From: kyak@rockisland.com
Date: Mon, 3 Aug 1998 18:51:10 -0700 (PDT)
Message-Id: <199808040151.SAA29950@cronus.rockisland.com>
To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
Subject: [baidarka] red oak
>A question for my esteemed colleagues. (forgive me patrick), I have
>heard that red oak tends to rot whereas white oak does not (it rhymes!)_ Is
>this information factual.....HAVE I BOUGHT INTO AN URBAN MYTH????? Your
>opinions, learned gentlemen/women. Gentlepersons. (That's it.)
>Gentlepersons.
>Chris
Red oak has tubular passages thru the cells like staws (supposedly you can
blow thru them) which THEORETICALLY means the can take up more water faster
and rot. Howevcer, the late John Gardiner of Mystic Seaport actualy
prefeered red oak in small pieces for boat work - said it was less prone to
twist and other movement.
As the dean of American boatbuilders I'll take JG's practice over theory any
day....
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