Stonefly FROG

[bobsim]

  First, thanks to ya'll for the advise and input here on the forum. Very helpful for a first timer!

 

  She's pretty much done now, I still need to turn her over and treat some bare spots before I skin her. Frames and breasthooks are okume, everything else is cypress. The backrest is scrap stringers and floors that I will lash in once I get her in the water and see if it's comfortable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Looks like the 11oz polyester I ordered from Jeff on Friday will be tomorrow, (that's fast) and the weather will have me stuck at the house so I may skin her tomorrow. Any insight here would really be appreciated...I'm nervous guys. I understand I won't be able to heat shrink the 11oz  much so I need to get it tight and right when I sew it but...I don't sew.

 

  There are more pictures on my Photobucket album if you're interested:http://s204.photobucket.com/user/bobdsimmons/library/Stonefly%20Canoe?sort=3&page=1

 

  Thank you again!

[Deltabravo]

Looks nice.

One thing I did with the 11oz cloth was to use a longer pull when stitching the ends. Jeff recommends 3in but some of the other sof people are using 4in. I went for the 4, it was a little more work getting it stretched on but made a nice taught skin.

Good luck

[P Doug (WA)]

That is looking great.  I really want to build one of those, but then I really want to build almost everything I see.

[Hirilonde]

That is looking great.  I really want to build one of those, but then I really want to build almost everything I see.

Yeah, me too!!  Looks great.  This spring is get my Renegade back in shape for a summer of sailing.  Probably going to put it up for sale so I can build trailerable boats.

[Kudzu]

There is very little sewing on this boat. AND, if you use rub strip or stem bands on the ends you can staple the whole boat. I am going to reskin my Stonefly and I think I am going to do that this time. I will do the ends with brass rub strips to cover the staples. Make some wood rub rails to cover the staples on the side.

 

Main thing when skinning is getting the skin tight to start with. I will use pliers to grip the excess and put a block of wood on the frame to pry against the frame to pull it tight. Just use common sense! You don't want to damage the frame of leave marks. I am thinking about buying a canvas stretching tool or pliers just for this boat.

 

 

And you frame looks great! I am going to share it on my Facebook page.

[bobsim]

  Thanks very much folks! 

 

  I appreciate the info, the skin is on and all went well. I have some vertical wrinkles around the middle of the boat at the gunnels I'm hoping will come out with the iron later. They're minimal and I could live with them if I have to. I suppose I was was over thinking the process  - a lot of worry for nothing.

 

  Quick question... I'm painting with oil based enamel and saw in Jeff's video he thinned the first coat with acetone. I tried this on a test piece and thinned 50/50, sure was blotchy. Too much acetone? Suggestions? 

 

  Thanks again.

[Hirilonde]

Thin maybe 10-15%.  You are just trying to get a good saturation of the cloth.  Read the paint label as to what to thin with.  Rustoleum recommends acetone, but most enamels suggest mineral spirits or turpentine.

[bobsim]

  Thanks Dave, 10 - 15% does sound more reasonable. Couldn't find a color I liked in Rustoleum so I had to go with Behr. The can says not to thin, salesman said to do a test and see results. I'll try it unthinned and with a little mineral spirits next. Sure want to get some color through the cloth, the white won't look good for long!

[msaxton]

That looks awesome! I'm thinking I might tackle one of these once the Nimrod is done. Nice work!

[bobsim]

  Thank you. I've learned a good bit from this build and in my mind I've already caught fish in this one. My favorite fishing spots are a good paddle in the rec yak that I have and I have a hunch the Stonefly will make the trips much easier. She looks like a racer next to the yak!

 

  The Nimrod is a looker too. Good luck with it!

[Kudzu]

I have found the thinner it is the better it penatrates and the more even the color on the inside. I don't measure, I just add a little till I get it like I want but I have done it a few times. It's not water thin and  50/50 sounds like it would be like water! May not have enough pigment left to 'color' the fabric.  I would try a small amount on a big peice of scrap, add more thinner and try a new spot till you find the right amount.

 

I used orange on 12 oz on two boats and it dyed it really evenly.

[bobsim]

  Hey folks, I have the first coat on, thinned about 15-20% with MS and she looks great. I tell you though after I cleaned up I bent down and looked at the inside of the canoe (she's upside down) and my heart broke. From that perspective it looked like a drunk monkey painted the boat! Pretty disappointing until I realized the lighting was messing with the appearance. A couple hours later I could tip her up on the gunnel to get a good look and it's all I had hoped for!

 

  Two more coats (24 hrs. apart) and a week to set up. Getting short here!

 

  Thanks again! 

[soarrich]

One thing I did with the 11oz cloth was to use a longer pull when stitching the ends. Jeff recommends 3in but some of the other sof people are using 4in.

 

I'm a newbee to this, I just bought Tangerine Canoe plans this morning, I don't understand the 3" or 4" pull reference, what are you refuring to?

[msaxton]

 

One thing I did with the 11oz cloth was to use a longer pull when stitching the ends. Jeff recommends 3in but some of the other sof people are using 4in.

 

I'm a newbee to this, I just bought Tangerine Canoe plans this morning, I don't understand the 3" or 4" pull reference, what are you refuring to?

 

I believe they are referring to the act of sewing one end, slipping it off the frame and pulling the other end 3-4 inches prior to sewing it, that way you have to stretch the fabric as you put the ends over the frames.

[Kudzu]

That only applies to nylon, Polyester doesn't stretch like nylon and you use a different method to skin than you do with polyester.

[Deltabravo]

I used this method on both nylon and the 11oz poly and it worked well.

[Kudzu]

You stretched 11.5 oz polyester 4 inches??  Do your freinds call you 'Arnold'? Seriously surprised it would stretch that much and not warp the frame!

 

Just about to reskin my Stonefly and I am going to use the 11 oz on it. I just ordered some Canvas Plies to stretch the skin with and see it I can put it on really tight with just staples.

[Deltabravo]

It was a bit of work but came out ok. Ignorance is bliss

[bobsim]

  Same here Jeff but I only stretched 3 1/4".  I read in the book that you recommended three fingers (2 1/4") for stretch. When I saw DB's post mentioning four inches instead of three I thought he meant fingers so I added a finger = 3" then added 1/4 for grins and giggles. It was a chore - I wound up with my back braced against a door with a rope from the door attached to the extra fabric, my feet were pushing on a 2x2 run through the forward frame and my hands were pushing on the bow. She creaked a little but did fit after an hour or so. I suppose I misread the directions and thought this was standard practice with poly.

 

  In hindsight I'm glad I did this as the best I could manage shrinking the skin with an iron was minimal. She's good and tight and the paint is curing now. Looks like a splash coming in a few days.

[Kudzu]

That is a nylon method, not polyester. I am surprised it worked honestly.