Thread: Timber for boat building

To Kjones

Following on from Allan Newhouse post. His kayaks weigh approx 10 kg when finished. Taking his break down of weight then there is 5 kg of Paulownia and 5 kg of glass and fittings. As the glass and fittings is a constant then the heavier timber the more the kayak weighs. Obviously. So as Paulownia has a density of just under 250 Kg and Aust Gums are approx 750 kg then your kayak will weigh 20 kg or twice as much. Worth serious consideration both from paddling and porting. You may be able to use thinner strips to cut the weight down but then you lose some strength by having the inner and outer skins of glass close together. I'm not pushing for you to buy Paulownia but it is, a plantation timber, a renewable resource, (regrows from the stump) and is grown in Australia.
Whitewood

is this stuff cheap

I suppose the short answer is most timber is not cheap. I initially set my prices about 5 years ago having regard to the price for WRC at a Gold Coast Timber Yard as the qualities and weaknesses of the 2 species is similar. It's now hard to buy WRC on the Gold Coast but I have been lead to believe that the price of the 2 timber is still comparable.

If you make your own strips from RS planks then the cost of a 25 x 150 (actual) 155 mm plank is $9.07 per l/m. If you want to buy strips 6 mm thick and as wide as I can dress them out of the 25 mm RS, up to 22 mm but at least 19 mm, they are $1.54 per l/m DAR.

Paulownia is a boutique timber. It is farmed not just stuck in the ground to grow on its own like 'pines' and 'gums' I cater to some small special markets and strip planks for kayaks is just one of them. Others are alaia boards, chambered and hollow framed surfboards. There are more but the volume sold to these customers is even smaller.

You be the judge if it is an expensive timber or if the cost of stripping is too high.

Whitewood.

Originally Posted by peterAustralia

11 Great Victoria Woods



I know this is off topic, but are there places you can go and use this equipmnet for a charge. Are they called Mens sheds, or do you have to be over fifty to do work in a mens shed.

Access to men's sheds is usually by assessment. Often they are funded or part-funded by the government. Usually people go there who have had some sort of health issue. But anybody can go I think even if you can spare them a bit of time helping other people out who want to work wood but maybe don't have the skills. I'm sure you'd be allowed to rip up some timber - fair exchange no robbery as they say. You get to meet some terrific individuals as well.