Thread: Oregon timber

Good for masts and spars(clear grade),keelsons,stems,framing,etc,including laminated examples of these.Needs sealing well as it's not very durable.
Cheers,
Dave.

So you can use it basically for everthing as long as it's properly sealed?

Originally Posted by rohinmyson

So you can use it basically for everthing as long as it's properly sealed?

Good, clear oregon is basically the aussie standard for softwoods in boat building - use it for everything if you like. Seal it properly and it'll last a lot longer but it's not going to disitengrate on launching if you don't. And yes, the yanks call it Douglas Fir

Richard

Douglas fir, if coming from this country, use to be pretty good stuff, but in recent years not so much. Density has dropped a fair but, maybe as much as 10%, but rot resistance has been impacted the most.

Oregon as you call it, use to have a fairly good rot resistance rating, but now it's as bad as many of the lesser pines. It a real sin, as I remember the good Douglas fir and it was a noble lumber, easy to cut, machined well, strong for it's weight, etc.

Most of it now is "plantation grown" and without natural selection keeping the gene pool full of resilient versions of this species, it's gone "domestic" and soft (literally).

Old growth and first cut stuff still exists, but it's getting harder to find and you have to pay a premium for it. If you do happen to get a piece of the good stuff, you instantly know. The grain is much tighter, the wood feels more resin filled and it's noticeably heavier when handled.

I'm at a point of digging through old barns looking for the "good " stuff, because the mills have nothing but junk.

Yap ... there were plenty of racing yachts around Sydney with steamed frames and centreline structure in spotted gum and planking in Oregon/Fir.

Also some workboats with sawn spotted gum frames and Oregon planks.

MIK