In reply to "Gunwhale wood", posted by Simon Lynch on May 1, 2001:
>Here I go again with another question.....sorry
>
>Anyway, the sizes of the gunwhale stock quoted in the plans, are they standard sizes (5/8"*1 1/2" & 3/4"*1 1/2") or will I have to do some trimming?
RE> sorry
No no no. Ask questions. The busier this bulletin board
is the better my site looks to casual visitors. Your
questions help me to sell blueprints.
RE> different gunwale thicknesses quoted in plans
This relates to a discussion (2-3 posts down the list from
here) with Danny. Danny will use ash, which is a wonderful
gunwale wood. But ash IS a little harder to bend than oak.
In anycase, the inwale is harder to bend, harder to cut,
harder to fit (accurately) than the outwale. I like to
make the inwale 5/8" thick instead of 3/4"
The wood you buy will, depending on what and where you buy
it, will start out at something between 3/4" and 7/8" thick.
If you have a thickness planer, or access to a thickness
planer, making it 5/8" thick is a snap.
If you do not have a thickness planer but do have a
tablesaw, making 5/8" thick takes 2 or 3 snaps....but it
does require a sharp blade.
If you don't have a tablesaw, make sure you buy stock
that IS NOT thicker than 3/4"
You will be able to bend it at that thickness. It will be
a little more difficult, and perhaps a little stronger than
is necessary. Extra stout anything never hurt nobody.