TOPIC: Stringer Material...

I have been looking for suitable material to replace the bad spots in my stringers for a while... If you've ever tried to find good wood, you probably can understand my frustration. We don't have much around here other than the 'big box' stores, and the materials that they carry are NOT of the best quality.

I thought about various ways to do it, but then I found a guy selling some 'reclaimed' wood from a building that they were gutting... This stuff is 110 year old heartwood from yellow pine.

The dimensions are also great- It is a full 2" thick AFTER I planed and prepped it... None of the sissy 1 1/2" stuff passed as 2" today

Getting it ready to use in the boat did take some effort, though. It looked like this-



There were quite a few nails in it that had to be removed.... That took a LONG time- They had been there for a while, after all. Then I surface planed it until it was smooth on all sides. This also took a while- The smaller of the two beams I was working with was 9" x 11 feet, and the larger was 10" x 14', and VERY heavy. When I started, they were about 2 1/4" thick, but were rough sawn. Using my surface planer, I took them down to 2", about 1/32" at a time so I didn't overload anything... This is some TOUGH wood.

Once I was done-





This is some of the most incredible wood I've ever worked with. It is not easy to deal with, though- I have decent tools, and it really pushes the limits with them. But- It is incredibly rot resistant, and will last forever... I also LOVE the smell of it when I work.

One other interesting side note- This adds an interesting little 'dimension' to the whole restoration project. Reusing old materials like this brings a bit of 'history' to things. When I was chatting with the owner of the building, he told me that it used to be one of the best brothels and strip clubs in town! Now, It's in my boat

-Andrew

I also LOVE the smell of it when I work.

That was the first thing that came to my mind, Andrew! "I'll be that stuff smells GREAT". I've been around when some of the "reclaimed barn lumber" was milled down for cabinets and stuff, I love it. Very interesting addition to your Glassic restoration.

Nothing and I mean nothing can beat the old growth lumber.

True, but that is the center of the log. The pith is almost visible and is splitting at that one end. It will likely split more if it gains or looses moisture. If you cut it in half It will be great!

these timbers were out of a 110 year old hotel. i purchased them from a junk collector for $2 a foot, white pine and hemlock. i bought every one he had to construct my post and beam living room in the poconos. still needed more and had some milled. : :

tey1967 wrote:

True, but that is the center of the log. The pith is almost visible and is splitting at that one end. It will likely split more if it gains or looses moisture. If you cut it in half It will be great!

All of them will be ripped before using them- They are over 8" wide, and the widest I need is 4"- Most will only be 2 1/2"

-Andrew

"One other interesting side note- This adds an interesting little 'dimension' to the whole restoration project. Reusing old materials like this brings a bit of 'history' to things. When I was chatting with the owner of the building, he told me that it used to be one of the best brothels and strip clubs in town! Now, It's in my boat "

OK Andrew, you know what that means, you have to name her "The Stripper" or "Gypsy" as in Gypsy Rose Lee the stripper.

Bob

OK, if we're going in that direction I could develope a hook in the keel.

Sounds like it's time to Ride.

It happens