: . . . I was
: sort of loosely planning to use insulation foam sheets to build the box,
: but I do have a long section of 4" PVC drain pipe in the shed,
: that'll probably be for the coaming stock to steam for sure. And I have
: plenty of scrap 1x6 from a deck project that I could use for a shorter
: box. It would be inefficient to try to steam the shorter ribs in the ~8'
: long PVC, would it not? A long and short box are in order?

Make one box to use for the ribs. I'd use 1x6 scrap, even if I had to piece it together, but yours is scrap from a deck project. Is it treated wood? If so, don't use it for a steam box. There is no need to inhale the poison used in treated that wood. Steam might extract it, and it is not good for you. If it is untreated wood, such as cedar, you are OK.

A wood steam box will be more durable than using a plastic pipe, which will probably deform from the heat, and the outside of a wood box will stay cooler and easier to handle. Steam expands -- a lot! It can fill a 6-foot-long steam box just as easily as it can fill a 4-foot-long steam box.

: Now, you've given me some very good information here. Never thought about
: checking drugstores for hotplates. I saw one for $30 so kind of assumed
: they are up there in price. I'll have to stop in a couple of thrift shops
: and Walgreens next week and peruse their shelves.

What, no Wal-Mart around? In addition to electric heating, you can usually find single-burner campstoves which use propane canisters in the camping sections of discount stores for about $20. Also, now that thanksgiving is over there may be some people who tried deepfrying a turkey, didn't like the process, and now want to unload their deep fryer. I understand that on average 10 people burn their houses down with such equipment each year, so I think there will be at least 10 such units for sale right now. Those are high BTU burners and they'd boil water very fast. Fill the pot with water (not peanut oil!) and make a loose lid with a hole in it for your radiator hose.

As for steaming the coaming. You might not need to. It depends on how tight the bends are on your coaming, and how thin the stock is. The bending radius is not as tight as for the ribs. you might be able to get away with wrapping rags around the stock and saturating them with boiling water from your teapot. Then bend them a bit while they are good and hot. Repeat the boiling water process a couple more times until you have the wood bent enough. Or, use a heat gun (if you have one) to provide dry heat to the wood as you gently coax it into shape. You can also build a short box for the ribs, and then build an extension to it for holding longer stock. YOu could even use a short piece of your drain pipe for that extension, and just shove the round pipe in the square hole of your wood steam box, filling corners with rags.

I don't think anyone has given the proper credit to rags for all that they do for steaming wood.

: I did not think about the difference in hot and cold steam either, I knew
: that, just never thought about it in this context. That tidbit right there
: may prove very helpful from the start.

Glad to help.

: Been tempted by the coverlight would like to try that one day, but I will
: likely wind up using canvas duck since I can get it in town, unless I can
: afford nylon when the time comes.

Who is the supplier for your duck? I'm curious as to where you can get heavy duck fabric. There are not a lot of sources, and the material tends to be expensive. Please be sure that what you are getting is Number 10 duck, which is NOT the same as 10-ounce duck. The #10 duck is over 40% thicker, less flexible, and much more durable. Usually art stores will sell this for painters, but they charge more per yard than coverlight costs. You can also get it at boating supply stores, particularly if you can find ones which cater to people with wood sail boats. It is a popular material to glue onto the decks to give the sailors a good traction when walking around the wet decks.

When you are pricing your fabric remember that you have to add in the cost of a weave-filling base coat for the canvas and at least two aditional coats of paint. Or, you can use the elastomeric roofing materials which are thicker.
Also, add a mildew retarding agent, or saturate the canvas with a solution of borax and let it dry before painting.

To give you an idea of fabric "weights": most of the blue jeans you see in the stores are made from fabric which weighs 9 to 10 ounces per square yard. The "heavyweight" Levi's are made from 11 ounce material. These are typically filled with colorants and starch to make them feel stiffer, and heavier. Most of these will wash out (eventually) giving you the softer feel of well worn jeans. #10 duck will weigh 14 to 15 ounces per square yard--depending on the source. It has not fillers of colorants in it, but you'll add your own when you coat it with paint. That makes it heavier still. Serge, denim, and duck are different weave styles of fabric--other than the flat weave used for most common cloth. The number 10 duck is very heavy, stiff, fabric--and it wears well.

The best price I've consistently seen on this is from Clark-Craft (check their website www.clarkcraft.com and follow links for boatbuildign supplies, or go directly to http://www.clarkcraft.com/cgi-supplies/shop.pl?type=topic&topic_name_value=canvas_and_tacks&cart_id=d1517248432ce940e645c3c95fc9635e) They want $7.75 per running yard for 54-inch-wide 15-ounce duck. Buy an extra yard over the length of your boat, and add on shipping costs.

While you are on their page, consider whether you want to use the copper tacks for attaching the fabric. At 4 tacks per foot (spacing them 3 inches apart) you'd use about 130 on a 16 foot hull. When you attach the deck fabric and tack that down you'll use about the same, and those tacks from the deck fabric will double the grip on the hull fabric. Space them a little wider (say about 3 to a foot, or 4 inches apart) and one box will do ya. A box of 1000 stainless steel staples will cost you more (over $20) than a box of copper tacks. If your local dealer doesn't have stainless steel staples in stock, they can order Arrow item 506SS1 for the T50 stapler. That is a 3/8 inch (10mm) stainless steel staple. If you want Monel you can get Arrow's 506M1 (3/8") or 508M1 (1/2") from your hardware dealer, but they may have to order it for you. If you use regular staples, they will rust. paint them well to delay this, and inspect them regularly. You should get several years of use from them. Staples aren't very thick, and when the legs rust thru the canvas starts to fall off the boat. This happens gradually, so you'll get plenty of notice--but copper tacks or stainless staples are much better.

The local Jo-Ann Fabrics, and Hobby Lobby have the lighter weight 10 ounce duck readily available in 45 inch width for about $5 or $6 a yard--though I've gotten it on sale for other projects for as low as $2.33 a yard.

Get a letter out to George Dyson in Bellingham Washington and ask about his supply of heavy fabrics for skinning kayaks.
Dyson Baidarka & Co
431 W Holly St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 734-9226

He sells nylon and polyester fabrics by mail order, but not online, up to 20-ounce-weight which are thicker and more durable than the cotton duck, and the prices are competitive. Ask him if he can send you some small samples, and you might get a few swatches so you can touch the actual fabric. That really tells you a lot more than just looking at it in a catalog. Strengthwise a 9-ounce polyester fabric seems to work as well as a 15 ounce cotton fabric. Anything heavier than that will just give you more durability and puncture resistance, and it will cost more and weigh more. Nylon stretches a bit when wet so a tight skin will loosen up a little. Nylon is not as UV esistant as cotton, so the fabric degrades faster is left constantly exposed to sunlight. painted fabric is obviously protected byt he opaque paint. If you use polyurethane coatings, check the label to see that they contain UV blocking or absorbing materials.

With all these fabrics you will need to do some light sanding between coats of paint. You do this by hand with a sanding block, and it will take a little time.

If you go with coverlight you can staple or tack it to the frame, or use the H-66 adhesive as Tom Yost does. (www.yostwerks.com) You save on the time and cost of painting, and the time of sanding.

Finally, consider using the clear heavyweight vinyl from Wal-Mart. It will only last a couple of years, so you'll replace it more often. You don't have to paint it, the kayak frame is well displayed, and you can use cheaper (plain steel) staples as they will last about as long, or a bit longer than the fabric. At about $3.50 a yard (and the fabric department will let you buy fractions of a yard, so you can buy it by the foot) for a 16 foot boat you would get 18 or 19 feet. That is under $25. It is a good "first" skin, which you can replace with something heavier in later years if you feel the need. or, just assume that your annual upkeep is going to be $15 (about what a can of good varnish will cost) and replace the skin every other year. An advantage to frequent skin replaement is that you have access to the frame and can put another coat of varnish on it.

ust some more thoughts.

Hope this helps

PGJ