Replies

1. 
   sawzall | Sep 22, 2006 02:49am | #1

   heart pine

2. 
   DougU | Sep 22, 2006 02:57am | #2

   We made some for a court house and they were made out of white oak. Very good weather resistant wood.

   Another choice would be cypress.

   Doug

3. 
   Piffin | Sep 22, 2006 03:41am | #3

   clear doug fir

    

    

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1. 
   CAGIV | Sep 22, 2006 07:00am | #4

   Glad to see the usual consensus!

1. 
   DougU | Sep 23, 2006 03:24am | #5

   We couldnt all agree on getting a raise so how in Gods name would we be able to agree on this! <G>

   Doug

4. 
   Jer | Sep 23, 2006 03:37am | #6

   I would say heart pine, or white oak is a good choice, cypress would be another, or even clear Doug Fir. Any of those.

   Seriously, the origionals were most likely heart pine.

5. 
   McDesign | Sep 23, 2006 03:51am | #7

   Where are you?  I'd vote for old (reclaimed) heart pine - its twisting is already done.  Having said that, I've made sashes from all of these listed, and haven't lived long enough for any of them to have problems.

   "Oak" seems to sound better to a client - not sure why.

   Forrest

1. 
   user-205987 | Sep 23, 2006 03:55am | #8

   I'm in the midwest, cold winters and hot summers. Cost of material is a factor but durability more important.

6. 
   rjw | Sep 23, 2006 05:13am | #9

   FWIW, the plural of "sash" is "sash."

   ---

   “Experience doesn’t bring wisdom, experience evaluation does. When you fail, stay down there for a while and figure out what went wrong. Don’t run away from your failures, evaluate them and learn from them.”

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1. 
   McDesign | Sep 23, 2006 05:23am | #10

   <the plural of "sash" is "sash.">

   And that's a lovely one you're wearing - is that chiffon?

   ;-)

   Forrest

7. 
   Dinosaur | Sep 23, 2006 07:20am | #11

   Oscar, it's regional to a large extent. Here most original sashes are made of white pine; the rest of white eastern cedar. Other places I've seen yellow birch, red cedar, and of course the various hardwoods. Most any wood can be used if you're careful in choosing the lumber and seal it well with paint or stain & varnish. I once made a gang of eight awning-type basement windows and sashes from ordinary framing-grade spruce 2x stock (I had serious budget considerations to deal with on that job),and although I was told by an 'expert' it wouldn't be stable enough, it worked out fine. They've been in service for over 10 years and have never twisted or given any trouble.

   I believe a lot of the choosing was based on what was available locally in the days before it was possible to ship a piece of tree 3000 miles from where it  grew.

   Whatever species you make them of, pick through the pile carefully to get the straightest grained pieces you can, and make sure you put the finish on before glazing. You need to get the glass rabbets well coated. That's where a lot of rot starts.

    

    

   Dinosaur

   How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
   low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
   foolish men call Justice....