From: "Gene Smith" <SmithFrow@worldnet.att.net>
To: <baidarka@lists.intelenet.net>
Subject: Re: [baidarka] Wood Selection
Date: Wed, 5 Aug 1998 10:06:49 -0000
Craig O'Donnell wrote:
>Charles' list is good, BUT is the usual group-o-woods filtered through the
>New England/UK Yacht Building Tradition. There are many other regional
>woods which have been used.
>
>I'm sure I've said this before <chuckle>
Let me echo what Craig had said. Unless a list is encyclopedic, all you
will find are the woods of interest to the large commercial extruders. If
you want to avoid being hosed, you have to find out about local woods. I
can say with absolute confidence that there is no one on this list who can't
find appropriate local woods for cheap or free. I can say with equal
confidence that you will not find this information on any "list". Neither
are you likely to get it from most commercial woodworkers who just order
what's available from wholesalers. Libraries, county extension agents,
hobby woodworkers and arboretums are all great places to find out about
local woods. I found out about a huge tree recycling operation from a
county extension agent who also makes wooden barreled pens.
Another good source is local sawyers. I had found a nearby guy and asked
about sassafras. He told me that he almost never saw the stuff. Then he
called back a few days later and said that he'd found a couple of logs - did
I still want them. So, I got two 9 foot long logs (around 1 1/2 feet in
diameter) sawed into boards for the princely sum of $50.00. I figure it's
worth over $200.00 on the hoof if you can find it from a dealer. One good
find of a tree coming down (before it's cut into convenient throwaway
lengths), a good driftwood log, or an available log from a local sawyer and
you could be in kayak wood for the rest of your life. Just be sure you
inform yourself about seasoning and storing it until you use it so you don't
destroy it in the process.
Gene Smith