Vintage Eastern Industries 20" bandsaw

After years of looking and watching, along comes a complete, running example. Largely a cosmetic restoration, it will be stripped of its house paint, all bearings changed, and a new table welded up. The induction/repulsion motor will be serviced and continue to run at 220v.

To be set up to resaw for ribs and planking, it has over 10" capacity

Material Gathering

Just as birchbark canoe builders gather bark, spruce gum, cedar, and spruce roots, the building of a cedar canvas canoe requires the gathering of materials as well. In order to build authentic replicas of the early Chestnut Guide,  we are adhering to its original configuration and list of materials. White cedar ribs and planks will, along with maple for the seats, thwarts and decks are not difficult to source , and even white oak for stems has been procured.  What does prove difficult however is long lengths of spruce for gunwale stock, either for single, closed gunwale construction or for the later style of open gunwale with both and inner and outer.  Chestnut was building in both styles before the factory fire of 1921.  During a weekend north walking the woods hunting for grouse, we visited a sawmill who had 2 30' logs they agreed to mill for us in an attempt to pruduce some clear stock.  Ash gunwales, or even cherry or oak are not over scarce, but clear spruce in lengths over 17' are rare as trees are both smaller, and no one cuts in those lenghts.  Lumber piles yield large rafter stock, however it has always been kiln dried and wont bend well afterwards.

Small pile of big cedar

Milling the log, 19' section

Second log

 

Moving stock around

BIG bandsaw

Starting to load - nice long stuff, much clear throughout.  

The write up of the Guide model early on specified that the lumber is not as selected as with the pleasure, and small knots and imperfections were allowed so long as they didnt weaken the board. As in many canoes, they can be hidden behind ribs where possible, however even our example has small knots visible in some areas. This was a Guides canoe after all, and with the heavier canvas it was meant for working.

Tools and links

From time to time there are tools and links that are just plain worth sharing. For excellent bandsaw blades, R&D bandsaws in Brampton, Ontario make an excellent product.
http://www.tufftooth.com/
They are easy to deal with over the phone, and despite stating shipping would be 5-7 days the product arrived in 2. Resaw blades are fantastic and wicked sharp.

Because everyone could use a $500 dollar damascus steel chisel, the Japan woodworker exists. Tools out of this world, and many affordable.
http://www.japanwoodworker.com/search.asp

Saw Stop, a great idea and innovation, unfortunately as with a lot of newer technology the cost is prohibitive. Website has a sort of gruesome countdown going to the next accident, which it states is statistically every 9 minutes. We're not so bold as to say it can never happen to us, but at 4x the cost of a comparable table saw, we'll continue to be diligent until the price comes down.
http://www.sawstop.com/?gclid=CLyi4pa3ta8CFaYBQAodOzW3ig

Setting up the new shop began soon after the first load of tools arrived, quite a busy July and August!

New favorite saw. Long a fan of Japanese pull saws, this was on sale around xmas so found its way home. Unlike some fixed blade saws, the blades are removable, and the canvas pouch came with a 19tpi as well as a 19tpi blade. It does well on hardwood and rockets through cedar. An excellent edition to the shop, and to relieve some of the others that are becoming dull with age and use. 

Another excellent tool, a Japanese 'boat builders hammer'. Sure we're not Japanese boat builders, but an excellent product, with a slightly crowned face, nice heft and a narrow end for setting and driving in tight spaces. Having used one for the last two years, we are thoroughly pleased with them.