Date:         Sun, 13 Feb 2005 12:49:58 -0700
Reply-To:     bueses <bueses@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         bueses <bueses@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Hardwood veneer core plywood & Westfalia's
Comments: To: jimt <camper@TACTICAL-BUS.INFO>
In-Reply-To:  <BE32ACF7.8284%camper@tactical-bus.info>
Content-type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

.........>>> Baltic Birch plywood is what Westy used.  It is readily
available in
>>>> thicknesses from 1/8" to at least 1 1/4".
>> ..........
>>
>> You are right about the old ply used by Westfalia, it is not as nice as the
>> new stuff I am talking about above, but is waaaay better than ordinary
>> plywood or particle bd.  Coincidently, Westfalia's old ply was much better
>> than any of the American camper kits such as EZ Camper, Sundial, etc.

>>
> Instead of the birch I have been using the oak ply.  Same price. ........

I should have said "Baltic Birch hardwood veneer core plywood" instead of
baltic birch ply.

The important thing about the plywood is that the interior plys are solid
hardwood in alternating directions which makes the plywood much stronger,
has no voids on the interior plys & resists warping, etc. much better than
ordinary softwood plywood.  That is why it gets used for furniture, etc.
Baltic birch ply is the usual hardwood used for this type of ply although
the US version is called "apple ply" & is made up of maple(not apple?)
instead of birch & is much more expensive than the baltic birch imported
from Russia!  It does however commonly come in 4 x 8' sheets.  If you are
using an oak veneer plywood, it is either not a veneer core plywood or has
an oak veneer laminated on top of the standard birch veneer hardwood ply or
apple ply. If it is not laminated on top of both sides, the plywood will
warp much more than normal cuz of the uneven # of plys.  I had never seen
oak veneer core plywood other than when I have specified it & they made up
hundreds of sheets of baltic birch plywood w/ a white oak, rift cut veneer
laminated on the top of it for a job we did.  If you order enough, they will
put any veneer(rare Tasmanian wormwood??) on top of the standard birch
veneer.

I use a lot of the veneer core plywood cuz I like the exposed ply edge w/
alternating bands of dark & light colored plys.




Tom Buese-every little product has its own fetish groupies!