Shopsmith Forums

Worked on the decks this evening. These are the undersides of the decks with a couple of coats of varnish (I didn't want to try to varnish the undersides after they were installed). The one on the left has been cut to accommodate the ends of the inner gunwales and has a decorative arc. The one on the right will get similar treatment. I really like the contrast between the sapele and the maple.
I also finished the maple plugs on the sapele outer gunwale. This isn't varnished yet; just wiped some mineral spirits on it. I had a screw break off and had to put in another next to it, which I covered with a sapele plug Oh well.

Don't get too fancy Al. You won't be able to bring yourself to drag her up on a beach.

shipwright wrote:Don't get too fancy Al. You won't be able to bring yourself to drag her up on a beach.

Not sure if you are joking or not, Paul, but I've read there are folks who have made these canoes and then can't bring themselves to use them for fear of getting a scratch. I don't think that will be an issue with me.

Yeah, joking ......... sort of... :-)

I think Algale has his feet firmly planted so that will not be an issue. However it will be like a new car!

So, I need to make a decision on how to install these decks.

Two issues.

First, the deck (1.125) is thicker than the gunwales (.75).

Second, the gunwales slant inwards and the deck is flat.

If I install the deck with its bottom even with bottom of the gunwales, it looks like this in the rough.
There's some pretty gnarly angles going on there where the gunwale meets the deck and I'm not sure how to dress this down to the gunwale and blend it in.


On the other hand, if I install the deck with its top even with the top of the gunwales, it looks like this in the rough.
I could leave it overhanging underneath. Not the best look but easy.

Thoughts?

I like the artistic approach to this, now remember I don't know squat about it, but here is my assessment. Can you mark where the gunwale and the deck meet (a line that would show how proud the deck is of the gunwale, then taking a belt sander or hand plane work a rounded joinery to flush the deck with the gunwale?

I think with a flat deck and then feathered at the edges to match the gunwale would be beautiful.

Just my opinion. What ever you do, I know it is going to be fabulous!

Interesting little corner you've painted yourself into.
To me the only problem area is the gunwale "notch" in the deck. I would be tempted to re-cut the arc to remove the "tail" of the deck along the gunwale, glue it in as in photo 1, and shape the deck down to fair in.
You might even shape a little reverse into the edge to match the top of the gunwale.

.... just talking off the top of my head but I think I'd consider that.

rjent wrote:I like the artistic approach to this, now remember I don't know squat about it, but here is my assessment. Can you mark where the gunwale and the deck meet (a line that would show how proud the deck is of the gunwale, then taking a belt sander or hand plane work a rounded joinery to flush the deck with the gunwale?

I think with a flat deck and then feathered at the edges to match the gunwale would be beautiful.

Just my opinion. What ever you do, I know it is going to be fabulous!

Thanksm Rjent That was my idea and I did mark a line around it. But when I took a look at it, I just couldn't see how I would sand down to all these different elevations around the edges and blend it all together and not make an uneven mess of it. Maybe I just need to bite the bullet and have at it.

shipwright wrote:Interesting little corner you've painted yourself into.
To me the only problem area is the gunwale "notch" in the deck. I would be tempted to re-cut the arc to remove the "tail" of the deck along the gunwale, glue it in as in photo 1, and shape the deck down to fair in.
You might even shape a little reverse into the edge to match the top of the gunwale.

.... just talking off the top of my head but I think I'd consider that.

Having a hard time understanding the "shape a little reverse..." part.