Got a interesting job yesterday. A client wants a tiller handle off a 1976 Westsail 32 rebuilt. The glue is releasing and causing the laminations to separate. The origional is 70″ long, about 4″ square, tapering to about 2″ square. Has about a 1″ deflection over its entire length. It appears to be 5-15/16″ laminates made up of 3 mahogany and 2 pine. The mahogany is on the outside, and the center. This boat company is out of business, so no replacements or info are available.
The client thinks that the replacement should be made of ash or hickory, and the lams glued with epoxy.
Got any ideas on the type of wood or epoxy to use?
Thanks
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Replies
Tom,
More than likely the tiller is made out of Mahogany & Ash, so your client is thinking in the right direction. As for the glue, I'd go with Gougeon Brothers W.E.S.T system epoxy. You might also want to wander over to WoodenBoat's forum: http://media5.hypernet.com/cgi-bin/UBB/ultimatebb.cgi
Dano
Edited 8/21/2002 8:32:18 AM ET by Danford C. Jennings
The problem with most of the white woods and saltwater is that they will stain badly. Holly is the wood normally used for this due to it's resistence to turning black or gray. You definitely want to go with epoxy for marine laminating because it won't give under stress.
Tom,
While I was building my boat, many moons ago, I got a permit from the Forest Service to get some firewood on National Forest land. One weekend a friend, chainsaw, a couple axes and I went out to get some good red oak for the fireplace.
The tiller handle was on my mind. I didn't know exactly what shape I wanted to make it or what I wanted to make it from. As I was chopping some branches off a fallen log I realized how good that hickory axe handle felt.... You know the rest of the story. I found an axe handle with just the right sort of shape and size and modified it. Once cut to the right length and worked a bit with a spoke shave it was unrecognizable as an axe handle--but it made a great tiller.
Alan
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