Oh Joy Resto 03/06/10 and a B-Day party...

[CharlieCobra]

I got in some of that big Locust today. A single board weighs right at 100 Lbs. Ya oughta try wrestling with this stuff when try to cut it.



I decided to make one of the transom knees. Here's where I'm doing the cutout.



Then it was time for the bandsaw using angles from the old piece.



and



The toughest part was cutting the 40* angle in the tail section. That meant standing the pointy end up against the fence and pull cutting along a line. It came out nice as you can see.

[CharlieCobra]

Then I had to fit and trim it.



Followed by the deck beam notch.



After fitting, you can see how that tail section angle worked out.



The it was off to a B-Day party for a Granddaughter. This was the first time we had all 8 Grandkids in one place so photos were mandatory.



Yes there's nine kids. Lilly is the little one in back and basically an adopted Grandchild



All in all, a very good day.

[cap'nRod]

There's the problem with using locust/sweetgum right there.

[CharlieCobra]

That sinister looking crack? It's very shallow and was caused during planing. I'll keep an eye on it to see if it grows over the next month or so but the original piece of white oak was checked much deeper and much worse than that.

[cap'nRod]

That sinister looking crack? It's very shallow and was caused during planing. I'll keep an eye on it to see if it grows over the next month or so but the original piece of white oak was checked much deeper and much worse than that.

Yes, but white oak is much more stable than locust/sweetgum. Much much much much more stable.

It appeared during planing. It was there all along. But its your boat

[CharlieCobra]

My wood guy, who's been in the business for more than 40 years, would likely argue that point with ya...

[cap'nRod]

My wood guy, who's been in the business for more than 40 years, would likely argue that point with ya...

Most salesman probably would. But he's a salesman. I've got no stake in it....other than a similar amount of experience actually _working_ with woods, and not just selling them.

But again, it's your boat, so use what you like. I simply see no sense in not either a) cutting a new one out of the same material that doesn't already have the precursor of a split in it if you're hell-bent on using it, or b) using a different material entirely for those pieces.

It just seems a shame to go to all of that trouble to restore the boat and not put the best possible wood into the restoration that you possibly can....and I believe that you'd have a hard time getting anybody but the wood salesman (and those who have never worked with the stuff) to choose locust/sweetgum as a 'good' choice.

[peter radclyffe]

or a shipwright, locust is very good for this

[Hwyl]

Well said Peter

[cap'nRod]

I suppose that that depends on one's version of 'locust', which also is a nickname for sweetgum, which I wouldn't use for boatbuilding if you gave me a stack of it. But again, to each their own (black locust being the shipbuilding variety, specifically).

[peter radclyffe]

excuse me, i misunderstood you, i thought Charlie was talking about acacia

[CharlieCobra]

This is Black Locust "specifically". I guess I took it for granted that most folks reading this thread have read the others as well, where I did specify it was Black Locust. My mistake...

[Duncan Gibbs]

Linky link:

Comment from contributor D:
An article from 2002 in the Wooden Boat magazine discussed the attributes of black locust wood. There were a number of woods listed as desireable in the construction of wooden boats, including white oak, but none more desirable than black locust. Not only is the wood strong and durable, but less prone to wood rot and easily formed in the making of ribs. An excellent choice for those taking on a boat restoration project, or even a more aggressive new boat construction project.

[StevenBauer]

American Sweetgum is Liquidambar Styraciflua. Black Locust is Robinia Pseudoacacia. No relation.

Looks good Charlie. Party pics, too.


Steven

[CharlieCobra]

Thanks Steven. It was fun, both the boat work and the kids....

[StevenBauer]

Yes, but white oak is much more stable than locust/sweetgum. Much much much much more stable.

This is just wrong. Black Locust is more stable than White Oak. The numbers don't lie. Here's Bob S's chart:



Order of Stability in Wood Species

Percent Shrinkage Green to Oven Dry as an Indicator of Relative Seasonal Stability


Radial… Tangential… (R+T)/2
(Quartersawn) (Flatsawn) (Riftsawn)

Northern White Cedar 2.2… 4.9… 3.5
Honduras Mahogany 3.0… 4.1… 3.5
Khaya 2.5… 4.5… 3.5
Redwood, 2d Growth 2.2… 4.9… 3.5
Western Red Cedar 2.4… 5.0… 3.7
Eastern Red Cedar 3.1… 4.7… 3.9
Atlantic White Cedar 2.9… 5.4… 4.1
Eastern White Pine 2.1… 6.1… 4.1
Teak 2.5… 5.8… 4.15
Incense Cedar 3.3… 5.2… 4.25
Alaska Yellow Cedar 2.8… 6.0… 4.4
Purpleheart 3.2… 6.1… 4.65
South American Cedar 4.0… 6.0… 5.0
Iroko 4.0… 6.0… 5.0
Sassafras 4.0… 6.2… 5.1
Okoume 4.1… 6.1… 5.1
Spanish Cedar 4.2… 6.3… 5.25
Black Cherry 3.7… 7.1… 5.4
Black Spruce 4.1… 6.8… 5.45
Tamarack 3.7… 7.4… 5.55
Baldcypress 3.8… 6.2… 5.6
Port Orford Cedar 4.6… 6.9… 5.75
Dark Red Meranti 3.8… 7.9… 5.85
Black Locust 4.6… 7.2… 5.9
Sitka Spruce 4.3… 7.5… 5.9
Sapele 4.6… 7.4… 6.0
Douglas Fir 4.8… 7.6… 6.2
Longleaf Pine 5.1… 7.5… 6.3
White Ash 4.9… 7.8… 6.35
Black Ash 5.0… 7.8… 6.4
Yellow Poplar 4.6… 8.2… 6.4
Rock Elm 4.8… 8.1… 6.45
Slash Pine 5.4… 7.6… 6.5
Apitong 4.6… 8.2… 6.5
Light Red Meranti 4.6… 8.5… 6.55
Black Walnut 5.5… 7.8… 6.65
Tangile 4.3… 9.1… 6.7
Western Larch 4.5… 9.1… 6.8
Angelique 4.6… 8.2… 7.0
Ipe 6.6… 8.0… 7.3
White Oak 5.3… 9.1… 8.0
Live Oak 6.6… 9.5… 8.0,
Greenheart 8.8… 9.6… 9.2


Steven

[CharlieCobra]

Steven, I think he missed previous posts where I stated I was using Black Locust and thought I was using plain Locust. Obie, my wooder, would have a cow if I used inferior wood on Oh Joy. His view is that his name is on the boat, even though I'm doing the work and own her. He's supplying the wood so his reputation is on line as well. It's real hard to find people like that anymore...