Fall is becoming a busy time of year here at the Canoe Museum- from lectures, school programs and the annual Beaver Club Gala just on the horizon, all hands are on deck to provide a welcoming and memorable experience for our guests.
I love interacting with the public. Greeting visitors at the door, working with children and answering questions as guests peruse the galleries are some of the highlights of a museum setting- but sometimes it’s just nice to bask in the solace of our artifact storage facilities.
The warehouse adjacent to the main museum is where approximately four fifths of the collect lay in storage. This is where I’ve had some of my most thought provoking discussions with our curator Jeremy, got completely filthy from handling and cleaning hundred year old dugout canoes, moved many a priceless boat and even took on the project of sanding/varnishing ‘the Beast’ (see last weeks post).
I loved working away at the 32 foot simulated birch bark canoe. It became smooth and shiny after many a sanding. I must have done a decent job as I have a brand new project- a true restoration!!
Tada!!!
The museum doesn’t often take on restoration projects, to hold true to the artifacts history, but before being accessioned into the collection, the Dewhirst family Lakefield Canoe had already been partially refinished at an earlier time. As you can see the gunwales have seemingly been belt sanded down so extensively that the heads of the screws have been squared right off! Also, it has nearly a centuries worth of hardened and weathered varnish which makes it nearly impossible to distinguish the striped pattern.
I have nicknamed it, “the PJ canoe” because the beautiful contrasting pattern of wood strips. Referred to as “Light and Dark Strip Canoes” in Lakefield Canoe Co.’s 1923 catalogue, the PJ canoe has an alternating pattern that makes the canoe look like its wearing a pair of old man pajamas. It’s gorgeous in its weathered state, but I cannot wait to see it back to its former glory!
Now it will take much time and guidance to get it there, but I’m willing to try!!
And so my work begins! I am a sucker for to do lists- as everyone at the Museum knows because I am notorious for leaving my scrap paper in strange places. Anyway, I have made myself one for this very project…
Materials: natural citrus varnish stripper, gloves, brush, glasses and putty knife.
Step one: Dump a bunch of strip on a centered area.
Step two: Use the brush to gently work the strip ‘goop’ into the wood and all crevices.
Step three: Wait 15-20 minutes
Step four: Ever so carefully use the plastic putty knife to lift out the thick goop, always running it along the grain.
Step five: REPEAT! ‘till you have natural wood …. I have yet to reach step five!
Step six: Lightly sand and varnish
Voila!
Ok maybe I’m getting ahead of myself…there is a lot of work to be done for sure! I wan’t to do it right and so I’m going to work away slowly but surely. I can’t wait for weekends and spare time during the week so that I can fully dive into this project!!
Stay tuned and hopefully in the coming months I can share a few shots of the fully restored beauty!
4 comments
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October 21, 2014 at 9:50 pm
Clifford Ober
It’s very interesting seeing another instance of this canoe; I have it’s twin in a 1906 model. Mine spent over a hundred years at Stony Lake and is now in Maine. It has been in continuous use and well cared for during that time. Unfortunately the future is unclear as younger generations have neither the appreciation for these craft nor the competence to maintain them. I fear that despite the efforts of organizations like the Canoe Museum and WCHA many beautiful canoes will be lost.
Here’s a link to some photos: http://cdober.smugmug.com/Canoes/Almas-Canoe/
March 29, 2015 at 7:49 am
Charles P
I have a very similar canoe that I had purchased over 20 years ago. Unfortunately I had someone fiberglass the exterior not long after and I’ve been trying to find out what would be the best way to remove the fiberglass, to restore it. My canoe even has the small metal clips attached to the ribs, like the one in this photo. The seats had been poorly restored when I purchased it and I would like to bring it back to it’s original glory. The cedar is in great shape. If anyone has any positive advice, I’d appreciate it. I know I shouldn’t have fiberglassed it, big mistake on my part.
December 3, 2015 at 8:56 am
Charles Pothier
I have a similar looking canoe, I purchased it about 25 years ago. I would like to restore it but I had the outside covered with a clear fiberglass about 20 years ago and I don’t know what would be the best way to remove this covering without damaging the wood. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
December 14, 2015 at 5:56 pm
Cliff Ober
Charles, check out the WCHA here: http://www.wcha.org
There are discussion forums dedicated to wooden canoes, knowledge bases about canoes, and many canoe lovers who would be delighted to talk about your canoe and even assist with restoration. There’s a wealth of experience there and much to learn from. Come join us!