New tiller needed

[Colvic Watson]

Our lovely old Macwester came with the most hideous tiller you have ever seen. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif It is a horrible battered metal bar with some random holes drilled in it and a nasty bit of wood shoved in one end for a handle. It has the other disadvantage of being straight, so the forward end is set too high for comfort. Anyway I guess that a new and ready made one will come with very yachtie prices and we fancied the challenge of making one. The fitting onto the rudder is very simple with a metal bracket that would accept a shaped tiller.

Any ideas about what sort of wood we should use to make a replacement? Hardwood, softwood, laminate??? What will be most durable and not prone to cracking - tiller loads can be quite high with an un-balanced rudder. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[ashanta]

Simon,

I have made a number of tillers in the past due to the reasons you describe i.e. marine prices.
I have used laminates of deal and mahogany which I have placed on a board with strong pins to support the bends as I have steamed the wood with boiling water from the kettle, working in stages until i have the first strip in place. I then continue the process, alternating with the different woods until I have the right size/thickness required. I use epoxy to seal the whole tiller and annually rub down and varnish.
I have also used solid teak and find the that if a straight tiller is required then it's an easy job to to shape the tiller.

Regards.

Peter.

 

[mirabriani]

Ashanta has useful advice.

May I add that IMO it is worth cutting out the shape first in cheap softwood. In this way you will be able to check for fit and comfort,
before spend lots of time and effort with expensive woods and glue etc.

I hope this helps

Regards Briani

 

[Swagman]

And may sound silly advice - but if you do make up your own laminated version even from ply - just ensure the laminates are laid down horizontally and not vertically.

Have seen a beaut one made up in the vertical manner - only to see it bend under lots of load!

Cheers
JOHN

 

[Sui Generis]

I used ash and mahogany will good effect

 

[Colvic Watson]

Thanks for all the advice - gives me the confidence to have a go. There's something quite personal and individual about a tiller and I'd love to use one I'd made myself. I like the idea of a softwood mock up, it will save the current positioning problems.

 

[Guest]

Way way back in past ...

PBO did an article showing a guy making a laminated tiller. He had a good stout wood base slightly longer than overall tiller length length. He then hammered in serious verical guide pins to give the upper shape.
Cut strips of alternate coloured timber and bent them to fit the contour of pins ... the strips were surprisingly thin to allow the bending. Once he had all strips necessary - he then clamped all together with slow set epoxy between and made sure clamps pulled the laminate into the shaped guide .... then drove in holding pins on lower side to make sure all was tight into the shaped guides..... Left it to set and after all expoxy was set .... removed from mould and shaped the whole affair - giving it a good number of polyurethane varnish coats at finish ....

The thin strips having been epoxied up and built up into substantial laminate - proved really strong and good for the job.

Sorry I cannot find the actuall issue ... just remember the article ..