Steam bending Skin-on-Frame Canoe ribs

In this excerpt from my online skin-on-frame Canoe building class, I demonstrate the free-bending techniques I use to bend ribs into my canoes. The full canoe building course is available at www.capefalconk... under the Store tab.

[@stevehisey389]

Truly amazing system you have invented. Let me confirm that what Brian just performed in under an hour with his system, took me days to one week to complete using geodesic boats design (plywood stations, then stingers, then steam ribs). You have elliminated alot of time and materials while ending up with a lighter more customizable boat. Thanks for showing us the future!

[@kevinhinderliter2994]

Thanks for taking the time to explain the little details they really help.

[@ar-mory]

After watching several of these videos, I really like this system and the authors awesome attitude and teaching style. This is not something I would normally do, but I'm going to buy the canoe plans/course to support this endeavor, may never build one myself.

[@timking9818]

Great video. Wee observation regarding the thinning of the end of the rib on the table saw. Great idea. Slight adaptation having a 45 degree jib to have a centred semi circle curve rather than an unequal curve that could create torque twist over time.

[@tsavage4185]

Wonderful video. This technique you have developed works very well and seems to be a great way to build an ultra light canoe.

[@rndagain]

hi! Lately I've been repairing cedar vessels, rowboats/ canoes/ power craft and have been very leery of replacing damaged ribs with completely newly steamed strips. There are so many good tidbits of advice here that I am definitely going to do the hard job of chipping out a rotten rib and steaming/ resetting a rib with new wood. Thanks! I guess that means I'm building a steam box! Andrew C.

[@AaronBrand]

That is so fun to watch the shape of the boat come together!

[@melindamanthey2757]

Excellent. Please define " good bending wood" Is this white oak, ash , other? And what is the grain orientation, quarter sawn, flat sawn? Thanks. Check that, I watched more of your videos, got the answers.

[@mikeburns9151]

I agree with Buttskid hisey….I also have build two SOF using mold stations....well explained indeed. Thanks so much! Will have to purchase your methods..thanks so much!

[@capefalconkayak]

There are upsides and downsides to both methods. Molds are time consuming and pricey to make, and the build is a lot slower but you do have more shaping control. Freebending only makes certain shapes well, and you have to get really good bending wood, but it does save a lot of time.

[@hongyilee3150]

sir, what wood did you use? and how long did the end of strips extend from the edge？thank you

[@wadepatton2433]

I probably have at least a dozen small sawyers in my area, and white oak is the specialty. It mostly goes into rocking chairs and baskets. Getting great, green/clear wood should be no problem-for the hardwood species.

[@got2kittys]

I used to make lobster traps, curved tops. Very superior results, if green wood is steamed.

[@xTobsecretx]

What do you think about using the ribs from a bed frame as bending stock? I live in a city where you often see beds or other furniture on the side of the road, so wondering if any of that can be repurposed to build a kayak?

[@Hertog_von_Berkshire]

So you are aiming for the ribs to exert neither an outward nor an inward force on the gunwales?

[@vanscran1672]

Fantastic, I just hope I can get some good enough quality wood in the uk for the ribs.🤔🤔🤔😁

[@capefalconkayak]

You absolutely can. Many of these have been built in the UK. (This is a very old video, check out the newer ones). Email me and I will give you some advise for finding wood

[@vanscran1672]

@@capefalconkayak Thanks for the reply I'll do that 👍👍👍👍👍

[@Monsieur.Nobody.]

What wood were you using? Btw, what an awesome, engaging, and informative video... thanks!

[@capefalconkayak]

Thanks, I was using freshly cut White Oak

[@Monsieur.Nobody.]

@@capefalconkayak super awesome! I'll have to find an alternative here in the land down under! Haha

[@capefalconkayak]

@@Monsieur.Nobody. I have had quite a few kayak building students from Australia, some of them pay to have ribs shipped, others have found local wood that worked for them. It's definitely harder for canoes than kayaks which can tolerate worse wood. I have a few people building canoes down there right now. If you email me, I have a list of Australian bending woods.

[@Monsieur.Nobody.]

@@capefalconkayak That'd be of great help! I'll email you right away! Thanks heaps! It's rare to find helpful and decent humans now a days! Thank you!

[@yournway]

One way you can control the temperature is to do it the pastry chef way, use a cooking probe thermomether, costs peanuts and works wonderfully.

[@anniemalone8556]

Bought a solo skin on frame which has leaked in the bow and stern from day one. Would refinishing with varathane every season stop this and how many coats if so

[@konserv]

Can I use raw wood just from the tree instead of steaming dry wood? 🤔

[@capefalconkayak]

Green wood, fresh off the tree is ideal but you still need to steam it.

[@konserv]

@@capefalconkayak thank you.

[@iamsuhail5895]

Is that stick same size or not 🤔

[@tonykirkham4087]

How do you come up with the rib length,thanks

[@teacher_of_the_arcane5399]

On your ribs ... are you using green wood or (kiln - -stickered) dried wood?

[@capefalconkayak]

Green white oak

[@cholulahotsauce6166]

you need a big kachunk kachunk shear for the impromptu trimmings

[@kentowakai1234]

At times it's like watching a funky exercise video.

[@АлексейЗалуцкий-н1т]

А как сделать кувшинообразный профиль каноэ по вашей технологии?

[@joeljelliff2901]

I noticed that you are little stronger with your left arm. Such that, when making the squared bends in the mid half of canoe, you had slightly asymmetrical outcomes. What if you make bends, then switch to opposite hands and repeat same bending force.

[@capefalconkayak]

Did I not say to switch every other rib in this video? This must be an earlier video I’m constantly replacing the videos in my courses with new ones and all the new ones say to switch every other rib.

[@brandengoulet6839]

Awesome, great job! Good information!

[@stevesoutdoorworld4340]

What kind of wood is it?

[@jwiereng]

Could you just make your mortise larger, to avoid trimming tenons on the ribs?

[@capefalconkayak]

The ribs are different sizes depending on the size of the canoe so it’s just easiest to stick with a single mortise size. Also it’s really hard to find spiral up cut plunge router bits in 64th sizes.

[@Tsmace33]

I've looked. Is there any where that you teach how to measure the ribs?

[@capefalconkayak]

The formulas are in the video courses I have for sale on my website. The rib measuring system takes years and dozens of canoes to figure out, which is why I don't share them for free. If you want to check it out, go to my website and click on the store tab and then choose video courses and plans. I share a lot of the content for free so you can check out the course before buying anything.

[@Richard-po6fl]

I'm finding it easier to soak the ribs in the bath tub than to steam them but I'm a newbie.

[@manuelalejogiannoulakis1654]

Muy bueno si no hablas te entendería más...si tuviera traducción en español más te entendería oki