buying oak stems online

[Antonio Majer]

Some years ago - in the website of Chip Flanagan - there was a link to the website of a guy who was selling oak stems. Where could I find something similar? (just to know if it exists and how much a stem may cost)

[JimConlin]

Can't remember the name, but there was a young fella from Hope, ME offering crooks at the MBBS a year or two back.

[St.J]

In Italy, Europe generally, or the States?

[Antonio Majer]

In Italy, Europe generally, or the States?

You are right! when I wrote my message I was thinking of that American guy I mentioned, I didn't even think of a possible European supplier. In Europe it would be fine - frankly I think it's quite impossible though: I have never seen anything similar in the European sites.

[St.J]

I have never seen anything similar in the European sites.

Antonio,
Let's assume for the moment that the UK is in Europe. We can come back to this in the bilge if needs be.

J B Timber in East Yorkshire supply grown oak crooks though I have not used them.


BTS in Wales supplied my grown oak crook.
I sent them a template and a cheque. They sent me a crook.
You can read about it here. The jury will be out until the moisture content comes down and I see how much it has warped.
Others have used their crooks very successfully without warping so it's all to play for.
Do let us know how it goes.
St.John

[Antonio Majer]

Thank you so much St.John! (btw, pardon my curiosity, is "St.John" a real forename? I have never heard of this usage; in Italy we have some surnames including "San", like Sanfilippo or Sangiovanni, but as you see they are written in one word). UK is Europe for me, no question :-) and no need to come down in the bilge to discuss it above all :-)...
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Your crook is beautiful, I want one too! Have you received it by post? I'll write to them to know if they can ship to Italy and how much it may cost
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It's a while I'd like to build a new boat - some years ago I dreamed of a Dark Harbor 12½, I lofted her and built a model, but the crisis persuaded me to spare money and to choose something smaller and cheaper - now I intend to build the little dinghy 12' by Cockshott - already lofted. I have built this model

[St.J]

Antonio,

What a fantastic model!
I was looking at your Picassa page and hoped you might post a build thread. When this gets underway I'll be following avidly.

BTS posted the crook and I paid cost price for the postage. Gavin (I think) was very pleasant to deal with.

Yes St.John is my first name. It's pronounced sinjin. I think my mother must have been reading Jane Eyre when she was pregnant but neither of my parents will take responsibility for it. The English are dredging up a lot of old-fashioned names for their children at the moment but I don't think St.John is threatening to make a come back. For a more amusing take than I can muster Richard Curtis made a lot of mileage out of it in Four Weddings. the correct pronunciation is at 1:52.

[seedy]

Antonio, that is lovely!