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If you look at my post I spoke of 'similar species'. Limewood is basically basswood. It is a soft wood but if you don't stain it it will be a nice creamy color which I believe is what you are looking for.Paul, I don't know what internet you are using, but in my universe no supplier sells dowels made of "swiss pear, castello boxwood, Buxus macowanii (boxwood from South Africa)" I went with limewood. Please tell me I made a good call![]()

It is European limewood - the internet said that it is a hardwood.If you look at my post I spoke of 'similar species'. Limewood is basically basswood. It is a soft wood but if you don't stain it it will be a nice creamy color which I believe is what you are looking for.

my cutty at 1/115 was running 6mm , i generally use 8mm at 1/50-1/65 and 7 on 1/78-1/100 . Let us know when you get to see the plans.Martin! Thank you! Yup - Re-do here we come!
If memory serves (I'm on campus and don't have ready access to the plans) kit-plan gives 5mm for fore and main and 4mm for mizzen. Any other dimensional information re: spars on those plans? Where am I looking and what words am I looking for? I think my L'Orenoque plans may have some info
Blessings.
Chuck

Jim! Thank you! The google search worked!In addition to what Paul mentioned, you can make dowels from virtually any type of wood as long as you start with square stock. With a simple jig, even a basic drawplate setup, or using a threading die, you can produce dowels in almost any diameter you need. It’s a very practical solution if you want control over the wood species and grain. I just hope my search engine history (below) still has those instructional videos saved.

Thank goodness for my spirit-guide on this build! Martin!!! Thank you! I can almost get by with very basic conversational French - serves me right for not following through with French - although I was quite smitten by my 7th grade French teachermy cutty at 1/115 was running 6mm , i generally use 8mm at 1/50-1/65 and 7 on 1/78-1/100 . Let us know when you get to see the plans.
I hate re-drilling mast holes, i wish you luck if that's what you are up for !
On the right hand side of the sail plans , the last column is marked diametre, masts are "mats", but be careful because what we would call a foremast is "misaine", while what we would call a mizzen is "l'artimon" ! Yards are "vergues" , except gaff spars, "cornes"
i have rounded out slightly, no idea what you can find over there, is it all imperial or can you find metric ?
topmasts 4, mizzen topmast 3
main yards are 4.5mm, topsail yards 3.5, topgallants 2
gaff spars 2.5 gaff topsail spar 2
jib boom 3

Martin! I'll reach out after a thorough review of the plans. New mast holes are definitely in the picture. Also I need to finish the bottoms (heels?) of the replacement masts with tenons that fit the mast steps I lovingly fitted before the hull was plankedmy cutty at 1/115 was running 6mm , i generally use 8mm at 1/50-1/65 and 7 on 1/78-1/100 . Let us know when you get to see the plans.
I hate re-drilling mast holes, i wish you luck if that's what you are up for !
On the right hand side of the sail plans , the last column is marked diametre, masts are "mats", but be careful because what we would call a foremast is "misaine", while what we would call a mizzen is "l'artimon" ! Yards are "vergues" , except gaff spars, "cornes"
i have rounded out slightly, no idea what you can find over there, is it all imperial or can you find metric ?
topmasts 4, mizzen topmast 3
main yards are 4.5mm, topsail yards 3.5, topgallants 2
gaff spars 2.5 gaff topsail spar 2
jib boom 3


Could you not find maple? You should also be able to get walnut dowels online, I use those for sheaves in blocks. I don't think you'll get large diameters like .75+ inch, but .5 inch and smaller should be available.Paul, I don't know what internet you are using, but in my universe no supplier sells dowels made of "swiss pear, castello boxwood, Buxus macowanii (boxwood from South Africa)" I went with limewood. Please tell me I made a good call![]()


Jerry! Not for immediate delivery. As to your question - the answer is meCould you not find maple? You should also be able to get walnut dowels online, I use those for sheaves in blocks. I don't think you'll get large diameters like .75+ inch, but .5 inch and smaller should be available.
Who makes spars from dowels anyway?
View attachment 580447 View attachment 580448
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) are extremely informative and fully explain the appeance that the fore mast is taller than the main. According to those plans the Panama's fore and main masts are identical. Google translate got some stuff wrong. "Basic food" is mainmast. I am assuming that the masts tapered as they rose - so the given diameter is the diameter at the bottom. If anyone posts that the diameter was uniform over the length of the spar, this will be my last post - ever




Martin! That's exactly where I've always wanted an arrrow.Ah well , at least you have an arrow in the ass of your artimon !![]()


Martin! I noticed the same thing. Makes me wonder why provide all of the detail inlcuding angles for the jib and indicate 0 rake for the masts. Wierd. I'll go with the rake angles I determined from the Descartes plan. BTW my limewood dowels arrived and they are straight and hard - hard enoughNotice they have deleted the mast rake again.
Congratulations to you two and keep on working "on it"! You're off to a great start!!17th Anniversary today! The Admiral and I are going out for an executive lunch as the first celebration. I know that's not a lot of time given the longevity of many of the marriages among our shipmates, but I'm working on it
Blessings. Peace. Gratitude.
Chuck

Brad! Thank you!Congratulations to you two and keep on working "on it"! You're off to a great start!!


As it is a model hardness is probably not much of a factor and color as mentioned may be more important to you. For comparison, South American castello hardness is 1,810 lbf and European limewood (Tilia x europaea) is from 310–700lbf on the Janka scale.I went with limewood. Please tell me I made a good call

