Hey this is a pretty urgent question because i am trying to place my order in the next couple of days. Which is the best type of wood to build a wooden hull out of? I have a site that i found on here but cannot locate the thread again and I was looking at possible the Birch Plywood. Is that a good type to use? I know there is a thread on hee all about this but i cant seem to find it. Was hopeing for a general idea of whats best from yall's experience. Thanks for the help.
I have used birch plywood from National Balsa for my best work. I recently found that I could get birch ply cheaper, and in 60" lengths vice 48", from www.rockler.com where I'd been getting tools Using that to finish a Gangut, a group of Pommerns, and Frau Blucher. No pics on those hulls as I'm trying to get them done before Nats. Might have some Pommerns for sale there. Frau Blucher is to feed my CAE addiction. I have also used cheap as dirt sand pine plywood and it works fine but you will get some voids which will need to be filled to assure good strength. I use whichever fits the budget at the moment for myself*; for commission work, I use the birch, better asthetic and hey, someone's paying me for it *for the deck, use either 1/8" or 1/16" birch, or something fancier (carbon fiber, G-10 board, etc). Sand pine won't cut it and isn't strong enough in 1/8" (if you can find it in 1/8")
Finnish Birch plywood is a marine grade plywood. It is not cheap, however it does stand up to water very well. Finnish birch cuts very nicely on a scroll saw. It will meet any application that you could possibly need for your ship.
If anyone is about to order plywood, Rockler is doing free shipping on orders $25 or more thru end of the day today. Which is a hair less than the cost of 3 1/4"x12"x60" birch ply sheets. Code to enter is V2131. If you sign up for their emails, they typically have at least one deal like that per month. Full disclosure: I get no kickbacks from Rockler, just like the company. Also the hobby balsa people only sell ply to 48" long, not to 60. ps- If anyone knows how I can get massive kickbacks in return for blatant plugs, please put them in contact with me lol
sweet thanks national balsa is the site i was going t order from but ill check rockler b4 doing so. Tugboat im sending you a pm
Jon, check out the Rockler store on Rosemead just South of the Pasadena DMV. They have a good supply of plywood in there or they did a month ago when I dropped in.
