[Public-List] What wood....

[Anders Bro via Public-List]

Hi Gord,
I have heard it rumored (backed by Googling it) that black locust, although incredibly rot resistant, is super tough, hard to cut, and dulls tools fast. There is one report of the difficulty of driving nails further than 1/2" into the wood. So although it would make a great wood for boats, it might be a bit tough to work?

Also (and I am not sure of this) the heart wood might be dark(?) whereas the sap wood is as you say, quite light colored.

In the Sierra this stuff grew like weeds, and aside from fence posts no one would use it for anything but burning. It was hard on the chain saw. (and was it hard to split? I forget)

So I might suggest you get a scrap and see how it works before you spend too many boat bucks on this wood.

Anders

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 15, 2016, at 8:34 AM, Gordon Laco via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> 
> Good morning Greg.  
> 
> Mahogany is a good choice because it it relatively soft and therefore easy to work.  It also takes glue and varnish well.  When using any wood for trim, be sure to apply varnish to the undersurface before final installation in order to prevent water absorption from creating trouble later.  
> 
> If you like blonde wood, black locust is a good choice.  It's got terrific rot resistance, takes glue better than white oak but has the same blonde colour when varnished. I'm thinking Surprise's new toe rails may be of black locust.  
> 
> Gord Surprise #426
> 
>> On 2016-02-15, at 8:21 AM, JS via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I am no wood worker and have very little knowledge on the stuff but I have seen guys use Sapele wood to repack teak on other refits. My understanding is that it in the mahogany family.
>> There was an Alberg in my marina a few years back #449 that had a beautiful Ipe toe rail. Ipe is used in decking and relatively inexpensive 
>> These are just a few of the example of teak alternatives I have seen.
>> Good luck with your project
>> Jason#457Www.svsalacia.blogspot.com 
>> 
>> 
>> Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
>> 
>> -------- Original message --------
>> From: Greg Dawson via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> 
>> Date: 02/15/2016  7:34 AM  (GMT-05:00) 
>> To: public-list at lists.alberg30.org 
>> Subject: [Public-List] What wood.... 
>> 
>> 
>> Hi Guys
>> 
>> Alternatives to teak? The woodwork on our boat is in poor shape, the hatch covers are falling to pieces and the toe rail has been cut in a couple of places. The teak trim on the stern is snapped in two and the boards either side of the cockpit are badly weathered. To add to this the mild steel bolts holding our toe rail down are so rusted that they are snapping when you try to adjust them. 
>> 
>> I'm looking to replace the toe rail with an aluminum system once I find something appropriate, does anyone have any ideas? Also, replacement teak for the hatches etc is simply out of our price range (lots of other stuff to buy with that money) and I am looking at alternatives, any ideas? Is there any reason for instance that I can't use ash or cherry provided that I accept the additional work of varnishing each season? 
>> 
>> Finally, on the subject of mast beams, is there an engineered drawing kicking around that I could work off to produce my new beam. Currently it has the Frankenstein bolts and aluminum plates. Nothing is quite lining up as it should and I am wary of using the damaged beam as a template. I have to renew the bulkheads as they are rotten around the chain plates so I might as well do the beam to at the same time. Any ideas?
>> 
>> Thanks 
>> 
>> Greg.
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