I'm just west of Toronto and I'm looking for a source of Marine Plywood. Exotic woods looks decent, but spendy.
Also WTH am I looking for? I see all kinds of cores and plys. Any brands to avoid? This is for small a water wheel BTW, so it won't be submersed, but will be wet most of the time. I only need the one sheet of 3/4".
The closest place for you to get marine plywood in Toronto is
All plywood made in Canada is done with waterproof bonding agent. Its the quality of the wood and the voids that you have to watch. Lots of plywood on sale in Canada is coming from China and sold at bargain price. Not that China cannot make good plywood its just that they are producing it to meet the buyer's offered price.
Thanks, I've heard of these guys, but did not realize they were so close.
The plans I have call for the outer wheel to be plywood, the hub to be plywood and the spokes/paddles to be solid wood. But given the size, it doesn't make a lot of sense not to make the sides all one piece. It will be simpler and cheaper, although perhaps a little less authentic. The buckets will be solid wood and the finish will likely be epoxy, as it has to be fish safe.
SFWIW, marine grade ply for this application is a waste of good marine ply.
Marine ply has no voids and thus can be bent to conform to a smooth curve.
That is not your application.
A good exterior grade ply (not Chinese) along with solid wood will do a good job.
If you can find 13 ply with exterior glue, so much the better.
You can seal the wood with epoxy; HOWEVER, if this wheel is outdoors you will need to protect the epoxy from the sun's UV with a varnish containing UV inhibitors.
Lew
Will varnish stick to epoxy? Would it be any kind of varnish? Poly?
Of course; however, a word of caution.
Some epoxies leave an amine blush on the surface after curing.
It can be washed off with water and a ScotchBrite scrubber.
Personally, I sand with 60 grit between coats of epoxy to level things out and don't worry about it.
Lew
I sounds like you have build boats before. When you say you don't worry about it do you mean the amine blush or the UV protection?
Only one, a 55 ft ketch.
Using 60 grit removes enough surface material no only to remove any amine blush, but also provides a good bonding surface for the nexy coat.
As always when using epoxy, you must be concerned with UV protection.
Lew
Boat is still under construction.
Yard is too small to get a picture.
Name is Challenge.
Lew
Thanks, good luck with the building.
You are in the high cotton now.
System 3 makes good stuff (I have bought lots of drums of their stuff) and Jamestown Distributors has a good inventory of of 316 S/S as well as silicon bronze fasteners.
Why not go to the S3 web site and talk with their tech bunch.
I forget the name of the guy who heads up the tech group, but he is good.
I'd probably use an epoxy high build primer to seal the plywood under whatever S3 suggests.
Might want to give some thought to making the buckets, paddles, whatever you call them from redwood, cypress, etc, water tolerant wood, left natural.
After all, they have had waterwheels operating long before epoxy came along.
Have fun.
Lew
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.