Wood alternative

[Ernie]

Hey All,
I tried to look this up on the search,must'a not put it in right.What is a good subsitute for cypress,for the bowstem,chines and rub rails.I can get the cypress,but they have to order it,$$$$.This is my first build(Pirogue).
Ernie

 

[islandpiper]

Use good SOLID fir, like ladders are made of......or Heart Pine....really hard, old pitchy pine, not the puffy stuff they sell in the home stores......find an old 4x4 someplace. Or use even reasonalby good mahogony...of any sort besides Luan.....or Spanish Cedar like good doors are made of....... or oak, either kind, or Ash.......birch as a final long shot choice......Cypress is nice, won't rot away easily, but look, you are going to encapsulate this wood with glass and epoxy. so it won't be getting, or staying wet.

carry on. Piper

 

[hairymick]

but look, you are going to encapsulate this wood with glass and epoxy. so it won't be getting, or staying wet

Very good information there mate.

Welcome aboard Ernie!!

Kieth has hit the nail on the head.

Your stem pieces are just that, stem pieces. All they do is hold the sides together till the epoxy/woodflour cures and welds them to it. they are then completely sealed in epoxy resin and have no need for great structural strength or even aesthetic beauty or resistance to wood rot.. Heck, once the stems are glued up and re-inforced with resin and fibre-glass, they don't even have to be there at all. They just make it easier to assemble the side pieces is all.

As for gunwhales/ inwhales, these too are epoxy glued to the sides. Can be any timber you like, or even glued up layers of your ply for that matter. I have been using the cheapest, fingerjointed pine I could buy on my progues. about 1 1/2" X 1/2" inside and out with spacers and it holds up just fine. it is some sort of imported pine - slash, I think and on its own is utter rubbish. Glued up to the sides of my boats - very strong and good enough for the abuse I dish out to them.

This is the simple beauty of epoxy resin. It not only penetrates the skin of your timber and protects it, I also increases its strength. There is no need IMHO to spend a lot of money to make a strong, serviceable boat that will last you years.

 

[keith]

I vote for spanish cedar if you cant find old cypress. It bends good, you can nail close together, no epoxy required. Its not cheap but its good. Later Keith

 

[islandpiper]

keith, besides that, any Spanish Cedar leftovers make great mandolin necks!!

Or, chip it up in the planer and bag the chips in and old sock and put them in your underwear drawer. That way people downwind will think you are a REAL WOODWORKER!!

Piper

 

[Ernie]

Hey ya"ll,
Appreciate all the help!Ya'LL gave me the boat bug.I'll start reading post's and looking at pictures on the site,an the next thing i know,i've been on the puter for about two hours!Addictive! Seems like there are some really good people here also!Thanks
Ernie

 

[oldsparkey]

Hey ya"ll,
Appreciate all the help!Ya'LL gave me the boat bug.I'll start reading post's and looking at pictures on the site,an the next thing i know,i've been on the puter for about two hours!Addictive! Seems like there are some really good people here also!Thanks
Ernie

Ernie , Look out , it seams as we already have you fooled , anyway about the good people on here , we are just a bunch of nut's having one good time. I guess that is just as contagious as building a wood boat , both are a ton of fun.

Best way to say it is .... We are just the down home types of folks.

Chuck.