Trim wood weight differences?

[C_Brice]

Anyone out there know how much difference there is in the weight between ash, red oak, cypress, white pine, etc?

I'm planning on using red oak for my slotted gunnels, the outwales and the 2 thwarts on my canoe and was wondering what the weight difference would be over the other choices.

On another note, I read on the net somewhere that if you run outta wood flour you can use good old fasioned wheat flour for your putty filets, anyone ever tried it? BTW, I have plenty of pine flour, just curious.

CB

 

[catfish]

gonna go ahead & tell u some of the geezers gonna ask is that self rising or regular flour. makes some mighty fine biscuits. :lol:

u have to ask the exsperts (cat)

 

[JEM]

Lightest to heaviest (air dried)

white pine
cypress = white pine +17%
ash = white pine + +35%
red oak = white pine + 40%

ash is the strongest though.

 

[Wimperdink]

On another note, I read on the net somewhere that if you run outta wood flour you can use good old fasioned wheat flour for your putty filets, anyone ever tried it? BTW, I have plenty of pine flour, just curious.
CB

I'm far from being an expert, but i've used it and like it.

 

[C_Brice]

Great info Matt. What about poplar? I have a contractor buddy who has some 16' poplar stock around. Also, what color can I expect from epoxied poplar (i.e. yellow like pine, golden like oak or whiteish like ash, etc)?

Think I'll try the wheat flour on my next boat. I won't on mine but the next one is for a buddy :lol:

CB

 

[JEM]

Looks like it's between white pine and cypress. I don't have my good reference book with me to be sure.

Color: probably close to what you'd get with white pine. A little darker.

 

[Kurt Loup]

For what it is worth, I like ash for gunwales, etc. I used cypress for my first canoe. It is lighter, but dents easy. I think red oak is prone to rot with exposure to water due to the open grain. I don't think white oak has this problem. Again, the above comments about oak are from memory so it may not be accurate.

Kurt

 

[oldsparkey]

Like Matt said.................
Poplar when epoxyed is about the same white pine or cypress , might be just a shade darker but is some nice wood. I have used it in some of my boats.

Chuck.

 

[JEM]

For what it is worth, I like ash for gunwales, etc. I used cypress for my first canoe. It is lighter, but dents easy. I think red oak is prone to rot with exposure to water due to the open grain. I don't think white oak has this problem. Again, the above comments about oak are from memory so it may not be accurate.

Kurt

ash is my standing favorite for gunwales.

 

[Kayak Jack]

Ash is a good first or second choice for almost anything in the boating world. Louisville sluggers too. And, for a campfire, it is par excellante'!

 

[arrondo]

Building on CB's question and Matt's replies, how do the different species rank for durability / rot resistance? Is worrying about rot pointless after epoxy saturation?

 

[oldsparkey]

Epoxy saturation and fiberglassing will remove most of the worries about rotting but as with wood boats there is always that possibility.

Best prevention , besides the steps taken in building the boat , is to check it after trips and do any preventive measures that would be needed.

You really remove the possibility of rot if you used Red Wood , Cedar or Cypress. Those two the water does not bother because of the oil in them and cypress is just water resistant.

Keep in the back of your mind that when working with Red Wood or Cedar to wear a mask , the dust is toxic ( Especially Red Wood ) and it (Cedar) will give you a head ache if you don't use some form of breathing protection. I never have had a problem when working with Cypress but I error on the safe side.

Chuck.

 

[catfish]

Hey chuck never heard that about ceder & red wood, Why is that. :?

 

[oldsparkey]

Hey chuck never heard that about ceder & red wood, Why is that. :?

It is the oil that is in the wood , even the bugs stay away from them. I knew Cedar would give you a headache from working with in the past doing some carvings.
The guy I got the Redwood from told me about it being toxic and to wear a mask when working with it. Later some more folks told me the same thing.

Chuck.