Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Mumble... Grumble... Grump...
Being a boatbuilder who lives where I live can be very frustrating.
Very frustrating.
Most of the lumber that I want to work with is available, but not readily. You've got to look around. I've got a few projects that I've been thinking of and they require specific types of stock. They include the following:
BS1088 plywood is tested and certified by Lloyd's Register Group. (note the stamp below)
There are a variety of manufacturers. Just because they meet British Specification 1088 doesn't mean they have to be manufactured in Britian, Shelman S.A. which makes Shelmarine is in Greece and Joubert Group is located in France with manufacturing operations in France and Gabon.
To get this marine plywood, I'd have to drive at least two hours each way to a supplier, and get it back in one piece without losing it off the roof-rack or borrow a truck to stick it in the back. Time is money and so is gas and tolls. So, I've tried my local lumberyards. Local lumberyards don't carry the stuff and I'd have to special order it. One yard wanted more than three times the going rate for a sheet of plywood to get it here - $165/sheet for 4mm Okoume (Actual per sheet cost? $49!) Another yard couldn't even get the stuff from their suppliers. I could get it shipped by Boulter Plywood of Somerville, MA. However, shipping would be $40 for packaging and another $90 for the shipping fee via common carrier - if it is delivered to a commercial address.
Dang.
This stuff can be hard to find. Still, the end results are worth the time and effort to get the stock.
Very frustrating.
Most of the lumber that I want to work with is available, but not readily. You've got to look around. I've got a few projects that I've been thinking of and they require specific types of stock. They include the following:
Atlantic White Cedar
Atlantic White Cedar
Western Red Cedar
Atlantic White Cedar, a relatively local wood, requires a drive to the lumberyards nearer to the coast than I am located. For Northern White Cedar, again, a relatively local wood, I have to head further North. Western Red Cedar, which actually grows nowhere near here, is available at almost every local lumberyard.
Go figure... The irony here is that I'm really looking for the local woods in decent quality with some, but relatively few knots. It will take me a bit of work to get as I'll have to track down a sawyer who deals in it.
Then again, there is some plywood I'm looking to find as well. It's marine plywood. Marine plywood is pretty specific stuff. It is stamped (as in the image below) BS 1088 which refers to a very specific British Standard specification. The reason for the specification is to get a product with a uniform thickness, no flaws or voids, resistance (obviously) to moisture and attack by fungus, hot, cold and uniform dimensions and plies.
Go figure... The irony here is that I'm really looking for the local woods in decent quality with some, but relatively few knots. It will take me a bit of work to get as I'll have to track down a sawyer who deals in it.
Then again, there is some plywood I'm looking to find as well. It's marine plywood. Marine plywood is pretty specific stuff. It is stamped (as in the image below) BS 1088 which refers to a very specific British Standard specification. The reason for the specification is to get a product with a uniform thickness, no flaws or voids, resistance (obviously) to moisture and attack by fungus, hot, cold and uniform dimensions and plies.
BS1088 plywood is tested and certified by Lloyd's Register Group. (note the stamp below)
There are a variety of manufacturers. Just because they meet British Specification 1088 doesn't mean they have to be manufactured in Britian, Shelman S.A. which makes Shelmarine is in Greece and Joubert Group is located in France with manufacturing operations in France and Gabon.
To get this marine plywood, I'd have to drive at least two hours each way to a supplier, and get it back in one piece without losing it off the roof-rack or borrow a truck to stick it in the back. Time is money and so is gas and tolls. So, I've tried my local lumberyards. Local lumberyards don't carry the stuff and I'd have to special order it. One yard wanted more than three times the going rate for a sheet of plywood to get it here - $165/sheet for 4mm Okoume (Actual per sheet cost? $49!) Another yard couldn't even get the stuff from their suppliers. I could get it shipped by Boulter Plywood of Somerville, MA. However, shipping would be $40 for packaging and another $90 for the shipping fee via common carrier - if it is delivered to a commercial address.
Dang.
This stuff can be hard to find. Still, the end results are worth the time and effort to get the stock.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Consider a donation...
A horrible natural disaster has happened again, this time in Japan. Please consider a donation to the American Red Cross to support disaster relief efforts.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
That time of year again...
Warmer days are coming and there is a definite change in the air. You can smell the earthiness of the ground escaping it's coating of snow. That must mean that it's time for the Maine Boatbuilders Show again!On March 18th, 19th and 20th at the Portland Yacht Services building on Fore Street in Portland, Maine, Phin Sprague and his crew will be hosting boat builders and suppliers in what is often called the first rite of spring in the Maine boating season. If you have any interest in boats large or small, you owe it to yourself to go!
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