Rails and Rail backers

[REDDOG]

Out here in Ohio, spruce or should I say clear spruce is like finding hen's teeth.

I'm getting ready to install the rail backers on the form I'm working on. So, I'm thinking about using clear Ash, which I can find. Well, in lengths up to twelve feet. I'm thinking I can scarf joint the Ash for the rail backer and the rails. From what I've been able to find here, I'll most likely have to soak the Ash before I can bend on to the form.

My questions are, can Urac 185 be used as a glue for the joint? Has anybody used Urac 185 for this. Or, any suggestions for what type of glue to use. I'm thinking the scarf joint for the rail backer and the rails of the boat would be located in the middle of the canoe where the curve is the mildest.

Sure would be nice if I could find 18' material but no luck in that area.

Thanks a bunch folks.

 

[Mark Adams]

Check with Gil Cramer at the Wooden Canoe Shop. He has extensive contacts, and will probably be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[Nick Bailey]

I'm making my first form, and I will eventually being running into a similar issue. I had thought maybe I would screw an extra backer piece to a fairly straight portion to hold the two pieces together rather than scarf them. Cosmetically it wouldn't be as good as a scarf, but I thought it may work just as well.

 

[doug schmitt]

I just bought 18 ft ash from a wood mill here in st louis McIntyre mill works. at mcintyremillwork.net I had contacted a few mill shops it was readialy available.

 

[doug schmitt]

J. Gibson McIlvain Co. says they have stock on 20ft mohagany. Try their 800-638-9100 no.

Good luck

 

[Lazy Jack]

I'm not understanding why you couldn't use a simple scarf joint with Titebond II or something like that for the rail backer.
Using a single piece is simply offers convenience. Its often much more expedient to glue something up than to search high and low for a single piece

Same goes for the boat. My 1936 OT was built originally with two piece outwhales of spruce. I will likely replace them with the same

 

[Dan Lindberg]

If this is for a FORM, why do you care what kind of wood it is? Just go you your local lumber yard and get some std spf and rip it to size. You might have to do a bit of searching to find a piece that you can get a full length strip w/o knots but it shouldn't be too hard. As a hint, look for the boards with edges of the bark showing, usually that is what degrades the board and there will be few knots.

Dan

 

[REDDOG]

When I go to the local lumber yards they say, not him again. Just haven't had any luck with finding material.

I did last weekend find an Amish farmer/sawyer who will cut 18' clear poplar for the ribbons and 18' clear Ash for rail backers and rails so I'm pretty good to go now, I hope.

All I need to do now is find a consistant supply of GOOD cedar, but I'm working on that.

I've got three canoes to build for family members so I'm gonna be having fun. Maybe I should have never shown them the boat I built last summer. HA!

 

[Jan Bloom]

For the form what ever works is OK. In regard to the scarf, if it is long enough it should be strong enough. I would go at least 8 inches. You may hand to hand plane the scarf area true after it is glued. What plan are you working from. If it has a shallow enough upsweep you may be able to bend it w/o soaking or steaming. Is your Ash dry or wet/green? That will make a differece in the success of you scarf. Any good wood glue will work for scarfing the backers out of dry wood. You can also use clear pine from any of the big box stores an that area if you are going to scarf the backer. Using Yellow poplar aka Tulip will make a darn heavy form

 

[Jan Bloom]

For Cedar, drive North 5-6 hours to Mio, MI. You are about an hour S of Columbus, 3 hours S of Ann Arbor so maybe 5-6 hours S of Mio. Number of sawyers in that area cut good cedar. You can resaw youir own I hope. I just cut 450 linear ft at 3"X3/16 for my own use. Call me at 269 657-2977 or email bloomlathewrks@aol.com for details.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

Along that line--------your local Amish Sawyer may know the Amish sawyers in Mio.

 

[REDDOG]

Jan, Nice chatting with you today and thanks for the information. Have a great day.