Timber

[Pilot Pete]

Just looking at specs of tassie oak, Whats to stop us from building with it? It has a higher rating then spruce:-550 for tassie oak and 430 for spruce and is a class 4 for durability

 

 

[djpacro]

I don't know what type you are building or what components and even if I did I wouldn't know what margins or limitations there are on stiffness, strength and balance. I don't know what you mean by a higher rating but I'd be interested in things like:

 

• weight
   
   
  
• modulus of rupture
   
   
  
• modulus of elasticity
   
   
  
• compressive strength parallel and perpendicular to the grain
   
   
  
• shear strength
   
   
  

 

Easy to get a wood with a higher strength than spruce but you need to ask why most designs specify spruce. It may turn out to be a good option for you, and certainly a lot cheaper.

 

I recall one aeroplane many years ago where the builder substituted a different wood - he didn't have a lot of useful load left with all the extra weight.

 

 

[Bubbleboy]

Wood

 

Hi Pete...I contemplated that last weekend actually. I purchased some Tassie Oak for my jig to hold the spruce for my build. The pine there was to crooked to be any good. The oak was straight but seems very dense and heavier than the Spruce I have here. Smells nice too!

 

As I was told when organising mine. The Spruce is a small part of the cost of the whole plane. The Spruce for my Air Camper will be a little over $1000 so is it worth trying to find an alternative...probably not but thats your choice. There is a guy here in Newcastle that can supply Spruce in what ever size you need.

 

What are you looking at building?

 

Scotty

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

How does it go in humid climates? Also will the saw dust kill you 20years down the track like some timber will?

 

 

[Pilot Pete]

Scotty, I will be building a Ragwing Rag-a-bond, and Ozzie, tasie oak has been used in the building and joinery industry since noah was a lad.

 

 

[Pilot Pete]

just did a bit more reading on the timber. spruce dry density is kg/m3 430 , hoop pine is 550 and tassie oak is 1050

 

 

[Aero28]

Hiya Pete, I would think Tas Oak (Gum Tree) would be too heavy, I have often thought Celery top pine would be agood alternative to spruce and then i would think Hoop pine would be in the same strength /weight of Celery, If you find a supplier of Hoop could you let me know, need to make a prop.

 

Cheers Paul.

 

 

[Bubbleboy]

Hi Paul...I have just bought some Hoop Pine Ply off Zenith Timbers in Brisbane. They may have a source for Hoop planks maybe?

 

Regards Scotty

 

 

[Aero28]

Thanks Scoyyt I will give them a try.

 

 

[Chird65]

Try mathews Timber in Vermont Vic (I assume you are in Vic). I know a KR Builder who was able to get boards from there. Mathews Timber - Home.

 

KR2S :: Machining To see what he did.

 

 

[Aero28]

Thanks Chird, I have made contact.

 

 

[Pilot Pete]

I've noticed my local Mitre 10 store here in Toowoomba has hoop pine in stock and a lot of it doesnt look too bad. Maybe other Mitre 10 stores carry it as well.