IE63864B1

IE63864B1 - A process for producing a hurling stick

Info

Publication number: IE63864B1
Application number: IE105290A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Philip Doyle
Original assignee: Forth Mountain Patents Limited
Priority date: 1990-03-21
Filing date: 1990-03-21
Publication date: 1995-06-14
Also published as: IE901052A1; GB2242136A; GB9106037D0; GB2242136B

Abstract

A method of making a hurling stick comprises selecting a straight grained timber element which has been air-dried; providing a plurality of cuts in the element which are in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship relative to each other; plasticising the element; subjecting the plasticised element to bending in the region of the cuts at an angle of between 18 DEG and 25 DEG ; filling the cuts with a suitable adhesive material; and cutting a hurling stick from the element so that the region of the cuts provides the boss of the stick.

Description

This invention relates to a process for producing a hurling stick.

A hurling stick or hurley is used when playing a game known as hurling. The stick is made from ash and historically has been made from the lower part of the ash tree including the root section. This gives the stick the characteristic curvey grain of the boss.

Ash is the only timber regarded by players as being suitable because of its characteristics of resilience and strength. No other timber or material would be acceptable by the players of the game.

It is now widely recognised that there is a growing shortage of suitable root-ash timber for hurley manufacture. The present market is under supplied and the quality of the product is deteriorating.

The known method of making a hurley is briefly described as follows. A suitable ash tree of any size or age is selected. The first four feet over ground level must be straight. With reference to Figure A of the drawings, a section of the tree indicated by the lines 1 is removed and sawn into planks of approximately 25mm thickness. The planks are air dried for at least twelve months and the hurley (see Figure B) is cut by a bandsaw from the plank having the pattern and shape shown.

The technique is difficult requiring considerable skill and experience to make a top quality hurley.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a different method of producing a hurley.

The invention, therefore, provides a method of making a hurley which method comprises (a) selecting a straight grained timber element which has been air-dried to about 20% moisture; (b) providing a plurality of cuts approximately 300mm long and approximately 25mm apart in the element which cuts are in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship relative to each other and to the longer sides of the element and which cuts terminate at one end of the element; (c) plasticising the element; (d) subjecting the plasticised element to bending in the region of the cuts at an angle of between 18° and 25°; (e) filling the cuts with a suitable adhesive material; and •(f) cutting a hurley from the element so that the region of the cuts provides the boss of the hurley.

The invention will be understood in greater detail from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:Figures 1-3 show an element in various stages according to a first process of the invention; and Figures 4-6 show an element in various stages according to a second process of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Figures 1-3, a grade one straight grained ash plant of approximately 25mm thick and which has been air dried to about 20% moisture is selected. The size of the plank is about 1.37m by 127mm by 25mm which is big enough to make two hurleys. The plank 10 is substantially rectangular in shape having two parallel sides 11 and 13 and two parallel ends 12 and 14.

At each of the ends 12, 14 of the plank 10, a set of four bandsaw cuts or kerfs 15, 16 approximately 305mm long and 25mm apart are cut so as to be in parallel spaced apart relationship to the sides 11 and 13. The plank 10 is then plasticised by steaming, by the use of anhydrous ammonia or by boiling.

The technique of steaming or boiling is carried out above 100% relative humidity, in the case of steaming, and at 100°C in the case of boiling for a period of about 60 minutes for every 25mm of thickness (approximately) of plank having approximately 20% moisture.

In the case of the use of ammonia, a 25mm 5 thick plank is subjected to gaseous ammonia in a chamber for approximately 60 minutes. The chamber should be capable of withstanding a pressure of about 5.5 MPa (800 psig) for reasons of safety. The pressure of the ammonia gas in the chamber should be about 896 kPa (130 psig).

Following plasticising, the plank 10 is placed in a suitable jig so that each of the ends 12, 14 is subjected to bending at an angle of between 18° and 25°. The mean angle is about 22°. The plank 10 is left in the jig for about three days.

Into the cuts 15, 16 is introduced an adhesive and the ends cramped. If desired, this step may be carried out immediately prior to the insertion of the plasticised plank 10 into the jig.

The adhesive should preferably have the following characteristics: A. It should be waterproof.

B. When set it should be clear or opaque in colour so as to blend with the ash.

C. It should provide a flexible joint as opposed to a brittle joint, the reason being that it must be able to absorb the shock from a blow without cracking. This flexibility is achieved by mixing a formaldehyde resin glue with a polyvinylacetate glue in a ratio of about 3-8% by weight of PVA to formaldehyde resin. The preferred ratio is 5%.

D. The adhesive should provide a very strong joint.

Alternatively the adhesive may comprise urea formaldehyde resin.

The result of this process produced a piece of timber 10a. The shape of two hurleys 20, 21 is marked in the piece 10a so that the boss 22, 23 of each hurley 20, 21 respectively is located in the respective curved ends 12, 14. The shapes are then cut out using a bandsaw so as to produce two hurleys 20, 21. The final shape of the hurleys may be made by hand or by using a spokeshave plane followed by sanding or by using a profile copier followed by sanding.

Referring now to Figures 4-6 of the drawings, there is shown an alternative process for making a hurley in accordance with the invention.

Three grade one straight grained ask plant pieces 30, 40, 50 of approximately 25mm thickness which have been air dried to about 20% moisture are selected. The dimensions of the pieces 30, 40, 50 are respectively and approximately 1370mm x 76mm; 305mm x 25mm; and 305mm x 25mm. The piece 30 is substantially rectangular in shape having two parallel sides 31, 32 and parallel ends 33, 34.

Similarly, the piece 40 has sides 41, 42 and ends 43, 44; the piece 50 has sides 51, 52 and ends 53, 54.

•At the end 33, a set of two bandsaw cuts or kerfs 34, 35 are provided having a length approximately equal in length to the length of the pieces 40 and 50.

The ends 33, 43 and 53 are aligned so as to 5 lie on an imaginary straight line parallel to the side with the piece 40 sandwiched between the pieces 30 and 50. The pieces 30, 40 and 50 are then placed in a clamp and plasticised as described above.

Following plasticising, the pieces 30, 40 10 and 50 are placed in a suitable jig and subjected to bending as previously described thereby providing a curved end 14a. Into the kerfs 34, 35 is placed an adhesive again as previously described. It will be appreciated that the fact that there are three pieces , 40 and 50 clamped together, the gap between the pieces 30 and 40 and the gap between the piece 40, 50 are equivalent to kerfs 34, 35 and are also filled with adhesive to form a piece 60 of unitary construction.

The shape of a single hurley 20a is marked on the piece 60 so that the boss 23a is located in the curved end 14a. A hurley 20a is then cut from the piece 60 as previously described.

The resulting hurleys are of a quality which is stronger than conventionally produced hurleys but of considerably less cost.

The invention is not limited by or to the specific embodiments described which can undergo considerable variation without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method of making a hurley which method comprises: (a) selecting a straight grained timber element 5 which has been air-dried to about 20% moisture; (b) providing a plurality of cuts approximately 300mm long and approximately 25mm apart in the element which cuts are in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship relative to each other and to the longer 10 sides of the element and which cuts terminate at one end of the element; (c) plasticising the element; (d) subjecting the plasticised element to bending in the region of the cuts at an angle of between 15 18° and 25°; (e) filling the cuts with a suitable adhesive material; and (f) cutting a hurley from the element so that the region of the cuts provides the boss of the hurley. 20

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the element is substantially rectangularly shaped.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the cuts are provided at one end of the element to enable the production of one hurley therefrom.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 2 wherein a set of cuts is provided at each end of the element to enable the production of two hurleys therefrom.

5. A method of making a hurley which method comprises: (a) selecting a straight grained timber element which has been air-dried to about 20% moisture; (a') selecting two additional timber elements of substantially equal dimensions and being shorter in length than said timber element; (b) plasticising the elements; (b') clamping the elements together so that one of the additional elements is sandwiched between the other two elements; the gaps between the elements are in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship relative to the cuts; and said one end of the element and one end of each of the two additional elements are co-planar; (c) plasticising the elements; (d) subjecting the plasticised elements to bending in the region of the cuts at an angle of between 18° and 25°; (e) filling the cuts and the gaps with suitable adhesive; and (f) cutting a hurley from the elements so that the region of the cuts and the gaps provide the boss of the hurley.

6. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1-5 wherein the step of plasticising is by steaming above 100% relative humidity for a period of approximately 60 minutes for every 25mm thickness (approximately) of timber.

7. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1-5 wherein the step of plasticising is by boiling at 100°C for a period of approximately 60 minutes for every 25mm thickness (approximately) of timber.

8. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1-5 wherein the step of plasticising is by the use of anhydrous ammonia in a chamber for approximately 60 minutes at a pressure of about 896kPa (130 psig).

9. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1-8 wherein the angle is 22°.

10. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1-9 wherein the adhesive is a waterproof adhesive.

11. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1-10 wherein the adhesive is a formaldehyde resin.

12. A method the adhesive is as claimed in any of Claims an epoxy resin. 1-10 wherein

13. the A method adhesive is as claimed in any of Claims a urea formaldehyde resin. 1-10 wherein

14. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1-13 wherein the timber is ash.

15. A method of making a hurley substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1-3 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A method of making a hurley substantially as 5 hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 4-6 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A hurley whenever produced by a method as claimed in any of Claims 1-16.