Can't find wood

[amess]

It's probably been discussed before... but I'm new to this.
Building a Glen L- Amigo wood strip model
Can't find Yellow Cedar or an appropriate alternative in the middle of the country (Mid-Missouri)
Willing to drive up to 500 miles, which covers most of the central country.
Need source list and ALTERNATIVES to Alaskan Cedar for 3/4" thick strip planking.

[Garrett Lowell]

I bought some recycled old-growth Alaskan Yellow Cedar from Easy Creek Lumber. (http://www.easycreeklumber.com/)

Even with the delivery charges, I ended up paying about 5 bucks/board foot, and I live in VA, so your delivery charges would likely be considerably less. They were extremely easy to deal with, and I highly recommend you give them a call or an email. Good luck! By the way, nothing smells as good as freshly worked AYC, in my opinion.

[willmarsh3]

I found a good website listing wood sources

Wood sources (http://www.glen-l.com/resources/lumber-suppliers.html)

The three that I've used and like:

Harbor Lumber Sales - Sudlersville, MD - marine plywood

Hardwood Center - Scottsboro, AL - dimensioned lumber of almost any species - www.hardwoodcenter.com (http://www.hardwoodcenter.com)

Hardwood Lumber Company - Houston, TX 713-682-6628 - both dimensioned and plywood

Will

[cs]

I would like to see some photos of your progress on the Amigo. It was on my short list, but lost out to a friendship.

Chad

[NormMessinger]

By the time you've driven 500 miles and stayed over night you've paid for shipping. I think the minimum for trucking is 300 pounds but the 20' boards for Prairie Islander came from Washington with shipping being an acceptible per centage of the total.

[kc8pql]

I had 750 lbs. of sitka spruce, 19 pcs. of 2 X 6 to 8 avg. 22' long, shipped in last month. Distance was about 350 miles. Freight only cost $175.

[Bruce Hooke]

Is Yellow Cedar really the only wood Glen-L specifies? If so you might want to start by talking to them about alternatives. Strip planking is fairly forgiving in general so lots of woods have been used, but the best person to specify what wood to use is the designer. It strikes me as a bit odd to only specify one somewhat hard to get wood on plans for a design that is intended to be built by amateurs all around the world (unless the design really requires that particular wood for some reason, which seems very unlikely on a strip-planked boat).

I did check the WoodFinder web site (http://www.wdfinder.com/) and found a listing for a place called Sebastian's Specialty Hardwoods, Inc. (http://www.sebwood.com/) in Seneca, WI that supposedly carries Alaskan Yellow Cedar. According to WoodFinder, Seneca, WI is 328 miles from you, but it's not a real easy 328 miles because there is no direct interstate. The next closest supplier is 1088 miles away in Lunenburg, MA! Note: You need to be careful on WoodFinder with two word wood names because if you search on a two word wood name like Yellow Cedar it seems to pick up places that sell, say, Yellowheart and Spanish Cedar, but not Yellow Cedar.

From what I am seeing on the WoodFinder website, there are only about 20 places (that list on that site) in the lower 48 that sell Yellow Cedar, and 10 of them are in the Pacific NW!

[JimConlin]

I'd think that Atlantic white cedar, juniper or the like would be available in your locality, lower in cost, lighter, and perfectly OK for strip planking.

[Nick C]

Have you checked out Glen L's website, I bet there are suggestions there for substitutions. There are also boatbuilding forums where you might be able to post and find someone who has build the same boat.

If that doesn't work, then email them direct. I did and got a reply in about 4 days.

[amess]

Thanks for all the input and source information.
I am considering using Padauk or Spanish Cedar for the strip planking. (Used Doug-Fir for the framing)
I want a wood with some good color - not a yellow boat.
Has anyone used these woods? Both are available locally and reasonably priced. (Less than $4 a board foot)

[kc8pql]

I've only used Padauk one time, and that was just to dress and join two 8/4 planks for a customer. As I recall it was hard and heavy. Didn't strike me as planking wood.

[RonW]

Yellow cedar weighs 32 lbs. a cubic foot.
The next 2 alternatives that have the same qualities and weight are - mohagony and douglas fir, which both weigh in at 34 lbs. a cubic foot.
What does the color of the wood matters?
Aren't you going to paint it?
Paint seals and protects it, you can make it whatever color you want.