Shopsmith Forums

Correct, Paul. The cane is artificial (plastic) but it is woven just like the real thing (except no soaking required).

shipwright wrote:Looks great Al. Looks like you wove it in place right? I've done it with manufactured sheet and reed splines but your edges look hand woven..... Well done!

I did a big coffee table top years ago (plate glass over) using the actual stuff but as I said I used ready woven sheet, soaked, stretched across, and with splines driven in at the edges, trimmed when dried. It amazed me how taught the stuff was when dry yet it never tried to lift the splines. It is very cool stuff.
The plastic looks good and will surely outlast the rattan. I've always wanted to try weaving a seat for something. You may have inspired me to give it a whirl.

The seats are done until installation. The stern seat (left) and bow seat (right) taper in opposite directions to better follow the lines of the canoe. The sitting portion of the seats is the same on both seats but the wings/legs are different because the stern seat is installed further back and in a narrower part of the canoe than the bow seat.
Both will have their wings/legs trimmed down to exact size once the interior of the canoe is done.

Caning isn't hard but takes patience. On the bow seat one of the left/right (up/down in the photo) strands broke after I had weaved the diagonals, but I was able to weave in a replacement strand without too much difficulty.

I am very pleased with the results, imperfections and all.

Now I am finishing the sanding of the exterior. Hopefully the next photos will show the canoe flipped over as I work the interior (slowly as always).

Fabulous!

Those seats are much too pretty to go in a canoe, you know. I'm thinking the pair of them would make great wall art for a hunting lodge.

Excellent workmanship, algale!!! Man alive! this isn't just a slow boat project - it is a detailed combination of many projects.

When watching this go together, I'm convinced you could make any project you wish!

Congratulations!

Very nice job. Is there an expected launch date ?
Paul

masonsailor2 wrote:Very nice job. Is there an expected launch date ?
Paul

Nope. I need to string together several solid weekends of work.

Getting ready to flip the slow boat. These plywood panels, with foam insulation on the edges, will attach to the strongback and be a cradle while I work the inside. At least that's the theory.

Looks great Al. You are doing everything right.
You must be getting excited about getting her out on the water.