Thread: Aus equivalent to Euro oak

Have you actually looked into using real Euro oak? I use it quite often , it gets delivered to my door by the client I make things from it for. I am surprised by the width and thickness of the boards that get dropped off here (availability wise). My client gets it sent down from the north island so I am guessing the supplier is in Melbourne or Sydney. Can find out if you like?. At this stage I do not know anything about it's pricing however Aussie hardwoods don't seem to come cheap so it might be worth considering the real thing.

Certainly an option worth exploring. The issue withit i that boat building timbers have certain characteristics around grain features and orientation - rift sawn straight grain no knots consistent density - that are important. You basically got to select them yourself or have someone who knows do it.
White Beech would be great Calantis also Philippines Mahogany huon kauri all in the density range and accepted for application.

Mate...don't get me into firing cannon balls at something...

Originally Posted by artful bodger

Have you actually looked into using real Euro oak? I use it quite often , it gets delivered to my door by the client I make things from it for. I am surprised by the width and thickness of the boards that get dropped off here (availability wise). My client gets it sent down from the north island so I am guessing the supplier is in Melbourne or Sydney. Can find out if you like?. At this stage I do not know anything about it's pricing however Aussie hardwoods don't seem to come cheap so it might be worth considering the real thing.

Sure! I didn't even know there was any commercial quantity Euro oak grown here apart from ornamental trees

this thread may help
boatbuilding woods

Having worked extensively with both Oak and Spotty I beg to differ re the massive difference in their respective published properties. In a working situation they are quite comparable. Both timbers vary widely in weight, dependent on maturity etc.

Originally Posted by BobL

I have put the Spotted gum specs alongside in red



So MUCH denser, harder, stronger (crush and bend), elastic, and less shrinkage. Why go anywhere else? The downside is it will be harder to work compered to oak.

I'm not boar builder but wasn't quite a bit of the Endeavour Replica made out of jarrah?

And weren't wooden ships used in ice bound waters also clad with Spotted gum.

Iron bark is the number one choice for ice. The abrasion produces a constantly smoothing of the timber surface. Others become hairy.

Way back in the days of commercial sail, Tasmania had a major industry building large ships with two, three or four masts, commonly referred to as blue gum clippers. The preferred building materials were:

• Framing - spotted gum,
• Planking - Tasmanian blue gum (e globulus),
• Decking - celery top pine.

The Maritime Museum of Tasmania has a small coasting ketch, the May Queen, on display in Constitution Dock, Hobart. She was built in 1867 from the above materials and is 21 metres long.


Fair Winds

Graeme