I still need to put in the inwales, put on the outwales, install the decks, make and install the seat, make and install the thwart and varnish everything.
The gunwales are probably going to have to go in one at a time, so that's four days right there, if everything goes perfectly (and not counting the fiddly bit I want to do at the ends). The decks might be able to go in the same day as the last gunwale, or maybe not since I'll have to shape the outwales before I put in the screws to hold the decks. The seat--the mortise and tenon joints I might be able to do in two days if all goes well, then it has to be rounded, sanded and all the holes for the caning drilled which would probably be another day. Then it needs at least 2 coats of varnish (at least 2 more days) and preferably four, and caning adds at least another day. Then installing the seat will take 2 days because the seat supports have to be epoxied in. Shaping and varnishing the thwart could happen while the seat is under construction. It would really be best to take the canoe to the water at that point to test the center of balance; it should be even with the widest station but I'm not sure--and I know where the center of gravity on a sitting or kneeling paddler is, but how about if the paddler's legs are stretched out in front of her? But if the boat is going to hit the water then I really ought to put at least one coat of varnish on the gunwales and decks to protect them, and I'm worried about that lake water leaving some kind of film on the epoxy that will make the epoxy varnish relationship (tricky to begin with) more problematic.
Short version: three weeks best case. I might be able to varnish more than once a day, depending; that would cut things down. If I'm smart, I could combine varnishing the inside with varnishing the seat and thwart. The workshop will reek...
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The gunwales are probably going to have to go in one at a time, so that's four days right there, if everything goes perfectly (and not counting the fiddly bit I want to do at the ends). The decks might be able to go in the same day as the last gunwale, or maybe not since I'll have to shape the outwales before I put in the screws to hold the decks. The seat--the mortise and tenon joints I might be able to do in two days if all goes well, then it has to be rounded, sanded and all the holes for the caning drilled which would probably be another day. Then it needs at least 2 coats of varnish (at least 2 more days) and preferably four, and caning adds at least another day. Then installing the seat will take 2 days because the seat supports have to be epoxied in. Shaping and varnishing the thwart could happen while the seat is under construction. It would really be best to take the canoe to the water at that point to test the center of balance; it should be even with the widest station but I'm not sure--and I know where the center of gravity on a sitting or kneeling paddler is, but how about if the paddler's legs are stretched out in front of her? But if the boat is going to hit the water then I really ought to put at least one coat of varnish on the gunwales and decks to protect them, and I'm worried about that lake water leaving some kind of film on the epoxy that will make the epoxy varnish relationship (tricky to begin with) more problematic.
Short version: three weeks best case. I might be able to varnish more than once a day, depending; that would cut things down. If I'm smart, I could combine varnishing the inside with varnishing the seat and thwart. The workshop will reek...