Rough cut ash...

[dumbquestionsguy]

Just when you thought you were finally rid of me and my annoying-ness...

Apologies, but I have yet another question to pose to the forum. I am about to embark on canoe project number two, and in preparation, purchased some rough cut ash for inwales. When I say rough cut, I mean, I basically have a 17.5' long slice of a tree - it's a little less than 1.5" thick, and oh... 12-13" wide (bark on either side). It's a longitudinal slice of the trunk of an ash tree. I don't have a bandsaw, and the guys I got it from suggested taking a jigsaw and following an annular ring, so as to maintain the integrity of the wood (as their theory goes, cutting across grains would weaken it). I could mark out two rings approximately 1" or so apart, cut following those rings, and then use my thickness planer to smooth things out, so the suggestion goes. The annular rings are fairly straight, but I'm thinking this might produce a slightly less than straight inwale. Will clamping to the form, ribbing, and planking smooth this out? Or will the "lumpy"-ness of the inwale transfer to the rest of the boat? Am I better off trying to find someone to resaw this thing?

Sorry again for the hassle. You folks are great. You know this. You = smart. Me = dumb.

Happy monday.

 

[Dave Wermuth]

not needed

drilling holes for yoke, thwart, seats weakens it too. It sounds as if you got what we wood wranglers wrefer to as six quarter, 6/4. Most folks start with rough sawn lumber, plane it smooth, rip one edge then rip the other Then rip the thing to dimension. Quarter sawn is strongest. What you describe is similar to if yuo split it with the grain assuming the grain doesn't run out. Sounds as if you have a straight grained board. If you go to the effort of sawing along one growth ring and can get the length you need it would be stronger than if the grain runs out the side. Not necessary i think. Following the grain is more important when making stems bend.

So, how was project number one?
Regards, Dave.

 

[Canerodz]

A sharp Skil-Saw will cut it. Clamp or screw a piece of dimension lumber like a 1 x 4 or the like to the flitch and use it as a fence to make your cuts. Or just snap a chalk line on it and follow the line, it really isn't very difficult to do. A jig saw would not be my first (or 17th) choice for this job. Ash is tough and you would probably go through several broken blades and not have a straight cut.

You may need a wooden wedge or two to drive into the saw kerf if the wood has any internal stresses that cause it to pinch the saw blade.