Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
A cold humpday for triviola
It's hard to type on this keyboard with winter gloves on. Looks like Old Man Winter has some really cold weather in store for us here in corn country. Oh well, on to the question....
Women were integral for making these wooden things. Among their tasks were collecting spruce roots which they used to complete their task. What did they do with the roots and what was being made?
Tom
Hmmmmm
I can think of three possible answers. One you carry, one you wear, and one you live in. Decisions, decisions........
Maybe, but I don't think so.
You definitely don't wear it, or live in it. At times you might carry it, but probably with help.
Tom
Re: Dang,
what are they making out of the roots, coffins! My sources saying something about baskets and such.
Thanks for the question. Since I've got you eye, you got a place to dry lumber?
Nope and Yep
Not baskets. And yes, I have a place to store lumber. Well actually I have been renting a mini-warehouse space but a friend tells me he'll let me use a small building of his for free if I patch a big hole in the roof. Sounds like a fair trade.
Tom
Hint #1
Probably the greatest abundance of these creations where made at Trois Rivi�res between Montreal and Quebec on the St. Lawrence.
Tom
Re: Difference....in store and dry....
lumber. Least cost is to AD outdoor, need cover & space, then dry down more inside, heated/treated air, takes a little space and time. Find it rewarding and easier on pocket book(?), more wood waste etc. Oh, back to the Trivia ? Not a clue :">
Re: ?
Something to do with floating vessels?
Yes...but......
....gee, I don't know how this got mis-aligned with my thread? Oh well...yes, you are on the right track. Now you need to be more specific!
Tom
Re: Maybe, but I don't think so.
The references that I saw listed baskets, wigwams and hats. Hmmmmm...
Must find something else.
Re: Canoe(s), a true guess
Re: Ok, I'll try now
Spruce roots, kinda stringy, so something woven??? Related to floating??? How about a fish net
glc
Re: OoooH Ooooh, now I remember, maybe
Spruce roots = lacing for birch bark canoes? I forgot about B-B canoes, I think most of the NW canoes were Cedar dugouts, 'bout half the size of the QE II. The high school Lisa went to built a reproduction in the early 70's and later took it on a few hundred mile open water trip.
glc
Ding Ding Ding....That's it! Answer
Dale and Gary are both winners on this one and Dale gets extra credit for perserverence! The answer is birch bark canoes.
Canoe making was an important industry for the North West Company's operations. Canoe making centers were located all along the trade route from the St. Lawrence River to the Rocky Mountains. The largest of these was probably located at Trois Rivi�res between Montreal and Quebec on the St. Lawrence where there was a large supply of birch trees. Most of the canoes made here were probably Montreal Canoes for the trip to Grand Portage of Fort William.
The first step in the construction of a birch bark canoe was the making of a frame or jig in the general shape of the canoe. This was done by driving wooden stakes into the ground to act as a framework. The canoe was built inside this frame which kept the pieces held together as construction proceeded.
The gunwales or edges of the canoe and ribs, would be formed from pieces of wood cut to the right size and then bent into the correct shape. Steam would be used to soften the wood for bending and the frame on the ground would hold the shape as work continued.
The Indians had long made the finishing of the canoe a task for the women in the band. They would gather the sheets of birch bark by stripping it off trees, collect the spruce root or wattape used to sew the pieces together and collect the pine pitch or gum used to seal the seams. Once the basic frame work was completed, the women would trim and sew the birch bark pieces, attach them to the gunwales and ribs, and then seal the seams with pitch.