Toller wrote:
The rudder/tiller on my Potter 15 is disintigrating, so I will be
asking a few questions on rebuilding it in the next few weeks.

The tiller handle is laminated wood, in a very slight S curve. It
has delaminated; and while I am now gluing it up with polyurethane
glue,

Not a good choice.
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It doesn't go over or under anything, so I don't see that the S
curve is for anything but maybe style.

A curve brings the end where your hand goes higher relative to the
rudder stock. Or lower, depending.
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Can I make the new one straight?

Yes
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Is there any compelling reason it has to be laminated?

Compelling, no.
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I have a nice piece of very old white oak I can use to cut a new
one;
will a solid white oak tiller handle be inappropriate for any
reason?

It will work fine. It will be rather heavy though. Mine is oak, made
of several pieces. The short & solid hand end is attached to two thin
pieces that are separated at intervals by three tapered blocks between
them. Making it in that manner decreased weight and saved a lot of
the shaping that would have been needed had I used a solid piece.
________________

(I have a bandsaw, so duplicating the curve would
be easy enough, but I think it will weaken the handle,

It would.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

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