What wood is best ?

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welshhealey
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What wood is best ?

Post by welshhealey »

After much shock and falling to the floor, I've discovered one of my engine bearers that run the full length of my beloved Healey has decided to call it a day, after only 8 years of replacing it :grrr: don't know why or how (engine thrust ? )but a hairline crack appeared and rot around the screw holes were apparent .. It's obviously turned out I was sold the wrong material when rebuilding her at the time even though I asked for a good quality hardwood for marine use :shock: ... Since then the wood supplier has long gone :( (how strange ! ) :hmmm: so what type of wood do I replace it with ? Any Healey owners reading this will know the bearer I'm talking about. The original port side is sound and good as new, but will take the bull by the horns and replace the two :perfect: then probably use West Systems to glass them in .

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sean-nós
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Re: What wood is best ?

Post by sean-nós »

Douglas fir is good for motor stringers try and get a clean bit with as few knots as possible if you end up with some drill them out and fill the holes with thickened epoxy, for extra strength you can epoxy on marine plywood to each side encapsulate the lot in resin and maybe fibreglass cloth and it should last a lifetime.



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welshhealey
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Re: What wood is best ?

Post by welshhealey »

Ah thank you for a prompt reply, and looking at your stunning work the advice is very much appreciated :thumbsup:
Will trundle down my local trusted wood shop after the bank holiday, if Douglas Fir is not available is there a suitable alternative ?

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sean-nós
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Re: What wood is best ?

Post by sean-nós »

White oak is another good wood and if you get stuck laminate some marine plywood to the thickness you need, it's not great at holding screws thread coach bolts as it can split the laminations so if you can drill holes for a nut and bolt to hold the engine mounts.



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solitaire
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Re: What wood is best ?

Post by solitaire »

Showing my age a bit - but they were still building traditional wooden boats in the Thames yard where I served my "time" - English Oak was the preferred timber for engine bearers back then........ I expect it's expensive nowerdays

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Mirak
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Re: What wood is best ?

Post by Mirak »

Oaks tend not to like epoxy very much (especially White Oak) so you might have trouble keeping the glass stuck on it over time.
In the "old days" I suspect the engine bearers were screwed or bolted into the hull structure and glues never went near them - they were just painted. ;-)

I would stick with any kind of clear pine or fir. i.e. with as few knots as possible. roofing timber will be fine.

shape them up and then 2 or 3 coats of epoxy before bonding into the boat and glassing over.
Round off the sharp corners and fillet between the bearer and the hull to make the laminating a bit easier.
This should take screws without problem, although I often encapsulate nuts into the wood and then bolt the fittings afterwards (see the Gougeon Bros West Epoxy Book on how to do it.)

Worth waterproofing the fixings with some form of sealant which will slow the ingress of water into the wooden bearers.

S
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