Hi James

As I said previously, I can't vouch for delrin long term but having spent time researching the options, the material does give me reasonable confidence.

It would be interesting if you could post again with your conclusions when you've completed the job maybe with a few pictures as well.

Cheers

Chas

 Laminate beams /softwood laminates in general-EG.those book shelves you buy from BandQ are laminated not because longer lengths are more expensive/less available its because the harvesting machines /log lorries which abound where I live cut everything to a standard length suitable for ease of stacking/transport etc.

We have some beautiful ships masts growing locally-mature douglas firs 100 plus foot straight and clean- and whilst some are preserved some are harvested cut to that ubiquitous 10 foot length or so!

Did see some taken out full length by a Dutch firm several years ago-rear steering low loaders- clearly for a tall ships mast somewhere.

Phil

Hi Phil

It's always lovely to see masts made out of a single tree, wonderful stuff!

Don't confuse laminated wood beams with those cheap shelves and cheap furniture though. Cheap shelves and furniture use thin strips of wood because there isn't time to season it properly and if you made things out of wide planks of unseasoned wood it would warp. I doubt if they even harvest trees big enough to get wide planks out of anyway.

Laminated wood beams are a different kettle of fish altogether. stregnth for stregnth they are about 20% lighter than steel and 600% lighter that reinforced concrete. Whilst there will be restrictions on widths, they can be made to vitually any depth and legnth and can be formed into various curves, shapes and tapers.  I'm sure you will find a stack of information about laminated wood beams on the internet if you are interested.

If you were building a target rifle where great accuracy was the prime factor you'd choose a laminated wood stock over solid walnut (no matter how beautifully figured) because it is more stable. And whilst a synthetic stock would be even more stable than laminated wood, the laminated wood can more easily be customised to "fit the user" and the better the rifle fits the user, the more accurately and consistantly he/she can shoot.

Cheers

Chas