Ever been tempted to use cheaper timber?

[dancrane]

So...I get closer to assembling my levelled deck, which will keep feet, sandwiches and cigars out of the Osprey's bilge-water this summer.

I plumped for 9mm 'far-eastern' marine ply for the deck itself; it's not as rigid as I'd like, but the 12mm seemed much too heavy.

Trouble is, I need to make wooden supports for the ply, so the new deck will sit flat above the sloping cockpit floor.

I looked at Iroko and oak, even pitch pine...all a bit blooming pricey...

...and now I'm thinking that everything, every single square inch of all the wood I use, will have at least two coats of epoxy on it...so is there any reason not to use ordinary cheap stud-partitioning timber for these support-members?

I have it in mind to use bronze carriage-screws to hold everything together, so if a section of the light stuff goes rotten, I could easily enough unbolt it, epoxy a replacement and re-fit it. These sections won't be continuously submerged even when the boat is being sailed hard, and they'll be left to drip-dry when the boat's not in use.

Is there still a good reason not to substitute quality boat-building timber with cheap stuff?

 

[Rum Run]

I think If you are allowing the wood to dry and it is well sealed anyway, there should be no problem in using low cost softwood for this application. I wouldn't even have use FE marine ply, but birch ply which tends to have more plies overall and in particular, thicker surfaces. It is not rated as durable I have used it for years and it has survived very well indeed.

 

[dancrane]

Thanks Rum Run, that was my conclusion.

There's also the matter of my having to fashion all the support-timbers with very basic tools...so I anticipate a certain amount of error & wastage...so cheap softwood makes sense.

 

[fainche]

Iroko wood can be great alternative and low cost too.

 

[martinaskey]

To put the opposite view ....... think about the time effort, care and attention you are lavishing on your pride and joy before spoiling it by using the wrong materials. Every time I've used cheaper materials I've ended up regretting it (and spending time re-doing the job !) The softwood option my well work but I certainly wouldn't rely on the epoxy - it will fail at some point and then simply keep the water in rather than out ! If you are going down that route then maybe use treated wood (although I've never done that so I don't know how effective it is). As an alternative have you considered Larch or Cedar ? - both more rot resistant and somewhat cheaper than oak etc..
M

 

[dancrane]

Thanks Martin. It certainly is a question of cost - and of the time required - I'd like to reduce both. Ideally I need to invest in a circular saw, sander and Workmate...but I'll probably end up stitch-drilling with the cordless, then cutting with a hand saw and sanding by hand...hence soft wood may work more easily than hard.

I mentioned above that I plan on screwing or bolting the pieces together...but on reflection, considering the structure will be weight-bearing, screws might well be twisted out sideways, so I might be better off relying on the astonishing gluing ability of epoxy alone...whenever I've used it previously and had to adjust the position, the wood broke before the epoxied join separated!

I'll look into cedar, etc.
:encouragement:

 

[andygc]

Many years ago the boatyard told me to use pine for the deck beams in my Crouch One-Design rebuild. That was when you could still get straight-grained, knot-free (well, only trivial small knots) pine. The other instructions were "do not glue" and "do not paint beams or underside of deck".

Sold long ago. I wonder what happened to her.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Ahoy there Dan
From my long experience comming from a family of boat builders, yachtsmen, inshore fishermen etc I kindly offer this advice
Soft wood of good quality will probably outlive your sailing days, or even the life left in your dinghy, but look for better quality timber. Check the closeness of the end grain, the closer the grain the slower grown it is, the stronger the timber. If the grain is widely spaced it is probably weak and not as suitable for marine use.
Would suggest that early failure of soft woods used in marine use usually results from inferior timbers and timbers effected by lack of ventilation combined with effect of rainwater, eg inside cabins that leak.
A good source of better quality soft woods might be found in old furniture etc made when wood was wood as one might say
Reclamation companies often have floor boards, church pews, skirting boards, doors etc that were made from seasoned slow grown timbers, they might look rough but should cleanup well.
Anyways, whatever route to your final choice of timbers, good luck, and remember, if any piece of timber fails earlier that you really wanted it todo , just replace it over off season, so use screws to make it easier.
Just enjoy your time afloat

 

[chal]

I'd second the reclaimed timber suggestion. Don't know where you live but there is a timber yard in Southampton that sells good quality marine timber and they sell off-cuts quite cheaply. You might have to go a couple of timeis and see what you can pick up but I've got some good bits of timber from them that way. Wouldn't work if you want long runs though.

 

[dancrane]

Thank you gentlemen, these suggestions are very helpful and much appreciated. Reclaimed 'household' timber is a brilliant idea...ooops, I found myself staring at my guitar, then!