Steering Step wood

[Wrinkley]

After 5 years its time to replace the temporary built up ply steering step. If I were to be offered a choice of different wood, which species would be most suitable? It needs to be approx 21" x 10" x 2"

 

Thanks for any advice.

 

Graham

[by'eck]

Iroko or teak if you are feeling flush.

[dave moore]

Ours is oak,3" thick

[koukouvagia]

I was going to suggest elm because that's what I made mine from, using one of the elm bottom planks. I then had a look on ebay and saw that a suitable sized piece would cost about £75!

[RLWP]

I was going to suggest elm because that's what I made mine from, using one of the elm bottom planks. I then had a look on ebay and saw that a suitable sized piece would cost about £75!

 

Maybe the Wooden Boat Society could provide something from a restoration

 

Richard

[Rick-n-Jo]

Ash would be nice (and trad?) if you can get it. I couldn't so used beech, which is durable but only weather proof if kept oiled/waxed.

[X Alan W]

I was going to suggest elm because that's what I made mine from, using one of the elm bottom planks. I then had a look on ebay and saw that a suitable sized piece would cost about £75!

I was going to say the same glad I kept " Stum"

[onionbargee]

I made one out of an oak log cut down on canal bank maintaince, rough cut it with a chainsaw, left it inside near the stove for a while, and planed it off, and oiled it.

[stagedamager]

I've gone for Douglas Fir caked in a lot of varnish.

Dan

[boat fan]

Any good quality hardwood IMHO.

[PeterDHS]

21 x 10 is practically an offcut size for a proper woodyard, so you really need to contact them or visit, and make your requirements known. Teak is stupid expensive. Oak is good and you sometimes get pieces with too much 'figure' or knot ends which go in the scrap pile, ideal for what you want, lots of character. The 2" thickness might be rarer to find. Consider getting 20mm finished size planks and bonding together, or simply 'edging' where the depth shows. A 20 mm oak plank is NOT a frail bendy thing and will blunt your blades, so get it cut and finished if you can.

Peter.

[Wrinkley]

So, lots of choice realy! I have now been to a wood yard in Market Harborough, Glenmore Ltd. It's a place that turns trees in to "wood" if you know what I mean. They a currently conducting a stock take and asked me to return next week when the guy said he would be able to sort something out for me from their off cuts. He suggested Teak or Iroko. Now armed with some information you have given I shall return next week. I will let you know what I end up with.

 

Graham

[Wrinkley]

So just to update, went to the wood yard today and came away with a piece of Iroko. £10. I need to cut it to size and sand it smooth. Don't know what to finish it with. Does it need an oil?

[RLWP]

So just to update, went to the wood yard today and came away with a piece of Iroko. £10. I need to cut it to size and sand it smooth. Don't know what to finish it with. Does it need an oil?

 

I would go for an oil. Don't forget you will be standing on it so you are continuously wearing the surface away

 

Richard

[MtB]

21 x 10 is practically an offcut size for a proper woodyard, so you really need to contact them or visit, and make your requirements known. Teak is stupid expensive. Oak is good and you sometimes get pieces with too much 'figure' or knot ends which go in the scrap pile, ideal for what you want, lots of character. The 2" thickness might be rarer to find. Consider getting 20mm finished size planks and bonding together, or simply 'edging' where the depth shows. A 20 mm oak plank is NOT a frail bendy thing and will blunt your blades, so get it cut and finished if you can.

Peter.

 

 

A customer of mine builds trad oak framed barns. He uses freshly felled green oak which is soft as cheese to cut and work. It only gets hard to work as it ages, he says...

[dave moore]

We have never treated the footboard ( steering step ) with anything, other than the occasional wipe with a damp cloth to remove mud, grit etc. 15 years on, it's holding up well, I expect it will still be there long after I've hung up my windlass.....

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[pquinn]

Whats a steering step?

[mark99]

 

 

A customer of mine builds trad oak framed barns. He uses freshly felled green oak which is soft as cheese to cut and work. It only gets hard to work as it ages, he says...

 

That's true.

 

Old oak is so hard that you cannot knock a nail through it.

[X Alan W]

Whats a steering step?

The piece of wood that makes the top step on the inside of the rear doors on a trad boat another name for a foot board

[cuthound]

I use a metal tool box to stand on, gives me the height I need and I know that my tools are close to hand if needed!

[Lily Rose]

I use a metal tool box to stand on, gives me the height I need and I know that my tools are close to hand if needed!

I think I might give that a try with a slightly rusting metal toolbox that's been sitting unused in my shed for decades.

 

I had recently thought of getting rid of it but perhaps I'll take it to the boat to see how well it works for this purpose.

[David Mack]

I use a metal tool box to stand on, gives me the height I need and I know that my tools are close to hand if needed!

We used to have a plastic milk crate to do the same when my children were small:

 

 

Edited April 6, 2016 by David Mack

[Nightwatch]

I wear a pair of stilettos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not really.