November '06
25. The Keel Timber

25. The Keel Timber

I have decided to try and find a timber less dense than Spotted Gum for the keel. It seems that whatever I find will not be likely to be available in sufficient thickness to allow for a finished dimension of 60 mm., so some lamination is going to be necessary, and if the rough sawn timber is only 25 mm. thick, there will need to be three laminates in each lift.

Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) is durable and dense, but less dense than Spotted Gum, weighing in at only 820 Kg. per cubic metre, dry. It is also available in a number of thicknesses, but the extra price paid for the thicker ones might eliminate any potential savings from using less epoxy in laminating them.

River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) is another alternative, but is denser than Jarrah, at 900 Kg. per cubic metre dry.

So, while the Jarrah is still a lot heavier than Iroko's 660 Kg. it is the best local substitute, and a far better quality timber as well. That is my choice for the keel.

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