Looking for lumber here's my list..

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by icemanwillis, Dec 3, 2011.

  1. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Duddly does a nice job on his designs. I'm not a fan of cypress in finished locations, it tends to swell and check (a lot), which is good in some things, like traditional building methods, not so much in encapsulated or brightly finished methods.

    Douglas fir also has finishing difficulties, though is a fine structural material.

    Approach your BOM list differently. You have many board feet of material that can be ripped off the edge of a 2x4 or 2x12, which is a lot cheaper and offers much more defect control too. There's absolutely no sense in buying a bunch of mill work, on stock that can easily gotten from a pretty 2x12 from Lowe's/Depot. Go down and pick up a few 2x12's after sorting through the stack for clear ones.

    Also isolate out the trim from the structural stuff. You'll want pretty trim, which will typically be mahogany or teak. The rub rails might be oak (white or live, not red), but the rest of the stock can be SYP or the SPF (fir mostly) from the big box store.
     
  2. Steve W
    Joined: Jul 2004
    Posts: 1,849
    Likes: 73, Points: 48, Legacy Rep: 608
    Location: Duluth, Minnesota

    Steve W Senior Member

    Most builders make substitutions but it is very important to make sure they are of similar characteristics,dont use anything that is heavier than what is speced, Pars approach is sensible and can save $$$. Since you are building from plans from a living designer make up your modified list based on availability and cost and then run it by him before you place an order. Unlike Par i do like cypress, having built a 26ft cold molded sailboat from it 31 yrs ago, it does like to check in larger widths, ie, in the 6" x 3/16" veneers but not in the smaller sizes and clear finished it is stunning, it was dirt cheap then. The boat was featured in a Small craft advisor magazine in the last year and still looks great. Doug fir is a good structural wood and while difficult to finish can be very attractive. Dont be tempted to use reclaimed doug fir.
    Steve.
     

  3. icemanwillis
    Joined: Nov 2011
    Posts: 17
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: alabama

    icemanwillis Junior Member

    PAR. Thank you for the advice before I purchase any lumber I'm going to do some research and then a little more research. I want to go the best route that's cost effective and will produce a stunning boat. Thank you for the advice and insight.



    STEVEN W. thank you.
     
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