The void check works great i hold a clamplight behing the sheets and then circle the voids on the other side. I then plan my cuts around them. It some times adds another splice to panels but it is cheaper to buy another four sheets than one sheet of marine ply. My local supplier keeps trying to get me to buy his overpriced ply but i will use the lauan as long as it proves adequate and my wallet remains thin.

Tom

: Grant,
: I've used luan for numerous boat projects including interior veneers for a
: 45' catamaran, cold molded veneers for a 15' proa etc. I always used a
: testing method recommended by the WEST System epoxy guys ( I can't
: remember how to spell the name -Gougeon Brothers?).

: I did the bake/boil test. Take a small sample piece and boil it in a pan on
: the stove for an hour. Then put it in an oven at 350 for an hour. I did
: this 3 times on the same sample. I found that some sheets held up and the
: same product bought 2 months later at the same lumber yard didn't. I don't
: know if it was from a different mill or what. If it failed it usually did
: so at the first boil. If it did hold up I went back and bought the rest of
: the pallet.

: I've never tried to see through to locate any voids as mentioned in other
: posts but it seems like a good idea if it works.

: Lance