Meranti ply specs?

[D'ARTOIS]

Rich, what happens nowadays is this: I'am talking about countries like Brasil, Venezuela, Malaysia, Thailand, some African countries etc.

Due to the FSC Lobby, those countries have substantial problems to export unsawn (raw) timber to Europe. To avoid such problems as to import quota, temporarily plants are set up on the exploration sites, producing large quantities of all kinds of plywood.
After such a site has been exploited, the plant will be dismantled to be build upin another area.
If you compare these manufacturing methods with, for example a company with a world reputation like Bruynzeel, than you may either cry or laugh.

To the point: if you want to check the quality of so called "Marine Grade" plywood, A/A or A/B or B/B when it is just used for simple work, do as follows:
1. check for gaps between the layers. Do you find any, it is then 2nd grade stuff. 2. boil a piece of plywood during 5/7 hours and see what happens. Does it come apart, you know that you deal with inferior material.

In general: do not believe the blue stamps on the sheets. Check for yourself and ask for some rest-material and do your at-home testing.
Then: avoid - if possible - all the Asian woods - they have inferior glue and bonding, painting and laquering characteristics. Due to the high alkali content of the wood.
Divide the given strength of the material by two. Wood is only strong in the longitudinal direction. Plywood layers lap each other under 90o angles. The rest might be clear to you.
Use Okume (Okumeia Kleiana) or Sapeli, to mention some African mahogany (not real mahogany) types. They are in any case better than Meranti, Luan, or Merbau (Ironwood).
I hope this explains something,
Cheerio!

M.L. CONDON lists the following in 1/4 X 16' BRUYNZEEL REGINA @ $435/ sheet " " OCCUME (Bruyneel holland) @$198 " 10' " ( Morocco) @ $ 75/ sheet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Are these satisfactory? Which would be used in what areas by todays standards. Assuming I can afford it. Thanks, Rich. If it helps I can scan and email the 2 pages I am working of off. Rich