teak and holly plywood

[Steve W]

Do any of you folks have a scource in the US for a good quality T&H panel? I am just finishing up a new sole in a customers boat but am pretty fed up with the crap available from most of the usual suppliers, i mean, it looks beautiful but its just superficial, with paper thin face veneers on basically junk plywood. What i would like to scource is a BS1088 panel with at least a 1mm face veneer. Any ideas?
Steve.

[CatBuilder]

I don't know what the usual suppliers are for you, but call Chris Boulter at Boulter plywood in Somerville, MA.

I think he can put any veneer on a sheet of 1088 Okoume.

His wood is exceptionally high quality, judging from what I have received from him vs what I have seen in FL (and ordered and returned in FL).

[Steve W]

Thanks cat,actually the stuff i just used came from Boulter,very poor quality,the T&H face veneer is gorgeous, just paper thin, on a sub standard panel.
Steve.

[CatBuilder]

Originally Posted by Steve W

Thanks cat,actually the stuff i just used came from Boulter,very poor quality,the T&H face veneer is gorgeous, just paper thin, on a sub standard panel.
Steve.

That's odd. Hmm... I believe you have to tell Chris what you want. Did you specify 1mm veneer on BS1088 panel?

That's really a bummer the stuff from Boulter wasn't up to the task. There doesn't appear to be a much better source in the USA.

[fpjeepy05]

Originally Posted by CatBuilder

That's odd. Hmm... I believe you have to tell Chris what you want. Did you specify 1mm veneer on BS1088 panel?

That's really a bummer the stuff from Boulter wasn't up to the task. There doesn't appear to be a much better source in the USA.

I second that. I've got some nice stuff from Boulter. If you want real wood they sell (or at least use to) solid Teak and Holly (maybe maple). 5/8" Boards. I think it was Shiplap, but might have been tongue and groove. Its quality.. but your going to pay for it.

[PAR]

Just buy some thicker veneers and glue it to a substrate. You can do some inlay work with your logo incorporated into it, juts to remind the client that it's not a slap me on the butt job. I have a flitch of live edge, 1/8" teak right here.

[michael pierzga]

Originally Posted by Steve W

Do any of you folks have a scource in the US for a good quality T&H panel? I am just finishing up a new sole in a customers boat but am pretty fed up with the crap available from most of the usual suppliers, i mean, it looks beautiful but its just superficial, with paper thin face veneers on basically junk plywood. What i would like to scource is a BS1088 panel with at least a 1mm face veneer. Any ideas?
Steve.

Not quite plywood, but a month or so ago on BDN Island teak shouted out that they have teak and maple interior decking

http://www.island-teak.com/interior-decking.php

[bntii]

I am just finishing up a T&H ply job on a 42 sail.
The panels my supplier provided have as I judge a decent surface veneer that one might get a couple of sand outs and refinishes before it is toast..
I will check who made them.

I go with PAR on this- none of the veneer T&H floors will stand up to much before they are trashed.

One can make up quick flooring by gluing up a plank with a 3/8" 'holly' board over, Surface down to get holly side to 5/16" & resaw to get your veneers:

[PAR]

A live edge is as it sound, the actual edge of the log after it's been sawn. The easiest way to describe it, is to picture one of those coffee tables or wall clocks where they slice a log into a 2" or 3" thick plank, stick some legs or clock face on it and cover the thing in epoxy. You see the whole log in the slice, bark, sap wood, heart wood, everything. The only thing that's cut is the top and bottom (front and back on a clock) faces, the edges are just as the tree was when live (hence the name). Now, most live edge veneer has been de-barked, but the sap wood and log shape are usually still there. Essentially, you're buying sliced veneers that haven't been trimmed up along their edges, which offers more fitting options and can usually save you some money, if bought by the flitch. You still have to cut the edges off, as much of it is waste wood anyway, but you have the option of where to cut.

[bntii]

Thanks PAR- I googled it and remain amazed that I could have spent so many years around wood & still not have this vocabulary..
The limits of being self taught I suppose.

[FAST FRED]

While its pretty, todays teak and holly cabin sole serves no purpose.

When T&H was used earlier the Holly stood proud , giving a no skid surface,

ply veneer today is just Boob Bait for the Bubbas, pretty , but pretty useless.

FF

[Steve W]

Thanks guys, Boob Bait for the Bubbas eh,thats a good one Fred,and you are right of course. I have made up my own stuff in years past but these days our customers dont want to spend the money. The thing that bothers me with not just the t&h but teak plywood in general is that they charge a premium price for a substandard panel with a pretty face.We use a lot of BS1088 meranti for general structural use which is consistently good quality regardless of the supplier and is also good value for the money spent, i feel good about it, now if they would only apply a decent thickness veneer onto this plywood it would be great, but no, usually its a paper thin veneer on a panel that that looks like a cabinet grade panel.
Steve.

[PAR]

Steve you've hit it precisely. The teak and holly plywood panels are cabinet grade, though it may have a WBP adhesive.

[bntii]

The stock I have has a thin surface veneer as well- I got fooled by a bit mahogany lain just under.

[david@boatsmith]

Bruynzeel used to make a ply that came with about a mm thick teak and holly veneer. It was VERY pricey. We build teak and holly (maple) soles of solid wood. panels cost $40/sqft. Only high end boats will pay for this quality. But when you drop a can of beans on the sole it can be repaired and refinished. With veneer repairs are not possible.