Subject: Re: baidarka waterproofing
From: Glenn Stauffer (stauffer@voicenet.com)
Date: Wed Mar 22 2000 - 20:52:19 EST
Here's a thought. Melt bees wax into linseed oil. This is a mixture
suggested for waterproofing canvas. I found a description of a good mixture
on the net once, but a quick search here didn't produce anything I can send
to you. If you mix it right, the result will be like a waxed cotton garmet
which is flexible and very waterproof.
Glenn
----- Original Message -----
From: "wayne steffens" <wsteffen@mr.net>
To: <baidarka@lists.intelenet.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2000 5:25 PM
Subject: Re: baidarka waterproofing
> This was a very interesting post, Per. Did the "wood ash" kayak rub off
> onto whatever it came into contact with? A linseed oil coating of some
type
> sounds interesting, and I've got mounds of ash from my wood boiler. ;-)
> Talking with a canoe builder today, he said that most painted boats
> (including his own kayak) crazed after a short time, and he recommended an
> oil of some type rather than paint. (I just used some swimming pool paint
> to build a darkroom sink, and though its very waterproof and slick and
> would give a very smooth finish, its probably not very flexible).
>
> I've got a volunteer to help sew my boat, and I'm picking up some #10
> canvas tomorrow. This means that coating my boat cant be (too) far off. I
> have some old posts on various recommendations for waterproofing that I'll
> peruse before deciding, but if anyone has any newer recommendations I'd
> like to hear them. What I hope to use is something (in decreasing order of
> importance)
>
> 1) cheaper the better
> 2) not terribly toxic or unpleasant to work with
> 3) transparent, if it can meet the above two criteria. Otherwise I dont
> mind color
>
> As this subject has probably been covered ad nauseum over the years and
> probably again during the many months I wasnt subscribed, feel free to
> email any suggestions based on recent experience. Harvey, what do you use
> on your boats?
>
>
> Wayne
>
> At 12:46 PM 2/21/00 +0100, you wrote:
> >Hello,
> >
> >I read something interesting in a Danish book on kayaking from 1938. It
was
> >said that even if the canvas was painted, it still could not be expected
to
> >be 100% waterproof. The result of this was an increase in weight and so
on.
> >The remedy was to apply a thin layer of vaseline(!) on top of the paint,
at
> >the surface facing the water.
> >
> >For paint they used a mix of boiled linseed oil, chalk and drier and this
> >was applied two times as a filler. After drying and sanding, two
additional
> >layers of coloured paint was applied(preferably white). In the last layer
> >some lacquer(floor lacquer would do) could be added to the paint.
> >
> >A friend of who gives classes in kayakbuilding, once showed me a
greenland
> >kayak where he only used linseed oil to waterproof the canvas. He added
> >ash(!) from wooden coal to the linseed oil so the kayak appeared black.
The
> >surface had "fat" feeling when you touched it, and it was very smooth. To
> >maintain the surface he would add layer of linseed oil in the spring in
> >order to keep the surface moist. We vent paddling and afterwards his
kayak
> >showed absolutely no sign of water inside, in contrast to my baidarka
> >which....Well, the weather was nice so it didn't matter.
> >
> >I met other people to, who experimented with only adding oil to the
canvas.
> >One guy mixed different types of oils with different molecular size. The
> >surface could be sandpapered and made smooth. What really was fascinating
> >was that after several years there were no cracks. He showed me also how
> >very flexible this procedure allowed the material to be even after
several
> >years. He could pull the canvas, and it would stretch very well diagonal
of
> >the spinning. The surface showed no sign of cracks after this torture,
and
> >had a almost moist feeling as far as I remember. In Sweden i saw several
> >canoes and kayaks covered with heavy linen (flax), and painted with clear
> >oil only. It was fascinating to look at, because the surface that
appeared
> >gave a very alive and at the same time natural expression. When the oil
> >dries, it gets darker and the colour is not uniform. It almost gives a
> >"stealth" look.
> >
> >Cheers
> >Per Berntsen
>
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