RE: [bolger] Re: spruce, fir, etc.
Hi Lincoln,
I'm making my Micro's spars out of fir decking. I enjoy working with it,
and it should make a nice birdsmouth mast - both booms are done and the
mizzen mast is next; been putting off the scarfing for the 26-footer until
it's nice enough to work outdoors reliably, might not be able to get it out
of the basement when done! I went this way because I had never forgotten my
experiences with some hollow fir catboat spars I had ~10 years ago - my
landlord pulled 'em out of the dump because he thought it was a shame
someone had tossed them, so I used one as a replacement mast on an iceboat
that we couldn't seem to keep a mast on. It did break eventually, but we had
to work extra-hard at it (I was probably going 45mph close-hauled when it
let go), and I remembered them being remarkably light for their strength and
size. This stuff IS pretty dense, but at the thicknesses needed for
birdsmouthing I am hopeful I'll still save a fair bit, and have a stronger
mast as well.
I also used it for the outwales and scuppered inwales for a strip canoe I
made for my brother. I couldn't find anything else suitable (cherry, ash) in
long enough lengths, and didn't want to spoil that pretty sheer line with a
scarf - it was great for that application. Took the bend just fine and looks
great.
Just be careful of the splinters when working with that stuff - they are
tiny and go very deep!
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: Lincoln Ross [mailto:lincolnr@...]
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 2:52 PM
To:bolger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [bolger] Re: spruce, fir, etc.
I've seen nice looking fir flooring (I think that's what it was) in a
number of lumberyards over the years. Anyone use that?
I'm making my Micro's spars out of fir decking. I enjoy working with it,
and it should make a nice birdsmouth mast - both booms are done and the
mizzen mast is next; been putting off the scarfing for the 26-footer until
it's nice enough to work outdoors reliably, might not be able to get it out
of the basement when done! I went this way because I had never forgotten my
experiences with some hollow fir catboat spars I had ~10 years ago - my
landlord pulled 'em out of the dump because he thought it was a shame
someone had tossed them, so I used one as a replacement mast on an iceboat
that we couldn't seem to keep a mast on. It did break eventually, but we had
to work extra-hard at it (I was probably going 45mph close-hauled when it
let go), and I remembered them being remarkably light for their strength and
size. This stuff IS pretty dense, but at the thicknesses needed for
birdsmouthing I am hopeful I'll still save a fair bit, and have a stronger
mast as well.
I also used it for the outwales and scuppered inwales for a strip canoe I
made for my brother. I couldn't find anything else suitable (cherry, ash) in
long enough lengths, and didn't want to spoil that pretty sheer line with a
scarf - it was great for that application. Took the bend just fine and looks
great.
Just be careful of the splinters when working with that stuff - they are
tiny and go very deep!
Paul
-----Original Message-----
From: Lincoln Ross [mailto:lincolnr@...]
Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 2:52 PM
To:bolger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [bolger] Re: spruce, fir, etc.
I've seen nice looking fir flooring (I think that's what it was) in a
number of lumberyards over the years. Anyone use that?
I've seen nice looking fir flooring (I think that's what it was) in a
number of lumberyards over the years. Anyone use that?
number of lumberyards over the years. Anyone use that?