WOOD-USING INDUSTRIES OF MAINE. 



133 



Northern white cedar stock comes to the factory in pieces 

 somewhat larger than the rib, and these are sawed to size and 

 shape, steamed and bent in position over a wooden mould, fast- 

 ened, and left for 24 hours. While on this mould, the gun- 

 wales are put in and all except the last three courses of plank- 

 ing put on and the ends of the ribs snipped off. After the 

 partly finished canoe is taken from the mould, the planking is 

 finished, and the thwarts and decks put in. The canoe is then 

 soaked in linseed oil for 24 hours so that the planking becomes 

 thoroughly saturated. Next the canvas is put on, stretched, and 

 fastened. An interesting detail at this point is that the fuzz 

 on the canvas is singed off by a gasoline torch so that it will not 

 protrude through the varnish. A coat of filler is applied to the 

 canvas and the canoe is put out of doors, bottom side up, for 

 three or four weeks to allow the filler to harden. After this 

 period a second coat of filler is applied and the canoe goes out 

 doors again for several days. Both coats of filler are smoothed 

 down ; the second coat with the workman's bare hands. After 

 the second filler has hardened color is applied, and finally, both 

 inside and outside canoe are given a coat of spar varnish. 



Canoes built in the State of Maine are sold throughout the 

 United States and Canada, and are designed and built to serve 

 many purposes. There are pleasure canoes for use on the 

 lagoons and canals of city parks, canoes for pleasure trips on 

 inland lakes and rivers ; canoes to be used for exploring trips 

 in the wilds of Canada, and extra long "war" canoes used by 

 boys' camps and boat clubs. 



