Bass/Lime wood for a fully framed model?

[NMBROOK]

I thought I would 'throw' the question out there to see what response I get.My next build if a fully framed model to the scale of 1/36 (not 1/48 as my signature states).Living in the UK and suffering from a questionable ease of availability and great expense of the preferred woods for this task,what issues am a likely to encounter using Basswood/lime?This is going to be one LARGE hull so I wood rather not source the timber from the US as after delivery/taxes the prices will be astronomical.I can get pear,but fear it my be too dark for what I want to achieve.Boxwood is hard to come by in decent chunks and is ridiculously expensive.I have discovered that the quality of limewood is massively better for some reason when I buy sheets as apposed to planks for some reason.

Any thoughts opinions welcome,at the moment I am sat on the fence.

Kind Regards Nigel

[druxey]

Both lime and basswood are rather soft, basswood more so. It would be more economic for you to use lime as you live in the U.K. You would have to handle this carefully as its soft qualities (as opposed to, say, maple or pear) mean it won't keep such crisp edges and corners. If you can still obtain unsteamed pear in Britain, I'd recommend that. I've used it in the past. It is much lighter in colour and not pinkish-brown, unlike the steamed or so-called 'Swiss' pear wood.

[NMBROOK]

Thanks Druxey,I will have to go and see the merchant when they reopen in the New year.They appear to offer American hard maple and cherry.Unfortunately all the Pear I have come across to date is steamed.I am after something that can be made to look like Boxwood without having to take out a second mortgage.I have worked with Maple but not Cherry,what is this like to work with?

Kind Regards Nigel

Edited December 29, 2013 by NMBROOK

[AntonyUK]

Hi

There are a lot of timber merchants selling cherry, beech, ash, tulip, and a good mix of timbers.

I agree with Druxey on the usage of bass wood. Marks with any sort of pressure.

I have a furniture maker that gives me lots of off cuts that he has no use for...

EBay has some hardwoods at a reasonable price.

Beech is my favourite timber with Tulip wood following close behind.

Need a good saw for the Beech as its very hard and will blunt a tipped blade after a few hours of cutting.

Cherry is very nice to work with and cuts very nicely . Get the unsteamed .. It's much whiter than the pink steamed.(As Druxey stated )

 

Regards Antony

[NMBROOK]

Hi Antony

My localish merchant stocks all the above and steamed pear.I will have a look and see what they have in the New Year.I am not averse to using Pear,it is just the colour variation you can get in the same piece.When it is light pink,it is a nice colour with some oil/varnish,it is the fact that in the same piece you can get a brown section that is very dark with oil/varnish.They do stock Tulipwood,but I disregarded it as Mij scraped what he had made as he didn't rate it.

Isn't the grain overly visible in Beech?

 

Kind Regards Nigel

[dgbot]

Just my opinion Anthony but I would stya away from basswood. You will be very unhappy with the results. I have seen several models done with beech, cherry, and maple. A few years ago I saw an article about a gentleman who built his frames out of maple and was happy with the result. A light coor with sharp edges and not damged easilry.

David B

[Marsares]

Being UK based as well I too struggle with finding a good supplier for wood strips and sheets as I am after beech, cheery, pear or tulip wood for my hull planking. In reality looking for a wood that holds a clean edge, does not dent too easily, yet can be worked on mostly with handtools and is avaikable in the UK.

 

Which suppliers do you guys use in the UK?

Edited January 25, 2014 by Marsares

[NMBROOK]

Hi Marsares

I get my Pear sheet from model-dockyard.com based in Truro,They do cherry sheet and beech in strip form.I have a Proxxon table saw I use to cut planks but really need to invest in a 'big brother' so I can work from larger stock.

 

Kind Regards Nigel

[Marsares]

Thanks Nigel, you're a life-saver. Been googling for days and somehow didn't find that site.

 

The wood that they do in sheets are: cherry, lime, obechi, mahogany, maple, plywood, pear, tanganyka and walnut. Now debating between lime and maple for the hull planking when spiling, with likely pear or tulip wood for deck planking. Also looking to invest in a Proxxon table saw like yourself.

 

Kind regards,

 

Martijn

[normanh]

Tulipwood? Its imported into ther UK in huge amounts from the USA and is widely used in joinery pale in colour but can have some stricking variations fine grained and no knots. I am not sure if this is used in modelling?

 

Norman

[captainbob]

My boats are built of Basswood and Poplar (the tree is the Tulip Poplar and is probably what is called Tulip there) The Bass is too soft for the frames.  If it is a POB I use plywood for the bulkheads but for a fully framed boat I use the Poplar.

 

Bob

[michael mott]

Nigel

According to my sources the Tulip Tree (Genus Liriodendron tulipifera) also goes by the common name Yellow Poplar, and Whitewood, is native to N America, is used in Carpentry furniture and boatbuilding, that it does not spit easily. This would account for the common name that you know it by as well Bob.

Limes Lindens  and Basswoods (Genus Tilia) T americana American Basswood or Linden is used for matches, boxes, furniture paneling carving and especially for the the manufacture of pianoforte keys.

 

Michael

[NMBROOK]

Having pretty much 'sacked' the idea of using basswood,I thank you all for your input.The build in question has been put back for quite a while so no rush.I have come across Yellowheart and whilst this has the appearance of boxwood it does not carry the same hefty price tag.Has anyone worked with this?

 

Kind Regards Nigel

[janet bode]

NMBROOK.

                      I live in the UK there are several hardwood suppliers who sell the sort of wood you may require,i like using Lemonwood

                      and i buy it sawn to a the size i can handl, i then saw it on my 4"table saw and finally i run it through my sanding m/c.

                      If you do not own a sanding m/c there is one firm that sells the wood in smaller blocks ready sanded.Go on line and type EXOTIC HARDWOODS UK

                      you will find a number of contacts.

 

                                           Regards Janet B

Edited November 9, 2015 by Janet B

[uss frolick]

Applewood!

[ASAT]

Nigel, I have used yellowheart, it is very stiff, and a bear to sand and finish well. I have used Anigre in place of boxwood, it is a bit softer but holds an edge well and is much cheaper than pear..... it is almost the same color as castello boxwood as well.

Edited November 10, 2015 by ASAT

[Jaager]

To you guys in the UK :

 

There is a hardwood that should be readily available - Sycamore maple  Acer pseudoplatanus

It is very similar to our Hard maple (sugar / rock ).

 

It was a species favored by Underhill.

 

Because of the difference in local vernacular, I got a supply of Sycamore from a sawmill in Eastern Kentucky. Alas, Sycamore here is a different species in another genus Platanus occidentalis.  For our purposes, pseudo platanus is better than actual platanus.

Our version is less dense, is a lot more brittle - more readily splits  - gets fuzzy.  It is also sold as lacewood because of it's ray flecks - which at scale - presents something that looks like nothing in nature.

 

Looking at lumber prices in the UK - from what I can see - the prices are outrageous - they really see you guys coming.  If you have local furniture makers, I would visit and see where they get their lumber - they may even have cutoffs or surplus you could get a deal on.

Edited November 10, 2015 by Jaager

[NMBROOK]

Thank you Janet and Crackers This thread is 2 years old now.I have a supplier for Pearwood and will thickness sand to what I require for a larger order

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[reklein]

This thread made me wonder about Scandinavian sources for wood for the folks in the UK, or Canada for that matter. Does the UK still have commonwealth ties to Canada?   Bill

[Landlocked123]

Hi,

 

What would you guys recommend as a very "white" wood which bends relatively well. I will soon be starting the MS New Bedford Whaleboat which I do not plan to paint. I'm looking for some contrasting woods. For the "gunwale strakes" I am planing on cherry or walnut and would like the frames to be in high contrast.

 

Any ideas?

 

Best,

John

Edited November 10, 2015 by Landlocked123

[Jason]

Hi John,

 

Hard Maple would be a good choice, and compliment the other North American hardwoods that you are using.  Fresh off of the saw, Maple is very white in comparison to most hardwoods.  It is also inexpensive, and easy to obtain.

 

The picture contains, from the bottom, Walnut, Cherry, Maple, Castello Boxwood, Holly.  That will give you a good idea for contrast sake.

 

[kruginmi]

I know the decision is already made but have to interject that basswood can be used pretty effectively and has a bad rap that is a bit unjustified.  My fully framed Druid is 95% basswood.  Now it is 1/48th scale but.....I don't think I have done a disservice by her.  The smaller details which require details and / or strength (figurehead, railings) were done with boxwood - the other 5%.

 

The original question for me was cost and availability - if not basswood it would never have occurred.  However after completing it, I am very comfortable with the selection of basswood again - albeit this time with paint for some color.

 

If you can afford it or have access go ahead and choose what you want.  However, if you want to build and have budget concerns feel free to use basswood.

 

Mark