Question?

[Brian Walters]

Ok I am going to rip some strips 1/4" and attach them to the stifiners like Oyster and Craig has mentioned, I was Talking to Keith Mclean about it and he also is in favor of the idea and also added that I paint the foam pannels Black, and they wont be seen and I like that as well, my new and improved question is, does anyone know what type of paint to use on the foam? I tried to use spray paint but it melted, I was wondering if just rolling on some latex, Or if I could use the vynal spray paint on it or will it also melt it.

Thank All Y'all in advance for your help

Brian.

[Charlie Jones]

Acrylic Latex Enamel.

That's all I've used on the interiors of the boats I build, and on my own boats for some 25 years now. Interiors only.

NOT regular latex- ACRYLIC latex enamel.

[Brian Walters]

Thank You Charlie for your quick reply I appreciate it, I am on my way to get some right now.

Brian.

[PAR]

A way to speed the drying with all PL types of adhesives/sealants is moisture. Drape a damp (not soaking, just wet) towel over the area. Prop it up so it doesn't touch the wet goo and mess up a nice job. It will cure very quickly this way and many goo manufactures recommend this technique. 24 hours and it's usually quite cured, no stickiness. Depending on temperature and humidity, PL's can take some days, even weeks to fully cure through and through, but this trick will let you paint much sooner.

[ken connors]

Now that is a really helpful tip. I'm just about to do some work with Pl and this is great to know. Thanks, Par

[Brian Walters]

Thank You for the tip Par.

Brian.

[Brian Walters]

Ok I have another question (I am full of 'em).

I was wondering, I can't find 1"x12" in fir down here for the cabin roof beams for my vacationer, Do I need to use fir? and also do y'all think I can join two boards, Say 2, 2"x6"s, And it be sturdy enough for the cabin roof? I have a bisquit joiner and I'm not afraid to use it

Brian.

[Frank Hagan]

I think you can use SYP (southern yellow pine) as an alternative for the douglas fir the Stevensons recommend. Douglas fir is a construction grade wood here in the west, and its plentiful, and that's part of the reason the Stevensons recommended it. It has been a traditional wood for planking decks and that sort of thing here in the west. But, many of our piers are decked with SYP, which I've never quite figured out!

Anyway, there are other alternatives, but the SYP is probably the most cost effective.

[Brian Walters]

Well I wound up getting Fir(wish I had gotten Syp though, Wow is that stuff expensive I missed the post and all so I just went with what was called for( what I could remember anyway)

Thank you for your help though, I Appreciate it.

Brian.

[PAR]

Douglas fur is a crap shoot any more, unless you can find a supplier, that will be particularly selective (which you'll pay handsomely for). When going through stacks of lumber , looking for nice pieces of DF, lift each board. About every 20 or 30 boards you'll notice one is dramatically heavier then the rest. Set this board aside as well as any other, clearly heavier ones you find. These are the ones you should try to pick from, assuming the grain is straight, etc., etc., etc.

Most commercially available DF is now farm raised and a fast growing version of the wood that we'd really like to use. It can be identified by the wider growth ring spacing, lighter weight and when you get good at it, by color, smell and taste (doesn't let them catch you licking lumber, they do tend to frown on it) This inferior grade of Douglas fur isn't as rot resistant, nor as strong and has much more by way of defects, like large pitch pockets, pith, checks and other defects. It is lighter in weight, which means they can put more on the truck delivering it to the store, but this same feature means it isn't as strong. It is also very difficult to get smooth (read imposable) as the differences in grain density from the winter to summer growth rings makes a washboard effect when it's sanded. The only way to smooth it is to fill the surface with something and smooth that (like varnish, epoxy or other filler) and is typically painted, as the wide grain lines and filled surface usually isn't particularly attractive.

Southern Yellow pine is a highly prized lumber. It too has suffered from selective forestation and breeding, but is still quite abundant and not as bad as DF. It's heavier (substantially), more rot resistant and stronger then Douglas fur. It finishes well, but you do have to remove the resin and seal the wood, just like any resin or oil filled wood. It's often a fine substitute for hardwood, having many of the qualities of heavier timbers. Again you'll want to look for tight grain patterns and pieces free of pitch pockets and pith. It takes so getting use to when it comes time to finish SYP, but a simple sealing coat of you favorite product, will solve the sap filled wood finishing issues. If left natural is a very light yellowish wood, which will weather a silver gray. It can develop a mold (bluish/black stains) if left in the weather untreated, which penetrates pretty deeply into the surface, so store it indoors or get a sealer on it quickly.

[Charlie Jones]

I prize any GOOD Doug fir I can find. Just cut a keel for this CS 20 from a 1 1/4 inch x 12 inch board I've had for over 20 years, It was a bleacher seat in a high school football stadium for some 15 years before that. HARD stuff. I've got enough left for about two more boats.

On the Princess 22 I built, I located a 4 by 4 chunk of yellow Pine taken from a house that was over 100 years old. In that 4 inches, we counted 162 rings;) We figured that tree had started growing BEFORE the American Revolution.

REALLY good wood is tough to find down here on the coast, so when I find a piece, I buy it and store it for later use, whether I need it or not. Used to drive Laura nuts, but she now understands.

[Barry Pyeatt]

You might check for Wood Recyclers in your area as well. I've found some incredible vertical grain, old growth Douglas Fir at recyclers. It was often used for shelving, or as Charlie said, Bleacher Seats or other commercial uses and is quite often sent to recyclers. Sometimes really wide and long stock. Once you get the finish off and get down past the scars and paint, the wood is sound, and hard. No pitch pockets in this material. You will find tight growth rings more often than not and most likely find good straight grain with little or no defects other than surface or edge damage. And of course a few holes here and there. But most often it is priced quite affordably because most of the people looking for materials are not looking for this to build boats. So they want pretty. Not construction grade material here, this was select and much of it came from when the old growth forests were a lot more plentiful.

[PAR]

This is absolutely correct, try to find old buildings that are being torn down and building material recycler's. In my area many of the turn of the century homes and businesses are being replaced with newer versions of the same. The SYP, cedar and cypress is exceptional. 100 year old SYP can't have a nail driven into it, regardless of nail or hammer size, it'll just bend. I've found 50' sections of 14" x 14" SYP, free for the taking on a few occasions.

A little leg work, checking out recyclers and finger work on the phone can yield surprising finds. I still have two 30' pieces of 16" square live oak, that I've had sitting for a few years, waiting for a project to use it on. I've cut off a few hunks for cleats on an old trawler, a mooring bit on a fishing boat and a new rubs on my molded runabout. It was about to be cut up with a chain saw, by the tree butcher, so it could be loaded into the back of his trailer, for disposal at the local landfill ! All I had to do was show up with a trailer long enough to get them home and the means to drag them on. A 3 ton winch supplied the power to drag them up and the trailer, usually had a 27' Chris Craft aboard, but was waiting in a nearby lake while I hijacked these pieces of oak. Many tree trimmers just cut up fine stuff and burn it or toss it away. Get to know these guys and help them out, it's often very worth while, though usually very hard work for a few hours.

I like old growth and 19th century Douglas fur, but it's damn hard to find any more, especially in the southeast.