Re: oak for boatbuilding?
Hi Jason, None of the woods you mentioned are apt to be rot resistant
to any reasonable degree. Red Oak is prone to rot because of its cell
structure and relatively expensive (at Home Depot that is). If you
pick over the piles of SPF you can get some decent sticks. If you are
going to use Cetol (and here I'll get a storm of protest) it doesn't
much matter what the underlying wood is because Cetol will hide
whatever it is except upon close observation-like 10 inches. Cetol is
one of those things that you either love or detest. On the Cape Dory
site there is constant discussion of brightwork and what to use.
If you can pick over the piles of "crappy" douglasfir you may find
some decent lumber and it will be as good as anything you have mentioned.
Bob Chamberland
to any reasonable degree. Red Oak is prone to rot because of its cell
structure and relatively expensive (at Home Depot that is). If you
pick over the piles of SPF you can get some decent sticks. If you are
going to use Cetol (and here I'll get a storm of protest) it doesn't
much matter what the underlying wood is because Cetol will hide
whatever it is except upon close observation-like 10 inches. Cetol is
one of those things that you either love or detest. On the Cape Dory
site there is constant discussion of brightwork and what to use.
If you can pick over the piles of "crappy" douglasfir you may find
some decent lumber and it will be as good as anything you have mentioned.
Bob Chamberland
--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "Jason Stancil" <jasonstancil@h...> wrote:
> I was rooting through lumber today for building my micro and my
> options are pine, spf, crappy doug fir, poplar and really nice red
> oak.
> The oak is beefy, rot resistant and looks real nice. Is it that bad
> for accepting epoxy. I'm using raka/maple flour to glue, i'm going
> to coat everything with epoxy except on deck where i want to use
> cetol and plan on leaving the ss or bronze fastners in place. Will
> some rough sanding make the oak soak up the epoxy any better. I'll
> use the doug fir where i can't see it but in other spots (lifeline
> posts, hatches and handrails) i think the oak would look nice. I've
> already found out oak doesn't like to soak up cetol but it's not
> much worse than teak which i can't afford.
> Thanks,
> Jason
--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "Jason Stancil" <jasonstancil@h...>
wrote:
grain,will turn black around fastenings and not be a good choice for
use with epoxy since the tanic acid in oak apparently "eats away" or
errodes that thin epoxy glue line. Use it for interior,non-structural
bits if you want,house furniture or the fire place.
As Bolger repeatedly states in many of his building instructions
regarding plywood boats ".....framing stock to be fir(by fir,any wood
which takes glue and fastenings easily.Avoid hardwoods like oak)....."
Mahogany is cheaper then oak, at least up here in Montreal.
Peter Lenihan
wrote:
> The oak is beefy, rot resistant and looks real nice. Is it that badRed oak will rot from wicking water up along its straw like
> for accepting epoxy.
grain,will turn black around fastenings and not be a good choice for
use with epoxy since the tanic acid in oak apparently "eats away" or
errodes that thin epoxy glue line. Use it for interior,non-structural
bits if you want,house furniture or the fire place.
As Bolger repeatedly states in many of his building instructions
regarding plywood boats ".....framing stock to be fir(by fir,any wood
which takes glue and fastenings easily.Avoid hardwoods like oak)....."
Mahogany is cheaper then oak, at least up here in Montreal.
Peter Lenihan
--- Inbolger@yahoogroups.com, "Jason Stancil" <jasonstancil@h...>
wrote:
strips of clear kiln dried Douglas Fir in long lengths and 1" by 3".
I'm thinking some of that for the framing on my Micro. Might use some
red oak. Seal the ends. If you're concerned about gluing, maybe make
some tests. Wipe the joint beforehand with alcohol. Charles Rouse
wrote:
> I was rooting through lumber today for building my micro and myIn our local Home Depot, the hardwood section has red oak but also
> options are pine, spf, crappy doug fir, poplar and really nice red
> oak.
strips of clear kiln dried Douglas Fir in long lengths and 1" by 3".
I'm thinking some of that for the framing on my Micro. Might use some
red oak. Seal the ends. If you're concerned about gluing, maybe make
some tests. Wipe the joint beforehand with alcohol. Charles Rouse
> The oak is beefy, rot resistant and looks real nice. Is it that badRed oak has a reputation for not being rot resistant, but that is as
> for accepting epoxy?
compared to white oak. I think it is probably fine for use when
covered with epoxy. The rot problem is due to water wicking it's way
along the length of the wood from the end grain, so special care to
seal the end grain would go a long way to solving the rot problem.
Different builders report different levels of success with gluing
oak. You can get the advice to not try, and also the advice to go
ahead if you ask around enough. My suggestion is to glue a few joints
and see if you, your oak, and your epoxy are a winning combination.
As you suggest, a rough surface can help the surface layer get a
mechanical grip.
Peter
I was rooting through lumber today for building my micro and my
options are pine, spf, crappy doug fir, poplar and really nice red
oak.
The oak is beefy, rot resistant and looks real nice. Is it that bad
for accepting epoxy. I'm using raka/maple flour to glue, i'm going
to coat everything with epoxy except on deck where i want to use
cetol and plan on leaving the ss or bronze fastners in place. Will
some rough sanding make the oak soak up the epoxy any better. I'll
use the doug fir where i can't see it but in other spots (lifeline
posts, hatches and handrails) i think the oak would look nice. I've
already found out oak doesn't like to soak up cetol but it's not
much worse than teak which i can't afford.
Thanks,
Jason
options are pine, spf, crappy doug fir, poplar and really nice red
oak.
The oak is beefy, rot resistant and looks real nice. Is it that bad
for accepting epoxy. I'm using raka/maple flour to glue, i'm going
to coat everything with epoxy except on deck where i want to use
cetol and plan on leaving the ss or bronze fastners in place. Will
some rough sanding make the oak soak up the epoxy any better. I'll
use the doug fir where i can't see it but in other spots (lifeline
posts, hatches and handrails) i think the oak would look nice. I've
already found out oak doesn't like to soak up cetol but it's not
much worse than teak which i can't afford.
Thanks,
Jason