Oops, or "Haste makes waste"

Anchor staples are "similar to Arrow T-50" staples. I have used a lot of them, but the frustration of one jamming bad batch which ruined a brand new Arrow T-50 stapler, changed my mind

 

I'm using the same as Gil.

 

Here's what i use; now load up one of those guns Tim and watch your time improve!

 

Guys, don't send him down the wrong road, ie, Arrow, bad staplers.
Get a Duo-Fast instead, much better.

Dan

 

Hey Andre - I judge that you must have been in the Army or the Navy ---- certainly not the Marines, since the box of staples that you recommend clearly states: "Not For Marine Use".

 

Good one! in anticipation of you picking up on that, i called arrow. they said that they were going to go with 'not for use below the waterline' but their team of lawyers recommended a general warning. Perhaps they had some McDonalds coffee that was hot.

And in keeping with my MO of thread drift, heres a shot of a cruiser i just finished oiling after bleaching. So satisfying....

 

I have long ago learned to listen to what you mean, not what you say...

 

Continuing on a canoe that has become a real trial and error project. I am in the midst of filling. I am using Harold Blanchard's recipe. 5# silica, 1 qt spar varnish, 2 qts boiled linseed, 1/2 pt Japan dryer. I used this once before and never got a smooth finish. I find the filler too thin, runny, to really fill with. Since I have a lot of errors to fill, I mixed a side batch of thick filler, more silica than the other. I am using it to fill the bad parts and still using the thin stuff to penetrate into the weave. It does not seem to dry fast enough to polish. I may have to take several days. I am reminded of finishing concrete, that is, work it at just the right time and use water or pure cement to adjust. I find this all very troublesome and cannot imagine doing a canoe in just one day. It simply will not dry fast enogh on the stems particularly.
What am I doing wrong? and please don't crucify me even it's good Friday.

 

I have never tried that one. I use the recipe from Issue #16 of WC.


43 oz Boiled Linseed Oil
21 oz Mineral Spirits
34 oz Enamel paint
2 oz Japan Drier
6 1/4 lbs 300 gr Silex
2 oz Spar Varnish
(1/2 lb white lead paste if I remember to dig out the can)***my own addition***

I have been using this for 24 years now, with NO problems. Dan missed this one on the Knowledge Base page for filler recipes.

 

Ever use an auto body squeegee to smooth it? I have gotten better results with one. And the filler dries quick and smooth.

 

Filler gone bad

Between this and the rip in the canvas it may be time to throw in the towel.
The filler should go on nicely and fill...without being selectively applied in thicker batches in places. You should be applying it uniformly everywhere.
I would expect that even if it dries that you will have trouble late in these areas.
The filler, if mixed properly from the right recipe (not yours) should go on easily with a roller, get absorbed, hand rubbed, reapplied and left alone until you sand it. Resist the urge to fuss with it once it';s on.

I am intrigued about the idea of using a squeegee but if your mix is wrong that's not going to help you.

One thing you did not mention is shop temperature.. How warm is your shop? Curing time on your filler is affected by low temperatures.

 

Ever use an auto body squeegee to smooth it

Best trick i was ever shown was a 1/4 sheet vibrating sander with a heavy leather pad. pushes the filler into the weave nicely and smooths the outside. I dont use traditional fillers though, but a commercially manufactured one. Too scared to ask what goes in it. Cures well in 3-4 weeks in moderate temps, faster in the summer! ( as MGC alluded to!) See Tim, no crucifiction.....

 

Hummmmm........ Well, I'll blame it on old age, failing eyesight, impending dementia, and all around decrepitude!

 

Shop temperature is around 70. Wood stove does fine. The recipe is right from the Build Restore:Canvas Fillers page. There are eight recipes there. I took the simplest and this is the second canoe done with this recipe. The first is still on the living room ceiling drying. It was a simple canoe w/o sponsons which are the challenge here, besides rips.

 

Dave you are right. Simple idea, great results. A $4 pack from the auto parts store. The 6" blade gives great results on the ends of the sponson where they must fair out to the canoe hull.

 

Time to end this. The canoe is filled. The bottom went correctly, the sponsons were the issue.
I was trying to fill large bumps, depressions on the sponson ends, with filler. I should have used bedding compound or my own formula.
The Blanchard formula used was too thin. When I thickened it everything went fine.
Thanking everyone for their help.