Thread: Plywood for small boats.

I used to sell Paulownia but retired a couple of years ago. As far as I know there are only 2 businesses selling Paulownia where you can get a range of sizes. The guy who bought my business is at the Gold Coast but can deliver timber using IPEC. His name is Geoff and his telephone number is 0411676854.

Whitewood

Originally Posted by schmik

IMG_2440.jpgCan anyone suggest where i can get the oregon or paulownia in sydney? I can't find anything except structural oregon and certainly not in 19mm. I am in Epping if that helps.
Help!

Why are you restricted to using oregon or paulownia? They are very different timbers. If you just want something for stringers and framing, cedar or hoop pine would be perfectly acceptable alternatives.

Specialty yards in Sydney:

Anagote Timbers Pty Ltd I've dealt with them years ago. Nice bunch of hobbits.

Trend Timbers These guys are good too.

I'm sure there are other good ones too, if you care to do a bit of Googling.

Thanks Gents.

I only asked for oregon or paulownia because that is what the plans called for. Never built a boat before... i'll use what ever i can get and is appropriate.
I was googling for timber yards... seems i need to google for wood work supplies.


cheers
mike

I just threw this at Google: timber specialty sydney - that works too.


In general terms, you just want something that is straight-grained, glues well, not too heavy, and with good strength for its weight. Oregon and paulownia are like that, with oregon being close to twice as dense and proportionally stronger than paulownia.

Hoop pine, or Bunya pine, or Quandong, or several others would work as a substitute for Oregon if we're talking framing. Cedar (Western Red or Australian/Surian) or Redwood (Sequoia) or several others would work as a substitute for paulownia.

Boatcraft pacific's agent in Beverly Hills Syd has hoop pine ply DRIVE Marine Services
As for the cheaper construction ply idea, I'm just about to post a thread about my use of 4mm bracing ply on a Eureka canoe. Avoid it. After a year of use cracks appeared in the epoxy in places where I suspect voids in the middle veneer are present. I repaired a couple of spots with glass but other cracks appeared and water has tracked to the ply. The hull has now been stripped and glassed with extra 4mm ply added to the bottom panel. It's considerably stronger but considerably heavier.

Also, I've said before my ply didn't have an A type bond but it does, and was marketed as exterior bracing ply CD A bond. But ages ago I did the boil test on an inch by inch piece and it delaminated within an hour.

So, although the idea that fully encapsulating this kind of ply sounds plausible, the likelihood of non solid core, voids etc, the questionable integrity plus the glue has made me wish I forked out for decent ply. I've already spent $250+ on glass and epoxy to strengthen and refinish the hull. Paint, varnish and more epoxy to go.

I wouldn't use CD bracing ply myself, particularly not in 4mm thickness. However, I have had luck with some exterior ply that was BB faces or better, and A bond glue. Can't remember the brand or the species (it was ages ago).

I have to admit, that cd ply was possibly the worst example of brace ply for me to use. In contrast, the CC brace ply I bought recently to double the thickness of my bottom panel was so much better. It has no defects at all on both faces.

I got four sheets so i can make a small deck and floatation tanks.
I ended up with Pink Maple marine ply??? Well that is what one of the sheets was labeled with. Two other sheets look different but are labelled with the BS..num....
The 4th sheet??? is totally different colour and weighs a LOT less than the other 3. I think i got ripped off. Oh well, will use the 4th sheet for deck and seats, NOT the hull.
They only had 4 sheets left... not quite what they said on the phone before i went out there.

As for the rest of the timber. OMG. I ended up with mahogany. Cost a bit!
I am glad that I am using this as a learning experience because it's costing me!

Of course, when i tracked down a local place to mill the huge chunk of mahogany.... they had Oregon, WRC, Hoop Pine... EVERYTHING.

Question about Butt Straps for joining ply.
When i joint two pieces for the sides of the boat I leave enough space up top so that the inwhales will fit.
How much space (or none) do i leave at the bottom? i.e. where the sides meet the bottom of the boat.
Unfortunately MIKs plans are missing a measurement for this. (and i have never built a boat before).

mike

Hi schmik, I remember I stuffed up my butt straps, accidentally swapped the bilge and side panel straps. By the time I realised it was too late. But the bilge straps and bottom just fit them in the middle and as stated, 22mm down from the sheer on the side panels. The flush fit is then achieved by planning any overhang. The bottom and bilge straps are similarly trimmed flush if needed but all are planed at an angle so they don't touch when the canoe takes shape.

The 22mm down measurement on the side panel is where I realised my mistake. I thought you had to line up a flush fit and I couldn't work out why there wasn't at least 22mm space for inwhales. IMO I think it wouldn't matter if you made these pieces slightly larger again, line up the 22mm down for the side panels then for all other edges, just trim with a plane to flush fit then plane an angle before you start stitching it all together.

Not sure what to say about your ply. All I know is it's better quality than my crappy stuff I bought.

Thanks. Thanks makes sense.