Caveat Empty Headed wrote:

"plasticguy"
:


OK, let's say i go to the nearest supplier who has (allegedly) got
some Sitka of the correct quality. Let's say he has some boards about
12 foot long and about 6 inches square.
OK, I think I can manage a ring count and gradient as well as seeing
if my spars will come out quarter sawn. after that, i'm lost. I think
I can probably spot a fracture on a raw board and moisture isn't
realyan isue since i know someone who can kinln dry it for me, but
aside formall this, what am I really looking for?

Theres an old AC on the subject. Also look thru AC43.
Another place to look is for "LADDER GRADE" wood.
Older fire department ladders were wood and had very similar
requirements as airplane spars. Asking for ladder grade wood
is easier to do than to ask for airplane spar stock. Now that you
have more places to look, go find what you need. Take a plane and put
a few strokes
on the end of what you might need, look it over. You should be able
to find what you need. NOW DON"T TAKE MY HEAD OFF, I didn't say
to substitute ladder grade for AC43 wood. I just said that the specs
are so close
that asking for ladder grade wood gets you a bunch more places to
check out and doesn't get people afraid of liability...... Scott.

Yeah, I have the AC all right. What i need is a bit more pratical advice.
One of the other guys in my group got some very god spruce form this
dealer. the dealer himself seems to know what it is i'm looking for and is
going to let me see a good selection of logs. Local dealers are a problem
for me, actually (I'm not in the US) Local spruce is crap, forthe most part
and this is genuine sitka from Canada, but it isn't desgnated "aircraft
Spruce" so it's up to me to eyeball it when I'm buying it and make a god
cal on the day so's I don't waste my time and money. The plane idea's a
good one though!


Get with your local EAA chapter, they should have a few people who can
show you around.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired