spreader bar failure

[BrianWillan]

Just finished stitching up the body for my first bridge. I was going to get dowels for my spreaders, but this makes me reconsider....maybe conduit till I can find something else

I use 1" hardwood dowels for my bridge hammock. I did take the time to sort through the pile and find the straightest ones. When I cut the end notches I also cut those perpendicular to the grain so it would lessen the chance of splitting.

Cheers

Brian

[Jsaults]

Assuming you can locate straight-grained pieces. Some have run-out that might weaken them, but ash is popular for canoe gunwales due to it's resistance to splitting.

But aluminum and CF do not have run-out problems as others have pointed out.

Jim

[spamburglar]

I used a piece of 1 inch for a test....needs a bit of tweaking, but it is well on its way....and yes, that is an axe handle at the foot end

[Acer]

1" wood dowel rods are alot thicker and stronger than 5/8".