Anybody have simple inexpensive tricks or techniques to finish sanding the last 9" of the canoe? Where the sides come together to form the stems is a real bear to get at. I was wondering if some one here in P-Net world has a better way of sanding and finishing the inside stems?
Don’t
OK, there is a bit more to it than that. Make angled bulkheads for the inside stems, creating air chambers for both bow and stern. This will cover those “impossible” to sand areas, and keep the boat floating a bit higher in the vent of a capsize.
I used to fuss over assembly of the stem areas, wiping away every last trace of excess glue. Then I’d spend long tedious hours trying to sand, scrape and otherwise beautify the insides of the stem areas. Air chambers are a better solution.
Marc Ornstein
Dogpaddle Canoe Works
Custom Canoe Paddles and Wood Strip Canoes
Ha Ha Marc … Can relate …
The very ends of the boats are the toughest and most time consuming if a person cares.
Besides doing the best possible job PRIOR to everything hardening up, a home made scraper is great here … Just scratch out the ugly stuff ( or sand ) as flat as you wish, clean it all up, then brush in some neat resin and while its still wet, lightly wipe it out with a lint free rag, Yes, WIPE IT out. NO SOLVENT and NOT bone dry either, just a clean wipe … Let what remains harden and you have a nice finish.
ended up
getting a big honking ink knife from work and used that to scrap out the bow. I then fastened sand paper to it to dress-up the narrowest bit. Looks so much better then the last boat I built…
I like the idea of wiping it though…