best wood for strip planking

[mrojec]

A friend is planning to build a strip-planked cradle boat and wondered about using poplar for the hull, which will be covered in fiberglass cloth and epoxy. I've built a sailboat and 2 cradles and had good results bending the 1/4 x 3/4 in redwood and sugar pine strips. I've heard that cedar is good for bending as well. any thoughts on poplar or any other wood for flexibility?

[gsmittle]

A friend is planning to build a strip-planked cradle boat and wondered about using poplar for the hull, which will be covered in fiberglass cloth and epoxy. I've built a sailboat and 2 cradles and had good results bending the 1/4 x 3/4 in redwood and sugar pine strips. I've heard that cedar is good for bending as well. any thoughts on poplar or any other wood for flexibility?

I've never, ever, ever done a project like this, but I'm thinking you might have better luck with the cedar. Keep in mind that free advice (especially mine) is worth what you paid for it...

g.

[Daryl]

I have left poplar lath in the rain and it became pretty pliable. However I would use the cedar as the poplar is not real attractive and the cedar will show thru the fiberglass and look lots better in my opinion.

[sscherin]

Interesting bit on Steam bending from Lee Vally
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...=45869#species

Species for Steam Bending

To avoid a lengthy description of wood cell structure here, we are providing general guidelines regarding appropriate woods for compressive steam bending using the Veritas Steam-Bending System.

Two rules of thumb are:

1. Exotic woods do not bend well.
2. Softwoods do not bend well and should be avoided.

Some common domestic hardwoods will bend with great success. Based on air-dried 1" thick stock at 25% moisture content going into the steam box, the smallest bend radius you can achieve without risk of failure is shown in the table below. You can get tighter radii but at higher risks.
Species
Smallest Radii
Oak (red and white)
2"
Hickory
2"
Elm
2"
Walnut
3"
Ash
4.5"
Cherry*
6"
Maple**
8"

* Requires some experience to bend flawlessly. It is prone to compression wrinkles on the inside face. These can often be removed during shaping and sanding once the bend is complete and cured.

** Can be difficult to bend. It requires more leverage to put the blank into compression.

[Whaler]

I would use cedar, it has been used for strip planking for decades.
Take a look here:
www.langfordcanoe.com/canoes/classic/index.php