Re: [bolger] Fldg Schnr Mast Adventures

From: "Hardings" <harding2@...>

> After being told by several lumber salesmen that they had 16 Ft D Fir
4x4 only to be greeted by guffawing yardmen when I told them what I was
looking for and being worn done by the consensus for laminating, I started
looking for suitable 16 ft 2x4 material. Oddly
> enought the best stuff I found was at the local Home Depot. Though it
was not too good but I found 4 sticks that were reasonably straight and
with reasonable edges. I contemplated the rope trick which I know can
deliver very significant clamping, it is what guitar
> makers use. I decided to pull together all my clamps and buy a few more
so that I could use the relatively flat floor as an edge to work against
to press out as much crown as I could. I found a good deal on clamps at
the local Woodworkers Warehouse, big 6 in C Clamps
> for $5. I put a big roll of wax paper on the flatest part of the
basement floor and laid the 2x4's out crown up. I painted mixed resin on
both surfaces and then made up some glue with silica for filler and used a
squeege to cover one 2x4 completely. I had a little over
> and put it down the middle of the other side and put them together crown
up with the 2' side facing up. With the help of my youngest son we brought
the ends together as even as we could and I put a big wooden cabinet vise
in the middle. We just had a delivery of
> softener salt in 30 lb plastic bags which I hope won't stick to epoxy
and we put one bag either side of the cabinet vise and when the crown came
out tightened the clamp, not too tight but with a little run out. We then
repeated the process halving the distance with
> good 6" clamps and more bags of salt and filling in with smaller clamps,
monkey wrenches etc. There is something pushing it together at least every
foot. Tricky to bring the twisty, crowny sticks together without squeezing
all the glue out. I think we will get
> something straighter than we started with. Let you know.
>
Have you considered using vacuum to clamp the mast? If you have a 16 foot
run of wall nail some doubled scrap 2 x 4's to the wall and use wedges for
some or all the clamping pressure.

If you can't find good enough stock in 16 foot lengths consider scarfing
some togeather out of
shorter lengths. You can even use 1 X 4 lumber. epoxy will cost more. If I
was using short lenghts I would feel safer with 1 X 4 lumber.

Good luck
Gordon
Gordon Cougergcouger@...
Stillwater, OK www.couger.com/gcouger
405 624-2855 GMT -6:00