marine ply query

breghall

Am doing me up a little fixer upper , and would like to use marine ply for some of it. Have used WBP before and after a while I wasn't too happy with it. SO am gonnna splash out and see if marine ply is any different.

Are there special grades of marine ply?
what should i look for before buying a sheet or two?

Anyone recommend a good trusty dealer for the stuff on the east of the country?

bregh.

fergal.b

Look for BS1088 stamped on the sheet, there are a lot of cheep chinese ones about but they are crap

You can get it here http://www.woodworkers.ie/prices/p_sheet_plywood.shtml and here http://www.wallerwickham.ie/csd/marine_plywood.php


.

breghall

thanks Fergal.

Talent

It's worth splashing out on the real thing. WPB is all right for quick, temporary repairs or internal structural work clear of the bilges. The real benefit of MArine Ply is the lack of voids. In WBP internal laminate sections might not properly meet up leaving internal voids where damp can reside and start to spread all sorts of nasty side effects. You'll eventually see wrinkling on badly affected panels. Sometimes you can be lucky with WPB but it's best not to take a chance and go for the real thing. I went to Waller & Wickham for plywood when building little sailboats for the kids and repairing old boats. They used to be very good.

tweenie

Also check this up- but it is a good idea if you cut it to paint the cut edge with pva

Talent

Even better - use epoxy resin.

fergal.b

Yep epoxy is the way to go,I have incapsulated all the ply on my boat making sure all the cut edges are well covered and then coat in varnish for uv protection.

Talent

Yes, the cut edges are plywood's Achilles heel. I remember the late Peter Dunne of Rogerstown showing me how to make what he called "bones" to dress the exposed edges of marine ply by rebating the ply into hardwood slips, or stringers, as the case might be.

I have to say Feargal, that your boatbuilding work is first class.

tweenie

Yes sorry I couldn't think of epoxy resin at time...much better. Agree about your boatbuilding Fergal it looks really good!