Brodhead Pietenpol Association

Original Posted By: Michael King
My friend is just about to start the fuselage and tail, and I am making afinal check to see if what he is doing is okay.He has located kiln-dried, clear Douglas fir at a local lumber yard. Is thisokay to use instead of spruce?He also located kiln-dried poplar locally. Someone that built a Piet toldhim that they would use poplar on the next plane. Anybody think this is agood selection (it's cheaper)??Thanks, Glenn________________________________________________________________________________

Original Posted By: Mike Madrid
Douglas fir is fine. It needs to pass the grain and knot teststhe same asother wood. It is a littlestronger than spruce and a little heavier.Poplar - I recently downloaded a Forest Products lab PDF file that has lots ofwood info. The specs that they give for poplar are very close to those forsitka spruce. Poplar is slightly heavier and is significantly stronger incompression. It compares very well and is a whole lot easier to come by herein the east. Like fir, it must pass muster for quality (straightness of grainand knots the same as any other). The buyer remains responsible for grading.Mike BellColumbia, SCMaiser(at)adena.byu.edu on 09/08/99 01:08:32 PMPlease respond to piet(at)byu.edu @ INTERNETcc:Subject: Pietenpol-List: Need Advice on WoodMy friend is just about to start the fuselage and tail, and I am making afinal check to see if what he is doing is okay.He has located kiln-dried, clear Douglas fir at a local lumber yard. Is thisokay to use instead of spruce?He also located kiln-dried poplar locally. Someone that built a Piet toldhim that they would use poplar on the next plane. Anybody think this is agood selection (it's cheaper)??Thanks, Glenn________________________________________________________________________________