5 Minute Canoe Toy

5 Minute Canoe Toy

At the request of a couple of folks here this will be my first ever blog. I made 2 canoes for the Grandkids on the spur of the moment and posted them with the jewelry box. This may be the easiest thing you can make with a bandsaw. The first I simply found a picture of a canoe (because I really can’t draw) to get the basic outline. I resized it in photoshop to the length I wanted and glued a copy to the block of wood I had laying around. Cut the outline using the bandsaw and just hogged out the center using some cheap carving tools I had.

The second canoe started the same way cutting the outline – then removing any excess material from the bottom to a little more than what I wanted the finished depth to be. Turning the canoe on its side I removed the bottom 3/8” or so. Like you would if making a bandsaw box. You can then take the remaining section and turn it on the side to cut a slight curve so the bow and stern will be higher than the center section. This can also be sanded instead. The remainder of the material was cut on a curve starting from approx. 2” from the bow, down one side and exiting about the same place on the stern. Because canoes taper at the bow and stern extra material was needed to allow for sanding of the contour. The next cut was down the opposite side starting a bit wide and ending a bit wide. Now simply glue the 2 sides and bottom together. If like me you end up with a bit of a lip on the right side just sand it smooth. Then sand staring with the bow and stern contour on the outside, then any rough surfaces on to suit. If anyone wants the pictures showing the cuts let me know – cant post pics on here right now.
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-- John