Wood for Blocks

ScoutDadinVA

ScoutDadinVA

Pinewood Ninja
Feb 10, 2022
62
12
8
virginia
So i am looking to dimension some of my own blocks and was curious which species would be the best to start with. Was thinking Sugar Pine, Yellow Poplar and Basswood as finalists. Could the pros out there recommend their top three? I have a jointer, thickness planer and drum sander so all forms of milling are on the table.
Also any opinion on quartersawn vs flat cut as well?
Thanks!
Fyi good news we beat the district champion in the All Comer's race with a stock, non- outlaw build.. by about 3 tenths sec.."so i got that goin' for me..."
 
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ScoutDadinVA said:
Ok, figured poplar would be a good one given its minimal movement. Thank you!
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Ok looks like we will be using some Eastern White Pine as there was a sale and the clerk said this nearly identical in terms of its dimensional stability and density to Sugar Pine. Also the grain was tighter vs the sugar pine they had.
Has any one tried this wood before? My thoughts are to mill it to near final dimensions, let it dry and adjust to my shop's humidity level over several months then do final dimensioning in the fall as the MC settles into around 8%. The radial plane movement of EWP is 2.1% vs SP being 2.9%, so better to have a quartersawn block of EWP all things equal. Tangentially, SP is superior to EWP if flat sawn at 5.6% versus 6.1%, respectively. Still would rather have a quartersawn Ewp but splitting hairs at this point. So i haven't tooked at the wood yet but hoping it is mostly quartersawn.
Any others out there been through this exercise or am i just ruminating on nonsense at this point?
 
:) Sounds like you've caught the bug. Welcome to the rabbit hole.
In south Florida, I have yet to lose a car to humidity. Once you get your size & verify it's square & flat, I seal it with penetrating epoxy, CA Glue or Marine wood sealer. You can touch it up whenever you are ready to drill.
Every body has their own preference.
 
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Jupiter 2.9 said:
:) Sounds like you've caught the bug. Welcome to the rabbit hole.
In south Florida, I have yet to lose a car to humidity. Once you get your size & verify it's square & flat, I seal it with penetrating epoxy, CA Glue or Marine wood sealer. You can touch it up whenever you are ready to drill.
Every body has their own preference.
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Thank you Jupiter! I have some thin CA glue but need more epoxy for a slab im working on...so perhaps ill use that..less fumes.
 
Jupiter 2.9 said:
Penetrating epoxy, “Get-Rot” or West Marine sells a version private labeled from West Systems epoxy. Takes about a day to fully cure.
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Good Stuff!! I love West System products 105/206 but will try the West Marine PE you mentioned. Thank you!!
 
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Thanks everyone for their replies. Looks like Ill be using some flatsawn eastern white pine. Should get about 60 5/16" thick blocks out of it. Not bad for 18 bucks after tax.
Probably should have let it come to my shop's humidity level first, but i went ahead and squared up the 3/4 in thick on the planer and jointer..now down to .7 inch thick. I stickered it with cinder blocks on top to let it adjust to my shop RH. Over the summer will resaw and drum sand the boards then let those hangout for a few weeks before cutting the bodies. Then the future webelo will be involved in construction.
 
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