would use my regular glue all along the strip, except the 2" near the forms. Here I would use the Cyano glue. This glue would act as little spot welds, to hold the strip in place while the other glue sets. To temporarely clamp the strip in place, I would screw small pieces ( 4" ) of strips to the forms, just above the long strip. With the bead and cove action, the little top strip will hold the long bottom one in place. By the time I'm finished with one side, the other should be ready. All I have to do is remove the strip clamps and start over.
If the canoe wall wants to move away from certain forms, I will screw small wooden blocks on the forms, right next to the canoe strips. I will then spot glue the side of the wall to this small block. It won't damage the wood to much when the glue joint will be broken. But should be strong enough to hold everything in place. To remove from the form, just unscrew the block...
This way I will have the advantage of the fast setting Cyano acting as clamps, and the holding power of the regular one.
What do you guys think...
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Guillemot Kayak - High
Performance Wooden Sea Kayak Designs
