plywood choices for AR-15

jlowy · Post by **jlowy** » Wed Nov 06, 2002 12:03 am

Hello Jacques, Just got the AR-15 plans and can´t wait to get started. This is the first of what is sure to be many questions. After reading through most of the threads on plywood, I am confused as to the type of plywood I should be considering for this little performance sailboat. Is it necessary to go with the Okoume Marine Ply or will a less expensive ply be appropriate? If a less expensive is good, which would you recommend? Thanks for the help. Jay

Post by **jacquesmm** » Wed Nov 06, 2002 5:08 pm

Ideally, that boat should be built from quality Okume marine plywood. This is not a throw away boat or a boat built to test a building method. Good plywood will produce a stiffer and lighter boat and affect the performance. The next best choice is Meranti then boat building plywood like XL which is marine fir but not sanded. I would not go below that. Compare prices and consider the total cost: to buy Meranti instead of marine fir will not make a big difference. Also consider resale value.

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Thu Nov 07, 2002 5:24 pm

I´ll have the pre-cut kit priced up for the Ar-15 in a day or two. It will be Meranti 6566 and will include the shipping as in the other kits. Eric

LarryA · Post by **LarryA** » Thu Nov 07, 2002 8:01 pm

Eric, If you are going to the trouble to do a precut kit, why not Okoume. For a boat like that, weight is everything and Okoume is the better choice because it is the lightest.

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 7:25 am

Larry I would be happy to cut Okume. I agree with your insight on the AR-15. Like Jacques has said, it is a boat to be used for many years and is high performance craft. The only reason I will quote Meranti up front is the cost. I would be happy to cut any of our kits from Okume and only add the actual cost (wholesale) of the wood. The overhead costs and profit margin are fixed on all the kits so I can just add the difference in actual cost of the Okume. Okume is about 20% lighter than Meranti and on this model that might be worth the extra few bucks up front. (also easier on my back loading and unloading the CNC machine). Regards Eric [ This message was edited by: Eric on 08-11-2002 07:26 ]

Post by **jacquesmm** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 9:54 am

From earlier conversations with Eric, I know that he is willing to cut almost any kit out of Okume but he may not always have enough in stock. This means that you may have to wait a week or two. Okume is also more expensive, just ask for a quote.

LarryA · Post by **LarryA** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 11:15 am

I need to be more careful with how I word my late night emails. I did not mean to imply that Meranti was "wrong" for the AR15. Certainly the CNC machine could care less what plywood is loaded. I do not see the kits on the web page, how much would they be (approx). Thanks....

Post by **jacquesmm** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 5:46 pm

I posted a Meranti kit around 15.00 EST and it´s there, I see it. The Okume kit will cost around $ 200.00 more. Larry is right about weight: Okume is about 20% lighter than Meranti. It is also more flexible but I have that idea in the back of my mind that Meranti is stronger. I have to check my books. If this was my boat, I would not hesitate to build the hull from 4 mm Meranti. I would keep the seats and sole in 6 mm.

LarryA · Post by **LarryA** » Fri Nov 08, 2002 9:20 pm

Okoume is a bit easier to bend and it the weaker of the plywood strains that I have experience with. My other observations with it are that it is softer (meaning it seems to be easier to gouge if you are not careful) and, on a completely non-scientific measure, seems to absorb more epoxy if you allow it. Based on these observations, I am very careful when using planes and sanders around Okoume. I wonder if others have noticed the same????

jlowy · Post by **jlowy** » Sat Nov 09, 2002 12:16 pm

Thanks guys...I am no longer confused, just undecided. Thanks for the guidance. Does Eric have a different web site? I didn´t see the kit listed either. Jay

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