Canal boat fit out - Wood selection

[willvoke]

Hi,

I am coming to the closing stages of my canal boat fit out and am now looking at the finishing wood work projects I have to complete.

I have 10 windows to frame 6 of which are portholes with a 500mm diameter the other 4 are rectangular. I also have a pipe channel which runs the length of the boat on both sides (14m each) which I would like to cover with a boxing and then I have all of my edging and cover strips for where my ceiling and wall panels join (about a 100m at a guess)

I would like to use the same type of wood for all of the above and would like a recommendation from you? I would like a dark hardwood which is reasonably priced (for hardwood) that is suitable for steambending (for my portholes, more questiosn to come on this!!). I am currently leaning towards Elm? Am I able to get a nice dark finish with Elm?

Final question, does anyone know a place where I can hardwood (probably elm) cover/edging strips??

Much appreciated!

Will

 

[AndyT]

Hi - I've no direct experience of trying, so could be wrong, but I don't think you will get anywhere trying to steam bend into a small enough circle to make porthole rims. All the ones I have seen on boats or at chandlers are built up from thickish sections then routed out for circles. (And widely available ready made!)

As for timber suppliers, Surrey Timbers are often mentioned favourably on here and aren't too far from you - http://www.surreytimbers.co.uk/

 

[AJB Temple]

In a wet environment, for a wood that will take a dark finish, I would be considering Iroko (teak is probably too hard to get and too expensive now).

Elm would not be my first choice as in my experience it is much less stable in moisture retentive environments. Moves a lot.

Mahogany would work (sustainably sourced is available now) but more expensive than Iroko.

qualifier - my wet timber experience is limited to making large drive gates. Not boat stuff.

 

[Droogs]

have you thought about Opepe, used to make harbour quay and has a lovely colour. extremely long lasting/wearing and does take a stain/dye

 

[AndyT]

Just to check - canal boat portholes generally have a metal ring on the outside, in chrome or brass, with a wooden rim on the inside, so the wooden part does not need to be exceptionally durable. Is this what you are planning?

 

[willvoke]

Yep the wood is internal and will only be subject to internal conditions although probably the occiasional bit of water when the windows are open and its raining.

I've seen plenty of steam bent objects of a similar size online, drum hoops etc. so I believe it is possible although not something I have done before.

Yep Im currently getting a quote for someone to make the windows for me but wheres teh fun in that!!?

Cheers for your thoughts.

 

[Mike Jordan]

There is no chance that you will be able to steam bend elm unless you are thinking in terms of scores of laminates and infinite skill and patience. I gave up making block laminated porthole trims when a colleague purchased a CNC lathe to make them in bulk. M D Woodtech is a supplier to all my previous customers. What timber have you lined the boat with? It's normal to match with the trims and edges or create a contrast. Elm is far to unstable for this type of job, it's normally best reserved for turners or people making the nave of a wooden wheel or a profiled chair seat for country style chairs. Iroko is a long standing boat building timber and is well suited to outside use, inside it looks good but is regarded as difficult to work unless you are well equipped with machines
Your local timber merchant will make cover beads and special mouldings, the costs of these spiral if you want hockey stick shapes and involved angles. You can keep the costs down by using flat beading to cover the joints between window frames and linings for example. If you cut a rebate round the outside edges of the window frames to take the lining ply the cover strips are then flat rather than rebated to cover the edge of the lining.

 

[Bm101]

Got any pictures of the work so far? I'd love to see them and I'm sure I'm not the only one! Love WIPs, love narrowboats. I know you have pics!
I know there's at least one professional boat builder/fitter on here, probably a lot more.
If you have a router could you not cut them that way? I'm wondering if you could use the internal 'waste' circle on a hinge in some fashion as a blackout for the windows when you want privacy. Wouldn't be hard to do in theory. Probably a mad idea.

 

[Keith 66]

Whatever you do do not use beech. I worked at a boatyard in Old Leigh back in the 80's, there was a timber company there that imported beech from the continent for the furniture trade.
Of course a board would often "fall over the wall into the alleyway" In exchange for a few beer tokens. The locals optimistically used it on boats. Whatever you did to it it rotted with extreme speed as soon as it even smelt water.

 

[dickm]

Very doubtful about elm in this context. It's reputed to be longlasting if either completely wet or completely dry, but rots rapidly if in alternating conditions, which sound like exactly the situation here.