AHA! It's all in the wrist, or in getting the correct search terms in
google. Depends what you want to do. Anyway, here are a couple of
links to info:

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/Communica...e/3nws0806.htm
http://www.safnet.org/archive/0703_howtointerpret.cfm

From that second site, here's some interesting info:

"...species groups ... are denoted by these abbreviations:
Spruce-Pine-Fir S-P-F
...."

I saw a *lot* of lumber at the yard stamped S-P-F. Spruce-pine-fir,
doesn't matter for wall studs. Oh joy, or rupture.

THIS is interesting, though:
http://www.wclib.org/results2.asp?mn...&Submit=Search

No idea if they'd sell in less than truckload quantities. Worth a
call, maybe.


(Corrie) wrote in message . com...
Thanks, Ryan. Veeduber is indeed generous with his wisdom. Fly5k has
been rather terribly OT of late, but I suspect there are gems in the
archives.

What you say makes a good deal of sense as well. I'd hesitate to
substitute fir for spruce in spars or longerons, as fir is reputed to
be stiffer. The expected amount of 'give' of the beam is likely to
have been designed into the structure. But for other parts, I suppose
it doesn't matter all that much. It struck me as odd, though, that
the Evans VP front spar bulkhead (carries the instrument panel, and
your legs stick through a big opening in the middle) calls for Douglas
Fir for the spar and strut carry-through, spruce for the vertical
members, and pine for a transverse member. I've asked on the vp group
on yahoo, but haven't gotten a definitive answer.

Spent a little while at the local Huge Orange Store tonight looking at
lumber. Lotsa knots and center cuts from little trees. :-(



Ryan Young wrote in message ...
Generally, the wood itself will be stamped or marked on one or both ends
with SOME ID, which may be a little cryptic. "Western Woods" is one common
ID here in Californis, which can be about a half dozen different species.
Luckily, they all have pretty similar mechanical properties.

For a key to wood ID, try "Wood Structure and Identification", Core, Cote,
and Day. Or "What Wood Is That - A Manual of Wood Identification.

Bring a 10X loupe, and a razor knife.

BUT IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER. Read what Veeduber has to say about wood
selection in this group and in the FLY5K yahoo group. Wood selection for
QUALITY is more important than SPECIES. If the grain is OK, the wood will
probably be OK.

Sitka Spruce has lower mechanical properties than just about any commonly
available softwood used for structures - worse than Western Hemlock, Douglas
Fire, etc. But it's lighter than they are, and it's strength/weight ratio
is very high, which is why it's often called for in aircraft work.

You can build a plane just as strong with other woods, it will just weigh a
wee bit more.