scarf joint results

General Discussion
1

Hey Guys

I have been trying to find some sort of timber to use as stringers in my EPS boards.

I did find some nice pine for my SUP that came out really well.

But I would prefere to use marine ply.

Problem is, that it only comes in 8’ sheets, any thing bigger and I neeed to join it.

I know you guys in the US use bass wood but I cant seem to find any here in OZ

After searching archives and google, a scarf joint seems the best option.

Before you all tell me to go stringerless, I really prefer the look and feel of a nice wood stringer.

Has anyone here acheive this joint spacificly for stringers and how have they stood the test of time.

Any hints and tips would also be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

2

Make your scarf at least 24 inches long, and you should have no problems at all.

3

24 inches long???

I will only be using 3/8 ply

Cheers

4

Aloha, was doing stringers this week myself and I had the same situation face me a few times. I never could manage to go through with it. Seemed un holy almost :), Scarfin a stringer that is. It should be fine imo as long as your epoxy/glue is up to snuff. If I were in oz I might get some paulownia and glue up a ply stringer with thin strips, sprinkle two layers with that jarra. Great question and good luck, always did like a pretty stringer myself. Mahalo

5

I’m just saying how I would do it. Depends on where on the stringer length you plan to put it. The longer the joint length, the stronger it will be. You could also do a dovetail joint to good effect.

6

I have been reading up on scarf joints as we have been posting

All the info tends to suggest a scarf joint 8:1 is sufficient.

Any more and with the quallity of adheisives today, the joint would be stronger than the ply itself.

I did look at the dovetail or finger joint, and gave it a go but without a jig it was a disaster.

I went looking for a jig with minimal success and very pricey.

Not worth the money for the amount I would use it.

Cheers

7

Thanks for the follow up, besides pine which other woods can you get with some length d.u.? Just curious.

8

Not too many

I looked at ceder, but it was too expensive.

The pine cost me $24 AUD and they ran it through their planer down to 9 mm for me

I think the ceder was going to cost me around $70

Cheers

9

I haven’t tried it myself, but I remember reading somewhere that the best tool for creating long low angle scarf joints is a belt sander.

10

Hey Guys

Just got on to a timber yard close by that can cut and mill 3 x 9 mm western red cedar stringers 9 ft long from one piece of timber and will cost me about $100 AUD

Thats $33 per stringer. I can live with that.

Now how does cedar stand up as stringer material???

I have been inmformed that it is light, flexable and easy to work with.

Any thoughts??

Cheer

11

Cedar is a good choice. There ae many species of “cedar”. Based on the limited knowledge I have of cedars grown in your part of the world, I’d say your cedar is mostly similar to what we get here known as generic cedar (“western red” is the usual variety, not to be confused with “spanish cedar” or aromatic, or white, etc. etc. Its has a good strength to weight ratio and has been used with redwood as traditional stringer material in surfboards for many decades. Enjoy the ride!

richard

12

hey richard no way we dont grow western red here it would be imported.

** if he is talking aust red cedar then it is a lot stronger than any off the cedars**

&we used it a lot in sixtys. however it can stain the foam

both the new guinea cedar & spanish which is around on ocasions.

**are both better choices than w r. **

**2’’ scarf enough for any stringer glue up franklin titebond good as.
**

13

Hey huie

It was western red that I was quote on.

Should be OK shouldn’t it ???

I used pine last time and that turned out OK

Haven’t heard of the others.

Although I havern’t asked about them either.

Cheers