Greg Luckett Posted April 25, 2008 Report Share Posted April 25, 2008 I have been searching the web for a source of this lumber, preferably closer to Michigan is better but not mandatory. I have not had any luck yet. The need is to make spars & mast. Sassafras is being considered too, but my local suppliers have not had much lately. Any suggestions? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisboats Posted April 25, 2008 Report Share Posted April 25, 2008 http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/wppages/sprucesparstock.php East coast, West coast and Ontario stores. The stuff is aircraft quality so it should do for a mast. You would probably need to laminate but you can get pretty long lengths. Not real cheap. http://www.nswoods.net/Custom%20Milling.htm These guys could do up whatever for you...you would have to contact them. http://www.ravenwoodservices.com/ Same here... http://www.westwindhardwood.com/price_boat.php Once again... http://www.lumber-for-sale.com/ Scroll down for Sitka Spruce There is a special note about mast and spar timber up nearer the top of the page. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ulpilotrmh Posted April 25, 2008 Report Share Posted April 25, 2008 Greg: I've contacted graham about the unavailabilty of Sitka Spruce and even Douglas fir for my S10. He suggested mahogany, which is available in this area, as a sutable substitute for use in the mast and boom. Russ Hauser Tavares, FL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobSmalser Posted April 25, 2008 Report Share Posted April 25, 2008 Find a source of Douglas Fir instead. There should be a local lumber dealer catering to professional builders who carries rafters and joists in the length you need. Buy 2X12's and highgrade what you need from them, as the best logs are used for long joists. The break point on price is 18 feet. Longer is available in 2' increments but is more expensive. Then reduce the scantling for a Sitka mast by 20% when using DF, and you'll end up with a mast just as strong, slightly stiffer, and almost as light. Compare the mechanical properties of the two and you'll find DF is at least 20% stronger in all properties than make a mast a mast. Each one of these 18' 2X12's has two lovely sticks of mostly clear 6/4 VG heartwood stock hiding on either side of the pith. These run 80 cents a bf today in Seattle-Snokomish where these were milled, and probably twice that in Michigan. Sitka is a dying species commercially. The only real market was yesterday's aircraft. Today when it's cut it's overplanted with DF. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Luckett Posted April 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2008 Bob, I have been over to the several local lumber yards. They have no fir at all, mostly white pine, and darn little yellow pine. What yellow pine there is was already cut into T&G flooring. Is it possible the guys that own the local yards do not know they have fir...I will use your pics and look myself, again. Four years ago I could find fir and yellow pine at several yards. The only cedar available locally is the Western Red. My main supplier can special order if there is enough BF, but I do not need a truck load. The local Lowes has fir that is S4 and thin, but nice an clear. Mostly useful for moldings. I rarely buy any lumber or sheet goods from the big box stores, but have looked there. I like doing business with the local lumber yards instead. Thanks for the pics and advice. It will prove useful, I am sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAR Posted April 26, 2008 Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 Ulpilotrmh, go up to the new Lowe's at 441 and 44B (intersection of Donnelly in Mt. Dora and 441). Douglas fur is available in several different applications, decking, wainscoting, and in their hardwood isle. They'll also have white spruce in dimensional stock, which is a very nice and light weight spar stock that I use all the time on small sticks. I live about a mile from that Lowe's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Luckett Posted April 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 Greg: I've contacted graham about the unavailabilty of Sitka Spruce and even Douglas fir for my S10. He suggested mahogany, which is available in this area, as a sutable substitute for use in the mast and boom. Russ Hauser Tavares, FL Mahogany for the mast? I just happen to have a board about 1-3/4 thick, 14 inches wide, and about 12 or 14 ft long, that I have been saving for a rainy day. I may use it for the Spindrift but it might be better suited to use on next year's bigger boat, a CS20. If the latter, more lumber will be needed and Mahogany is available near by and it could be finished bright. That would be a pretty sight I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Luckett Posted April 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2008 I called up my main lumber supplier here in town and pestered him about DF. He did not have any, but did say he had yellow pine in 2X thicknesses and would let me sort about to find some lengths without too many knots. Who knows? Maybe I will stumble onto some DF. I also asked him about cypress, which he said there is a Michigan grown variety available from a mill about the middle of the lower pennisula. Cypress should work for spars, as it is long, few limbs, and light, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Greg, try Keen Lumber in Muskegon, ask for Kirt and tell him what you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wkisting Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Wouldn't mahogany masts be significantly heavier than fir or spruce? They'd look nice though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAR Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Depending on the sub species, mahogany can range from 30 to 50 pounds per cubic foot. As a rule mahogany would make a fine, but heavy mast, probably 50% heavier then a spruce stick, if a lighter weight mahogany was used and twice as heavy if one of the denser varieties were used. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Luckett Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Par, that decides it for me. The mahogany board I have is not the lighter kind. Since these spars are for a Spindrift 12, keeping the weight to a minimum is important to me. I have given up on the hope to have my boat done in time for the Duckwork mess about, which takes pressure off for me to compromise the time it takes to locate materials. I had not expected to have problems finding good spar materials locally, and had intended to use Sassafras, which I may still do. My local milled lumber suppliers need more searching in their storage barns, which means me on site pestering them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Jones Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Greg- you are coming down in the motor home correct? You CAN get clear fir here. You could carry it back on top of the MH if you needed to. Or we could do the machining in the shop before you go back home if you have the time. Then you just carry the staves ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Hagan Posted May 1, 2008 Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 Greg- you are coming down in the motor home correct? You CAN get clear fir here. You could carry it back on top of the MH if you needed to. Or we could do the machining in the shop before you go back home if you have the time. Then you just carry the staves ;D Hey, wasn't that a song in Sunday School ... "Bringing Home the Staves"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Luckett Posted May 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 Greg- you are coming down in the motor home correct? You CAN get clear fir here. You could carry it back on top of the MH if you needed to. Or we could do the machining in the shop before you go back home if you have the time. Then you just carry the staves ;D Yes, we plan to come in our old motor home and are busy working on it every day to prepare it for the journey. My mechanic has suggested I budget for him to follow us in the wrecker truck....man of little faith he is. ;D My wife just looks at it, looks at the boys and mine crazy grins and goes off mumbling about being ready to rescue us.....sigh. Hey, its an adventure...right? Charlie, I appreciate the offer and may take you up on it. Let's see how things go time wise but I would love to spend some time learning from you and in your new shop too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig Posted May 1, 2008 Report Share Posted May 1, 2008 Staves? I thought it was pullys we were to bring home Frank! Couldn't figure why... : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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