Making a tiller for Woodpussy

[santone]

I'm contemplating building a tillerfor my 1950's Marscott Woodpussy. (The original is just a piece of aluminim pipe.)I have some beautiful clear cedar available. Should I laminate it with mohogany or some other wood? What glue should I use for best results? thanks.

[santone]

I'm contemplating building a tillerfor my 1950's Marscott Woodpussy. (The original is just a piece of aluminim pipe.)I have some beautiful clear cedar available. Should I laminate it with mohogany or some other wood? What glue should I use for best results? thanks.

[santone]

I'm contemplating building a tillerfor my 1950's Marscott Woodpussy. (The original is just a piece of aluminim pipe.)I have some beautiful clear cedar available. Should I laminate it with mohogany or some other wood? What glue should I use for best results? thanks.

[JimD]

The tiller for my daysailer is red cedar, as is all the brightwork. Cedar is not very strong (relatively strong for its weight, just not very heavy) but for a small boat its been fine for me. Woodpussy is a little cat rigged dinghy, yes? Mine is glued up with epoxy which gives it a beautiful shiny deep red brown finish, with varnish over top.

[JimD]

The tiller for my daysailer is red cedar, as is all the brightwork. Cedar is not very strong (relatively strong for its weight, just not very heavy) but for a small boat its been fine for me. Woodpussy is a little cat rigged dinghy, yes? Mine is glued up with epoxy which gives it a beautiful shiny deep red brown finish, with varnish over top.

[JimD]

The tiller for my daysailer is red cedar, as is all the brightwork. Cedar is not very strong (relatively strong for its weight, just not very heavy) but for a small boat its been fine for me. Woodpussy is a little cat rigged dinghy, yes? Mine is glued up with epoxy which gives it a beautiful shiny deep red brown finish, with varnish over top.

[Dave Fleming]

My vote goes for Ash and Mahagony.

[Dave Fleming]

My vote goes for Ash and Mahagony.

[Dave Fleming]

My vote goes for Ash and Mahagony.

[rbgarr]

Solid honey locust or ash is the thing! :D

[rbgarr]

Solid honey locust or ash is the thing! :D

[rbgarr]

Solid honey locust or ash is the thing! :D

[Hwyl]

Pick Axe handles can be a good source of ash.

[Hwyl]

Pick Axe handles can be a good source of ash.

[Hwyl]

Pick Axe handles can be a good source of ash.

[NormMessinger]

or hickory as the case may be.

[NormMessinger]

or hickory as the case may be.

[NormMessinger]

or hickory as the case may be.

[Jack Heinlen]

Just a side note, I think laminated tillers of contrasting woods are an abomination on traditional boats. Not to put to fine a point on it. smile.gif

If you have a small millworks(a commercial place that specializes in moldings, etc) nearby, you could likely find a nice piece of Honduran mahogany for free. They have edge rippings that typically get thrown out, or given away for firewood. If you ask politely, and the place is run by a nice person, they might let you dig around a bit in yesterday's off-cut pile. Perhaps ask about the next time they are going to be milling mahogany, or oak, or ash. Cherry would work too, and be quite handsome. There is often enough heartwood in an edge rip to make a small tiller, and little sap wouldn't hurt in this application either.

[Jack Heinlen]

Just a side note, I think laminated tillers of contrasting woods are an abomination on traditional boats. Not to put to fine a point on it. smile.gif

If you have a small millworks(a commercial place that specializes in moldings, etc) nearby, you could likely find a nice piece of Honduran mahogany for free. They have edge rippings that typically get thrown out, or given away for firewood. If you ask politely, and the place is run by a nice person, they might let you dig around a bit in yesterday's off-cut pile. Perhaps ask about the next time they are going to be milling mahogany, or oak, or ash. Cherry would work too, and be quite handsome. There is often enough heartwood in an edge rip to make a small tiller, and little sap wouldn't hurt in this application either.

[Jack Heinlen]

Just a side note, I think laminated tillers of contrasting woods are an abomination on traditional boats. Not to put to fine a point on it. smile.gif

If you have a small millworks(a commercial place that specializes in moldings, etc) nearby, you could likely find a nice piece of Honduran mahogany for free. They have edge rippings that typically get thrown out, or given away for firewood. If you ask politely, and the place is run by a nice person, they might let you dig around a bit in yesterday's off-cut pile. Perhaps ask about the next time they are going to be milling mahogany, or oak, or ash. Cherry would work too, and be quite handsome. There is often enough heartwood in an edge rip to make a small tiller, and little sap wouldn't hurt in this application either.

[Nicholas Carey]

Originally posted by Jack Heinlen:
Just a side note, I think laminated tillers of contrasting woods are an abomination on traditional boats. Not to put to fine a point on it. smile.gif Glad to see that you're ecumenical on things aesthetic :D

[Nicholas Carey]

Originally posted by Jack Heinlen:
Just a side note, I think laminated tillers of contrasting woods are an abomination on traditional boats. Not to put to fine a point on it. smile.gif Glad to see that you're ecumenical on things aesthetic :D

[Nicholas Carey]

Originally posted by Jack Heinlen:
Just a side note, I think laminated tillers of contrasting woods are an abomination on traditional boats. Not to put to fine a point on it. smile.gif Glad to see that you're ecumenical on things aesthetic :D

[Dave Johnson]

Made mine out of a piece of birch sandwiched between two pieces of black walnut. I used epoxy as I did not want the ends to open and they haven't.

[Dave Johnson]

Made mine out of a piece of birch sandwiched between two pieces of black walnut. I used epoxy as I did not want the ends to open and they haven't.

[Dave Johnson]

Made mine out of a piece of birch sandwiched between two pieces of black walnut. I used epoxy as I did not want the ends to open and they haven't.

[Bob Smalser]

...building a tiller for my 1950's Marscott Woodpussy... To me it depends on the texture and color of the rest of the boat's trim....I wouldn't want the tiller to look like a tacky add-on not original to the boat. I don't recall many contrasting-color laminates from the '50's.

[Bob Smalser]

...building a tiller for my 1950's Marscott Woodpussy... To me it depends on the texture and color of the rest of the boat's trim....I wouldn't want the tiller to look like a tacky add-on not original to the boat. I don't recall many contrasting-color laminates from the '50's.

[Bob Smalser]

...building a tiller for my 1950's Marscott Woodpussy... To me it depends on the texture and color of the rest of the boat's trim....I wouldn't want the tiller to look like a tacky add-on not original to the boat. I don't recall many contrasting-color laminates from the '50's.

[Mrleft8]

I made my tiller out of White oak. Cedar might be a bit too weak. Nothing quite so sickening as suddenly not having a tiller in a puffy breeze.

[Mrleft8]

I made my tiller out of White oak. Cedar might be a bit too weak. Nothing quite so sickening as suddenly not having a tiller in a puffy breeze.

[Mrleft8]

I made my tiller out of White oak. Cedar might be a bit too weak. Nothing quite so sickening as suddenly not having a tiller in a puffy breeze.

[JimConlin]

What Jack H. said.

[JimConlin]

What Jack H. said.

[JimConlin]

What Jack H. said.

[Dave Fleming]

The man asked about LAMINATIONS and, I gave my view.

If you are talking about keeping the boat in period then from my days sailing a WoodPussy on Shelter Island Sound, I say yes a nice Ash tiller would be appropriate.

Sheesh!

[Dave Fleming]

The man asked about LAMINATIONS and, I gave my view.

If you are talking about keeping the boat in period then from my days sailing a WoodPussy on Shelter Island Sound, I say yes a nice Ash tiller would be appropriate.

Sheesh!

[Dave Fleming]

The man asked about LAMINATIONS and, I gave my view.

If you are talking about keeping the boat in period then from my days sailing a WoodPussy on Shelter Island Sound, I say yes a nice Ash tiller would be appropriate.

Sheesh!

[santone]

Thanks for the many options. I'll kill the lamination idea and stick with the ash axe handle idea, if I can find one long enough. I can't believe that Marscott made the original tiller out of a piece of aluminum pipe;it looks terrible!

[santone]

Thanks for the many options. I'll kill the lamination idea and stick with the ash axe handle idea, if I can find one long enough. I can't believe that Marscott made the original tiller out of a piece of aluminum pipe;it looks terrible!

[santone]

Thanks for the many options. I'll kill the lamination idea and stick with the ash axe handle idea, if I can find one long enough. I can't believe that Marscott made the original tiller out of a piece of aluminum pipe;it looks terrible!

[santone]

I was able to find a post hole digger (ash) handle at Home Depot. It was the only one in the bin with a graceful curve. After shaping the butt-end to fit the opening in the rudder, staining and giving it 6 coats of varnish, I have a really great looking & strong tiller. We sailed with it this week. It feels and looks great!

[santone]

I was able to find a post hole digger (ash) handle at Home Depot. It was the only one in the bin with a graceful curve. After shaping the butt-end to fit the opening in the rudder, staining and giving it 6 coats of varnish, I have a really great looking & strong tiller. We sailed with it this week. It feels and looks great!

[santone]

I was able to find a post hole digger (ash) handle at Home Depot. It was the only one in the bin with a graceful curve. After shaping the butt-end to fit the opening in the rudder, staining and giving it 6 coats of varnish, I have a really great looking & strong tiller. We sailed with it this week. It feels and looks great!

[santone]

Here's a photo of the tiller http://24.47.49.176:8000/sailingworld/tiller.htm
on display in my cabin (den) till Spring.
There's other new stuff on my sailing website you might enjoy http://24.47.49.176:8000/sailingworld/
Regards, Tony

[santone]

Here's a photo of the tiller http://24.47.49.176:8000/sailingworld/tiller.htm
on display in my cabin (den) till Spring.
There's other new stuff on my sailing website you might enjoy http://24.47.49.176:8000/sailingworld/
Regards, Tony

[santone]

Here's a photo of the tiller http://24.47.49.176:8000/sailingworld/tiller.htm
on display in my cabin (den) till Spring.
There's other new stuff on my sailing website you might enjoy http://24.47.49.176:8000/sailingworld/
Regards, Tony

[Norm Bernstein]

Unlike some others, I think laminated tillers in contrasting wood colors are beautiful. I've started one for my own boat project, you can see the method of constructing the tiller here at:

http://www.marisystems.com/ellipticat/page17.htm

[Norm Bernstein]

Unlike some others, I think laminated tillers in contrasting wood colors are beautiful. I've started one for my own boat project, you can see the method of constructing the tiller here at:

http://www.marisystems.com/ellipticat/page17.htm

[Norm Bernstein]

Unlike some others, I think laminated tillers in contrasting wood colors are beautiful. I've started one for my own boat project, you can see the method of constructing the tiller here at:

http://www.marisystems.com/ellipticat/page17.htm