Hatz Biplane Association

I was looking around for stringer material. The plans specify mahogany. A/S doesn't carry mahogany that I can find. They do have spruce T-Stringers. I haven't looked for a local source of mahogany. If I do find some, it'll probably be door frame material and I'll have to cut and splice it. I was thinking of using Sitka Spruce.

Any comments on using something other than mahogany?

I did read the posts on here about methods to keep the stringers from warping.

Hi Murry
I used locally supplied cherry but it is heavy. On my super cub that I rebuilt last year the original stringers were sitka, much lighter and easier to work with and scarf. I would go this way because they hold the fabric shape just as well.
Steve

I used D-spruce from the local lumber yard. Mine are not T-stringers but strait with rounded edges where they contact the fabric.

I bought 1x4 mahogany planks from the aviation isle at menards. Ripped them to size, rounded edges.

Thanks guys. The spruce is lighter than mahogany so that is a plus. I read that mahogany is resistant to warping. Probably why they use it for doors - and stringers. I do have the top 3/4" of my spars that I could use to make some T stringers. Just rip them down the middle and glue them into a T. I was thinking T stringers for strength both ways like an I beam. Probably earier to add more formers to keep the stringers straight.

I know they have quarter cut Sitka spruce locally. A 14' 1x6 would be nice. No splicing.

I ended up using the leftover tops of my spars for stringers for my Turtledeck that I made of wood. I bought a 14' 1x6 Sitha Spruce board locally for my side stringers. It's slightly less $ than capstrip from A/S and I don't have to have them shipped or splice them.
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