oiling webbing question
I think that cane seats look better in a boat with significant wood.
I have webbing seats on my canoes, the canoes are at least 15 years old and the webbing is fine. I would like to oil the wood frame, but I fear that I would make a mess of the webbing. Maybe someone has a suggestion here.
If the seats were cane I would just go ahead and oil the wood and caning; so that is an advantage of cane.
Only time I ever notice a wet seat
… is first thing in the morning after a rain.
I like to start the day getting wet at the other end, with the ever futile “face brace”
Doweling is easier and faster.
I can understand the reasoning if it is strong enough. Not hearing any complaints about the joints in Ed’s seats, I suppose it’s strong enough. I did the seat frames in the Beater Penobscot that way for expediency, and they do seem to be holding up fine so far. OTOH - part of the reason I re-did the seat frames was that the doweled joints in the original seats had failed. To be fair though - that boat saw a lot of abuse.
But now that I own a mortising tool, future seat frames done by me will be mortised. As a woodworker, I just have more faith in a mortised joint. and if I’m going to make a really nice seat, I don’t want any risk of a joint failing.
Me too.
I’m usually wetter than the seat anyway…
Jim
that is one fine looking seat set up. The webbing looks very nice and I like the teflon slides. Your backrest looks very comfortable too.
Cane
That’s my opinion. Seems to drain and dry quicker. Don’t know what people do to tear up their cane seats in less than a couple decades, I’ve never had one fail. Ed’s are comfortable as are Bell’s. They seem to have a smoother, more tapered front edge. Mike, I have 6 seats in the barn, I’m sure one would fit. WW
dowels
Old Town used dowelled joints on about a quarter of a million wood and canvas canoes, so I guess that is about a half a million seats, or 1 million joints.
Dowels vs mortises
Yep. We can debate theory over beers at a campfire, but long-term experience usually trumps the day. I imagine that doweling is much less labor-intensive with apparently no real-world downside.
But if you ask me MY preference…
Jim
I prefer cane…
– Last Updated: Apr-21-10 8:06 AM EST –
but preferring cane because it looks better is not why i retrofitted my original cane seats with black webbing. i do think the cane looks better, but the black webbing don't look bad either and was very cheap and relatively easy to do. it is almost two years old now, but here is the thread i started to find out what material works best for the do-it-yourselfer. very knowledgeable paddlers here:
http://www.paddling.net/message/showThread.html?fid=advice&tid=996223
after trips, the straps do sag a wee bit but they have returned to their very VERY taut setting now that a couple of fat boys ain't sitting on it.
cane or straps? to each, their own.
jeremy
Seat on the way
Have one coming frome belll replaceing the seat mounts to (all wood and cane) after seeing the seat on a yellowstone a while back i like the look it gives and is comfy to.