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#1
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Spruce spars source ?
Any publication suggestions regarding construction of same would also be
appreciated. Thank you. -- Courtney Thomas s/v Mutiny lying Oriental, NC WDB5619 |
#2
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Spruce spars source ?
I've built 6 spruce spars in the past 40+ years. For 48ft box section
(hollow) to a 33 ft solid for my gaff rigged yawl. I learned at the side of an old (to me) boat builder, in his back yard. I realize that opportunity may no longer be available since wood spars have fallen out of favor and spar quality Sitka Spruce is nearly impossible to find. To answer your question, I have or have looked through just about ever old school boat building books and can't remember any that actually gave step by step procedures for building spars. Skene's Elements of Yacht Design gives some details on mast section and material thickness, etc. but nothing on the process. Needless to say a solid spar from a solid timber would be easiest (if you could find a good timber). However your want to build the mast type that your boat is intended to have. Perhaps you will find what you need at one of the few remaining wood boat building schools.. Or the Wood Boat Societys. The one in Port Townsend, WA has a library of books for loan, however you have to joint that group. Steve s/v Good Intentions |
#3
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Spruce spars source ?
hi
you could ring Kingsley Farrington in Norfolk UK he may be able to help, his boat builder makes masts and spars from spruce infact i was watching him during the summer make a mast for the Brown boats they make, It took about 2 weeks from planks to mast so I would think they are very expencive. Kingsley may be listed under boat transportation or boat building he does both and he is based in Norwich Uk the suberb is called Trowse. Try Yell.com to search for him. fragged "Courtney Thomas" wrote in message ... Any publication suggestions regarding construction of same would also be appreciated. Thank you. -- Courtney Thomas s/v Mutiny lying Oriental, NC WDB5619 |
#4
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Spruce spars source ?
On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 10:24:07 -0500, Courtney Thomas
wrote: Any publication suggestions regarding construction of same would also be appreciated. Thank you. Aircraft Spruce sells prime sitka spruce spar stock, if you can handle the price. Corona, Ca 1-800 824-1930 Griffin, Ga 1-800 831-2949 Examples: 1.5 inch X 4 inch $10.40 per lineal foot plus 15% for lengths over 12 ft. (oldish catalog prices !!) You could route the two halves, and glue and clamp. But as you may know, spruce is not the hardyest, the lightest, or the strongest wood; far from it. If you can handle the top weight, there are stronger, cheaper whitewoods. Spruce is desired for its superior strength to weight. That's all. You would not be cast down in Hell if you chose cleargrain builders' studs to laminate, for example. Cheaper by far. Brian Whatcott Altus OK |
#5
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Spruce spars source ?
there's a book by Edwin Monk, "How to build a boat", or a title to
that effect, with a short section describing different kinds of solid and hollow masts, and the procedure to build and rig them, including plans for cheap mast clamps and drawings on how to scarf planks together to glue up the mast. it also gives general formulas for the proportions of various spars. i'll check at home and post the complete reference. roberto |
#6
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Spruce spars source ?
Sounds like a good source of mast making information.
My biggest problem was always the clamping requirements. Second was building a long straight bench to build the mast on.. Not something that you can do on a couple saw horses. Once I had the bench built, I then built about 100 square clamp frames and about 500 wedges. All of this generally ends up in a mass production operation.. As a military person, most of the time I was building boats and masts, each new project found me in a new location and of course the need to build everything from scratch again. I don't think I would build another mast, with the availability of good used aluminum mast and the light weight advantages they afford. I'd leave the wood mast to the traditional boats where alum. would be an eye sour. Steve s/v Good Intentions |
#7
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Spruce spars source ?
For spars and spar construction, see chapter 12 in
"Modern Boat Building" by Edwin Monk, 1973 (out of print, but my local public library has it). |
#8
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Spruce spars source ?
Thank you.
I've now ordered it. Courtney BIANCO ROBERTO wrote: For spars and spar construction, see chapter 12 in "Modern Boat Building" by Edwin Monk, 1973 (out of print, but my local public library has it). -- Courtney Thomas s/v Mutiny lying Oriental, NC WDB5619 |
#9
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Spruce spars source ?
Look at 'Practical Yacht Joinery" by Fred Bingham gives instructions on building
a wooden mast. Also if using clear Douglas Fir (the actual Douglas Fir not the substitutes that many suppliers try to sell) you can reduce skantling by 10% for a similar strength to weight ratio. JJ On Mon, 15 Mar 2004 00:47:17 GMT, Brian Whatcott wrote: On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 10:24:07 -0500, Courtney Thomas wrote: Any publication suggestions regarding construction of same would also be appreciated. Thank you. Aircraft Spruce sells prime sitka spruce spar stock, if you can handle the price. Corona, Ca 1-800 824-1930 Griffin, Ga 1-800 831-2949 Examples: 1.5 inch X 4 inch $10.40 per lineal foot plus 15% for lengths over 12 ft. (oldish catalog prices !!) You could route the two halves, and glue and clamp. But as you may know, spruce is not the hardyest, the lightest, or the strongest wood; far from it. If you can handle the top weight, there are stronger, cheaper whitewoods. Spruce is desired for its superior strength to weight. That's all. You would not be cast down in Hell if you chose cleargrain builders' studs to laminate, for example. Cheaper by far. Brian Whatcott Altus OK James Johnson remove the "dot" from after sail in email address to reply |
#10
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Spruce spars source ?
James Johnson wrote in message . ..
Look at 'Practical Yacht Joinery" by Fred Bingham gives instructions on building a wooden mast. Also if using clear Douglas Fir (the actual Douglas Fir not the substitutes that many suppliers try to sell) you can reduce skantling by 10% for a similar strength to weight ratio. JJ I wish I knew where to find the engineered lumber that was developed a few years ago. It's the lumber equivalent of plywood or OSB or particle board. The wood is cut into long, very thin and narrow strips (like string), laid in a mold with some resin, and compressed. The result is a board with very straight grain, no knots or other flaws, really consistent. A bit heavier than the lumber made from the same wood, but just as strong or stronger. Chief drawback, as I understand it, is the tendency to fail very suddenly when overstressed; no warning noises. This stuff would make dandy spars for boats, and for aircraft wings, too. Shrinkage would be much less of a problem. The only thing I've seen that's anywhere close is the stuff used for top and bottom caps on engineered floor joists. Looks like plywood with the grain all running longitudinally. Dan Dan |
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