I built the Arrow-14, using long straight grain, white-ash for all ribs. I was able to get relatively freshly cut ash from a local mill (about three weeks...
Hi, I am building the Snowshoe 12, and have steamed, bent, and clamped in place the first two ribs. The plans call for epoxy to secure the ribs to the...
I don't know much about sinew, but I would go with the epoxy to secure the ribs to the stringers...my test pieces showed that the wood cohesion tended to fail...
Artificial sinew is flat, waxed cord made from nylon or polyester that mimics natural sinew. It's used by leather workers, weavers, and kayak builders.. It is...
The thing that I remember about Buffalo sinew used by American indians to hold their stone points on arrows and spears was that it shrank as is dried out and...
My understanding is that one of the main points of the Aleutian baidarka and (to a lesser degree) Greenland kayak building traditions was to use high...
OK this is a bit off topic here in the boat group but Platt did tell me that he thought the Airolite system would apply to bicycles as well. I've added some...
I am big into teardrop trailers and have long thought of making a tear using this technique. I pull my tear with a small car and weight is an issue. Do you...
Hello all I'm new to this Group but hope to become more acquainted with other enthusists as time goes by. My plan is to build at least one or more items, an...
Hi, Is there anyone, who has completed a kayak using this method? I'm familiar with the standard skin-on-frame designs out there, but would like to try and...
Hi, Another quick post: Has anyone experimented with using Bamboo for the ribs? In the skin-on-frame kayak world, there are a few folks, who are using a bamboo...
I have experimented with bamboo, see these pictures for a prototype: http://www.flickr.com/photos/koefstoon/sets/72157616820492758/ This is not a strict Platt...
Does anyone know if bamboo can be steamed to shape? This appears to be a very interesting design. My wife has requested a kayak for next winter's project,...
... Yes, it can (see Brian's example: http://www.capefalconkayak.com/The%20modern%20skin%20on%20frame%20kayak.html). For me, the question is whether natural...
... Great, love it! This is one of the nicer examples of a pure bamboo frame. If you can't find Dacron, could you find ballistic nylon in the Netherlands? It...
I have seen a lot of charts showing the various strengths of different species of wood but never bamboo listed among them because I suppose bamboo is a grass. ...
... On the strength of bamboo: all the fibers are longitudinal, this makes it very strong in one direction. The trouble with bamboo and charts is that bamboo...
... I tried steaming bamboo, I used the whole stem, this was no good. Bamboo does not have so much mass, it holds the heat for a mere 8 to 10 seconds. So it...
... I have to go to a sailmaker, finally found one near here. I have the impression that stuff like ballistic nylon is not made in Europe anymore. It is...
... Yes, I think the ripping is what Brian does. Apparently, he sources his bamboo from: http://nwbamboo.com/materials.html As discussed on Qajaqusa...
Hello. I would like to build a light but stable boat for my wife and me to use on the lake. Probably using kayak paddles. Which Airolite boat would be best....
Good Evening All I am considering building a Classic 12 for use on the local rivers and in Christchurch Harbour here on the south coast of England. However,...
Nick: The I believe the heat-n-bond you have there will work. In my experience, it's not that critical. I got the original from GaBoats and got more at a local...
Hi Paul Many thanks for your comments, they're most helpful. Your note about the width of the fabric is especially useful and also the contact for information...
