Advice required on selection of wood

[Taffy Turner]

I have been lumbered (joke - geddit?) with making up a frame for marking the crease for my cricket club.

It is a fairly simple job, and won't take me long. The thing is I am a bit unsure about what timber to use. :?

The thing will be made from 1 1/2" square timber, in roughly 6' lengths and will be left un-finished, and stored in an open-fronted shed, so will be subject to moisture fluctuations. :roll:

My initial thoughts were to make it out of B+Q pine for cost and convenience, :shock: but then it occurred to me that this would probably warp all over the place, resulting in bendy crease lines (and Taffy being the butt of much leg pulling from his mates).

So what I need is something that won't cost the earth, but will remain straight when it rains, or gets covered in white wash. I was thinking along the lines of Ash or Oak, but am open to suggestions if anyone else has got any ideas. :idea:

Ta in advance.

Gary

 

[johnelliott]

Oak is the wood of choice where it is going to be exposed to the elements. It weathers to a silver grey colour, and lasts a long time
John

 

[Anonymous]

Taffy

If cost and movement are of prime importance, then why not use 3/4" ply? Exterior grade (as fans of Norm will tell you) would do the job :wink:

 

[Taffy Turner]

Tony, John,

I thought of using ply, but our current frame is made from plywood, and hasn't lasted too well. Where the white wash is brushed up against the edge, it has seeped in and caused the ply to de-laminate - hence the need for a new frame.

That is why I was thinking of spending a little bit more and making a hardwood one which hopefully will last out my playing days.

I like John's suggestion of using Oak. I may well go with that. Now I just need to source some 1 1/2" thick Oak planks locally....

Thanks

Gary

 

[trevtheturner]

Or, perhaps, cedar, Gary? Good weather resistant qualities, as with oak, but probably you wouldn't be 'lumbered' with so much weight to carry out to the middle with the bucket of whitewash.

Cheers,

Trev.

 

[Taffy Turner]

Trev,

Fair enough - cedar now enters the equation.

Which out of cedar and oak is least likely to bend at twist with changes in humididty?

Opinions everyone please!

Ta.

Gary

 

[Midnight]

just to be different.... merranti..?? I built a duck board for the shower years ago... subjected to extremes of moisture and heat... never flinches..

 

[tim]

Gary,

Oak I think is technically more unstable re movement but I think seasoning is the key for whichever timber you use.

I think I'm also right in saying that all hardwoods silver over time if left exposed to the elements. Obviously some will last longer in the elements than others, like oak as John suggests.

Don't want to be heretical but you could make the edges of the frame out of timber and then use some angle iron or aluminium (back to back -with a gap the width of as the whitewash guide. Give you a perfect straight line and keep the wood parts looking pretty plus they wont be wetted everytime you run a whitewash brush against them. Thats what I remember being used when I used to play - just can't seem to find the time to play anymore which is a shame.

Cheers

Tim

 

[trevtheturner]

Gary,

Oak is fine for durability but in thinnish sections can move considerably in service.
Cedar is equally durable but, as I understand it, because of its oily properties it should remain stable and show little, if any, movement. Often used for greenhouses which last for years (Alton Greenhouses of cedar construction come with a 10 year guarantee).

But I'm not an expert, although I do follow cricket now that I'm too old to play!

Cheers,

Trev.

 

[tim]

Another possibility is to use Teak or Ipe - which is what my deck is made from - durable as you like, sinks (!) in water, no known predators and needs no maintenance! Any good?

T

 

[Taffy Turner]

Teak = expensive??????? :shock:

 

[Duiker]

What about good old impregnated wood designed for use as fences and patios etc? Its cheap enough, light and weathers well. I think the waxed versions would work too as well as all the hardwood versions. B&Q to the resue once more?

 

[Argee]

Larch would be my choice - weather-resistant and cheaper than oak. Bit of a swine to plane, though!

Ray.

 

[Alf]

Don't want to be heretical but you could make the edges of the frame out of timber and then use some angle iron or aluminium (back to back -with a gap the width of as the whitewash guide.

I thought similar heretical thoughts, only I went so far as to wonder if you could forget the wood altogther... I dunno, it's not a piece of equipment I'm familiar with - my batting crease has always either been a line in the sand or a chalk line on concrete.

Cheers, Alf

 

[tim]

only I went so far as to wonder if you could forget the wood altogther...

Well I agree with you. Big fan of cricket, big fan of wood. Not sure this is the best marriage of form and function.

Sorry Gary

T

 

[Anonymous]

I rather think Mike's (Duiker) idea is a good 'un :wink:

 

[trevtheturner]

So what d'yer reckon then, Tim - iron bats and stumps? :shock: :roll: :wink:

Cheers,

Trev.

 

[Alf]

Ah, the aluminium bat... Who was that? Dennis Lillee? And I thought the stumps were made of highly breakable camera equipment these days? An attempt to encourage the bowlers to hit them, I suppose... :lol:

Cheers, Alf

 

[tim]

So what d'yer reckon then, Tim - iron bats and stumps?

Yes of course - along with wooden pads and gloves and hell - what else would a box be made from. :shock: :lol: :shock: :lol: :lol:

I thought you were supposed to be sorting out a whole bunch of new floorboards anyway!! :lol:

T

 

[trevtheturner]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Yep, finished them today, Tim - phew

Cheers,

Trev.