Woods... what to use?

[Brian D]

I have looked at a varity of wooden cup holders and find the prices a wee bit too rich for my blood. I don't mind paying for quality, but I don't want to fund someone's Porche payments either. ;DI want to make a couple of cup holders, and maybe a cockpit table. My wood selections is limited to what Home Depot or Lowe's has to offer. I'm thinking hardwood (oak or maple) would be best. I think pine would be too soft and would fall apart prematurely.Would love to use teak, but that isn't readily available. Any thoughts?

 

[Ross]

seek a sawmill. There are urban sawmills

Check wood miser or woodmizer for someone in your neck of the woods. Walnut is nice so is red mulberry which is yellow when freshly cut and turns a golgen brown. there are many choises outside the doors of the big box stores.

 

[Rob Morton]

Check harwood supplier

See if there is a hardwood supplier for trim or doors. There should be teak available down there. Up here our door shop can get it as well as our hardwood flooring supplier. Although you may pay enough for the teak to think you are making their porsche payment.Rob

 

[Ross]

Yard sales are also a source for small

pieces of fancy wood.

 

[Jim Rushing]

Lowes

My local Lowes has a good selection of red oak. I have been using it for trim and other things in the cabin. When varnished, it is very close in color to the wood that Catalina is using currently.

 

[r.w.landau]

Woods, I would stay with standard woods for boats

Red oak rots, White oak is what they make wine barrels from and will last much longer.Woods like Douglas fir, Sitka Spruce, Mohogany, Teak, Ipe, and white oak will all do well for a long time. White pine red oak and common plywood don't do so well. However, 1/4 luan underlayment does very well. You could laminate multiple layers of 1/4 luan using epoxy to create the table.If this is something that is going to be stowed below, use anything. Put on a good finish.r.w.landau

 

[Ross]

R.W. I was concerned that red oak rotted too

easily so I nailed several blocks of red oak to a sheet of plywood and put it under the rain spouts on the north side of the house 2 years ago so far it gets wet and dry at the whims of the weather but there is no sigh of decay. Of all the woods that I have worked with Tulip poplar is the least durable followed closely by birch and maple. Paulonia and catalpa are durable but very soft. Locust and mulberry and osage orange are very strong, last just a little longer than granite. Arborvitae is also known as northern white cedar and is a delight to work. Red cedar used for closet lining is good but hard to find in large enough pieces for projects. True mahogany is the best of all worlds for all projects.

 

[Terry Cox]

Since most all of the wood on our boat is ...

teak, I use it for all of my add on projects; double leaf cockpit table, binocular holder, spice rack, etc. I purchase most of what I need from a local lumber company for about $20 per board foot.Most any hardwood [red and white oak, mahogany (open grain woods), maple, birch, alder (closed grain woods)] will hold up for years even without any kind of sealer. I use Elmers exterior glue because it is easy to work with, has a good set period and holds well in a marine environment, even on teak. Terry

 

[r.w.landau]

This may be a simple project, Brian.

If you are stowing it below, use anything.If it will have a constant contact with water, I will differ with Ross and Terry.Every species of wood has characteristics that are different. There are many species of maple, some hard, some soft, some are great cutting boards others rot. Red Oak will not last!Oily woods do well. Teak has alot of oil. That is why it is one of the best water woods.The other thing you need to be concerned with is stability.Some wood swells and the size varies with moisture. Other woods are stabile.Glue is an important piece of the puzzle. Since woods like Teak are oily, you must prep them properly to receive glue.Gorilla glue or epoxy are the best bonding products. They will both tell you how to prep your wood. Some say that alcohol will remove the oil in the area to be glued. Gorilla glue and epoxy are my two favorite. I have made boat parts for three boats over 12 years. Properly preped and with the right wood things will last.r.w.landau

 

[Ctskip]

Check with your local cabinet shop

they have all kinds of scrap wood and know whats best most of the time. Just a thought.  Keep it up, Ctskip

 

[Mike]

Hey R.W.

You piqued my curiosity, and I did a search for 'charistics of wood' and my first hit was the link I'm adding. Just click on the type of wood on the left hand column and read about it!http://www.hardwood.org/species_guide/display_species.asp

 

[Ross]

R.W. you are painting with a very broad

brush. There are many species of wood that are classified as durable, many more that are moderately durable and some that are non-durable. The moisture content must be in excess of 30 percent and less than 90 percent for rot to happen. There are many fungus species that will go dormant when the moisture levels drop below critical levels but become active when the moisture level is above the minimum. There is NO wood that is perfectly durable (else we would be covered up with it) but many fall into the realm of lasting longer than people. Red oak is the stuff they use for floors in houses so if you expect to keep the piece that you make as dry as the floors in your house, red oak will serve well. In my boat the companion steps are hickory with ash stringers, the engine beds are black locust, the bulkheads are bald cypress, the cabin sole is black walnut, the cleats are black locust, the boom gallows is steam bent white oak. The companion door is cypress with a white oak latch. When I speak of the various uses of wood I know whereof I speak.

 

[r.w.landau]

One of the wood boat plan makers from the past

Glen-L was a leader and still is for wooden boats. This is a page from thier website. If you have time read all thier info. It really is good stuff.Click on the lumber for boat building.r.w.landau

 

[T J Furstenau]

I've used padauk as a teak substitute

I had some trim down below that I installed, as well as replacing the teak slats on the helm seat, and the support trim around the helm seat. The padauk appears very red/orange when fresh cut, but ages very well. It's not cheap, but not nearly the cost of teak. Has decent oil content, relatively hard, good strength. The dust is an irritant, so be careful when working with it and use a mask and dust collection.T Jps - I'll admit that I prefer sailing over maintenance, and the padauk on the exterior has received minimal treatment and has aged quite nicely. No varnish here, a simple rub down with oil when the mood suits me.

 

[r.w.landau]

TJ, I also like low maintenence

I am now finishing my wood with Penofin. The exotic wood formula has a bit of color for mahogany, teak, and ipe. The first coat should be followed by a coat 6 months later then every 2 years.For interior the material builds so a flat to gloss finish can be achieved by recoating.The marine penofin is dead clear.r.w.landau

 

[Brian D]

Wow...

Wasn't expecting a disertation on the nature of wood, but I sure the hell enjoyed the info. Thanks mucho guys. But I fear with all this information you have thrown at me, I may be biting off more than I can chew.I took a ride to Home Depot just to look at what they had available, research, you know. The red oak at 1x12 was about $6 a linear foot. Expensive, but still cheaper than what a finished table would cost. Again, thanks for the tons of info. I'll keep looking.

 

[r.w.landau]

Brian, rule#2

don't be afraid, just do what you want. Who cares.If you make what YOU wanted, that served the purpose. If it fails, you can always make it again. I love the Toyota saying, Life is a journey, enjoy the ride. Many people have many desires. The thing that stops most people is fear of not doing it right. Who says what is right?fair winds, and eat off the table you make,r.w.landau

 

[muised]

Jatoba

I have been using a wood called Jatoba for both furniture and boat bits. It is very heavy and hard on tools, but is priced less than oak locally. Highly recommended.

 

[Ross]

I read with interest mr. Glen l Witt's chapter

on wood for boat building. All of that is also to be found in the wood handbook by the Dept. of Forestry, USDA.The suitability of any wood for a purpose depends on many factors. Decay resistance is relative. I have for example 25 year old saw horses made from common SPF 2x4's that have been left out in the weather in Maryland since I made them. They are still in service every week. For fancy work that will be left out in the weather proper attention to good construction practice and maintenance of the finish will be critical to the life of the piece. Water tends to get trapped in loose joints and that is where the trouble starts.

 

[William]

Use what you wish without fear

BrianThe truth is you can use anything that you happen to like the look of if you follow a couple simple steps. Use dry wood..moisture effects everything from glue to the varnish coat so allow the wood to dry completely. When you project is completed give it a few coat of epoxy..use good clear epoxy and the wood grain will shine thru after you sand it smooth..your wood will be wrapped in a protective layer that is very tough and waterproof. Now the epoxy is not UV resistant so give it a couple coats of varnish or poly to protect it from the sun and you will be happy with the look. You will still have to redo the varnish every couple years but the wood will look new forever. I do this all the time on boats and outdoor furniture with outstanding results.