Your wood of choice..

Discussion in 'Materials' started by JLIMA, Aug 6, 2010.

  1. JLIMA
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    Location: New Bedford Ma.

    JLIMA crazed throttleman

    My personal preference is usually toward southern yellow pine for most purposes in the few boats I've built (in fact my last boat was built exclusively with the stuff keel frames skin everything). In defense of my insanity, it's readily available and the price is right. So I was wondering what your tasted in tale.
     
  2. Submarine Tom

    Submarine Tom Previous Member

    Yellow cedar.

    -Tom
     
  3. mark775

    mark775 Guest

    "tasted in tale?" - That's a wee personal, no?
     
  4. Boston

    Boston Previous Member

    never met a soft wood I didn't grow to hate eventually
    I'll take the hardwoods any day

    cherry
    black walnut
    white oak

    are far more my speed

    the ceders I must say I've had some great experiences with but they make me sneeze like a mad man after a while
    so I guess its not all the softwoods
    cheers
    B
     
  5. peter radclyffe
    Joined: Mar 2009
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    peter radclyffe Senior Member

    oak, iroko, opepe, teak, larch, pitch pine, greenheart, mahogany
     
  6. peter radclyffe
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    peter radclyffe Senior Member

    acacia
     
  7. JLIMA
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    Location: New Bedford Ma.

    JLIMA crazed throttleman

    I do love the look of teak and mahogany but my wallet cries at the though of using them for much more than small amounts of trim.....although I've never used a few of those, opepe acacia, or iroko so I can't really say anything about them.
     
  8. darr
    Joined: Nov 2004
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    darr Open Minded

    We are using Sapele in several applications on our boats. Although not below the waterline.
     
  9. SamSam
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Coastal Georgia

    SamSam Senior Member

    Plywood.
     
  10. Submarine Tom

    Submarine Tom Previous Member

    I didn't have the guts to say plywood but I was thinking it!

    -Tom
     
  11. SamSam
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Coastal Georgia

    SamSam Senior Member

    Douglas fir is all right, too. Sort of brittle but light, strong and stable.
     
  12. Boston

    Boston Previous Member

    not trying to get after you Sam but

    definitely brittle
    not light at 35lbs/ft and even that 35 number is generous given that this woods strength is so heavily dependent on where in the tree its taken from IE its inconsistent in strength and weight
    stable is debatable
    strong is debatable

    Dougy would be my least favorite wood

    to each his own I suppose

    cheers
    B
     
  13. SamSam
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Coastal Georgia

    SamSam Senior Member

    I guess it is a medium weight wood, but it has a high strength to weight ratio. It also has high stability and is used in doors, windows, trim, flooring, boats etc.
    http://www2.wwpa.org/SPECIESPRODUCTS/DouglasFir/tabid/405/Default.aspx

    Cherry, walnut and oak are fine woods but cost plenty and you certainly aren't going to plank a boat with any of them. You might frame it with oak, but not walnut or cherry.

    I think after plywood and doug fir, my next wood of choice would be from the polyester or epoxy tree. Possibly eco-friendly plantation grown aluminum. ;)
     
  14. dskira

    dskira Previous Member

    The cheapest (chipari dolares)

    Daniel
     

  15. Franklins
    Joined: Apr 2007
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    Location: ontario

    Franklins Junior Member

    I have built three with white ash frams and marine plywood. I find the boats to be vary strong and take the ruff water great. I have powered my last hull with a 250 vmax Yamaha and it eats 4 foot waves at 63 MPH.
     
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