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Sassafras stringers for Crawfish tandem?


DarbukaDave

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Hello everybody! I'm starting my build of the crawfish tandem here in North Alabama. My question is about using kiln-dried sassafras for stringer material. I know it is a very rot-resistant material that has traditionally been used for boat building, so I guess my question is whether or not anyone knows of a reason NOT to use it? I know it's heavier, but I don't think it's too much of a concern since these designs are so light anyway. I didn't find anything here on the forum, and the fact that there is a canoe design named Sassafras makes internet searching somewhat more complicated.
The reason I would like to use it is that there is a place here I can get extremely clear, straight grained sassafras with very few knots for 3.50/bdft! I will still have to scarf it for length, but it would save me a whole bunch of scarfing out knots.
Thanks!
-Dave

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My questions is where you found the wood?? I love sassafras and haven't seen any for sale in a long time. I used it for a braces on a swim platform on my Chris Craft and 20 years latter they are as good as the day I put them in. I would love to have some on in the storage rack or future use.

 

I think the biggest issue would be the increased weight and like you I don't think that is going to be a big deal. It could be calculated pretty easily,

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Yesterday I made up what were going to be gunwhales out of some of the sassafras I already had, mostly to test out my scarf jig. I noticed a couple of tiny pinholes, which I was told are from a boring beetle and would not affect the strength, but tonight I decided to break them anyway as a test for my peace of mind.

With titebond 3, cured 24 hours, I bent a 16 foot scarfed gunwhale until it broke, nowhere near the joint. I kept trying to get the joint to give up and I couldn't, also couldn't get a failure near/across the pinhole.

I am satisfied, and will be buying the rest of my stringer material tomorrow 

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People alway thing scarf are hard to make and will break. I have never had one fail once on the boat.  Never had a joint break that was properly done. Actually I don't think I have ever had one fail at all.

 

It occurred to me that it was probably Hobby Hardwood. I am headed his way soon to see if his white oak is suitable for my Chris Craft ribs. Never looked at what else he  had so I will probably pick up some sassafras when I get up there.

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I have another question, now that I'm on to really processing stringers: can I get away with 15/16ths instead of 1 inch for the stringers? I am looking at how much waste there is in cutting down the 15/16ths dimension to 5/8ths and it really is a bunch. This stock is all 1/16th under an inch, and I don't know enough to know if that's a critical amount.

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