: Some time ago on this board "bender" plywood was mentioned. I think
: someone was using it to form up a cockpit coaming or something like that.
: What is this stuff, and where do you get it? Thanks in advance!
: --Scott

Hi Scott

I believe that was me, or at least I was one of them. I am/have used it to form the double-open cockpit on my Walrus. The particular type I used is Italian Poplar Bending Plywood. It is 1/8" thick, made up of 3 plys of poplar with the grain going in the same direction rather than the normal crossing pattern for strength. This will either be oriented with the length being 8', meaning in a 4' x 8' panel, the grain will run in the 8' direction and the ply will be able to curve through it's width. You could roll it up into a 12" diameter tube. The one I used was the 8' x 4' type with the grain all running in the 4' direction and you look at the sheet as being 4' long and 8' wide. I ripped 8' lengths of 3" wide strips and 6" strips to form my cockpit rim and used 4 layers, staggering the joints to form my 1/2" thick cockpit rim. I used a form covered with plastic trash bags and about 80 2" spring clamps to glue up my rim, with epoxy to layer it. I coated each layer with un-thickened epoxy and then went over and mixed the remaining epoxy mix with sawdust and went back and coated one side again before putting it all together. I had a neighbor help me with the assembly. It was sticky and tricky, but it worked out extremely well. The rim was flexible, yet firm and kept it's shape very well. I have some pictures of what I did, but unfortunately I don't yet have an account to post them with, so if You would like to see them I can email them to you.

I picked up the plywood at one of 3 specialty lumberyards here local. They all had it, but the place I bought it dealt strictly with home building (wood) materials. ( Not Home Depot or the like.) If you are on the West Coast you may recognize the name Ore-Pac. They have a wholesale/retail store here in Fresno, Calif. and others out this way. Oregon and Washington I'm sure. If you call around to some of the " Lumber Yards " you will probably find it or will be able to order it. It's pretty common in building curved office counters and kitchens and the like. I paid ( retail ) just over $21.00 a sheet, but it went up to $27.00 a sheet at some places, so shop around. If I still had my account the wholesale price was $17.00, but it's been too long away from the business.

This stuff is a bit tricky to cut unless you have a large table around your saw, but it can be done. I roll it up and just feed it from the side of the table and let it unroll as I go. LIke I said, a bit tricky, but do-able. Or, you could use a straight edge with a skill saw or jigsaw although neither will be as accurate or clean of a cut, I don't believe.

Let me know if you are interested in a few pictures of the process of building the cockpit and I will email you.

Rehd