[bolger] Re: finish MDO (was 1/4" ply on Work Skiff (was:Questions to Bolger))

MDO has a phenolic face on the "good" side, no filling or sanding required
except at joints.

No 1/4 MDO, it starts at 3/8.

I just built an almost-disposable 12 foot skiff, used 1/4 exterior luan from
Home Depot - I was very pleased with the light weight, smooth face veneer,
and working properties for a small boat. I used some epoxy, some TiteBond
II, and some PL foaming polyurethane glue. If you use chine logs and
screws/nails, the PL works great. I haven't had much luck with polyester;
epoxy is great for taped seams and fillet joints, but expensive if the
"disposable" is your only project.
I would go with the PL, chine logs, and butt blocks - no epoxy or polyester
needed. Oh, and 3/4 or 7/8 stainless or bronze ring nails are great quick
permanent fasteners - just a few needed if you can find them, try a "real"
local hardware store. Predrill before nailing, they will split light
framing.

You can see the skiff at the site in the sig below - link is "12 Foot
Skiff". I took it for one of those "1-hour cruises" today. Great therapy!

Don Hodges
dhodges@...
http://www.ecoastlife.com
Your Cyber-Vacation - Loafing on the Emerald Coast
Small Boats, Building, Fishing, Paddling, Rowing, Sailing

----- Original Message -----
From: Sean Rooney <sean@...>
To: <bolger@egroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 1999 10:44 PM
Subject: [bolger] finish MDO (was 1/4" ply on Work Skiff (was:Questions to
Bolger))


> >The ease of finishing MDO is the big attraction for me.
> >
>
>
> Dumb question: What's different about finishing MDO? I've never even
> seen MDO - it's got a thin plastic coat on one side, right? Is it
> stiffer than plain ply? Does it have any abrasive resistance? How
> expensive compared to regular exterior ply?
>
> I'm thinking of building an ultracheap Teal or Elegant Punt for two
> years of sailing and rowing in the pond in a park near my house with
> my daughters, aged 2 and 5. It will go on short cruises (an hour or
> less most likely) and be stored in my garage or off the ground under
> a tarp. When I move in 2002 I'll give it away. I'm thinking of 1/4"
> lauan (or MDO), deck screws, whatever glue I have on hand, polyester
> resin on taped joints, leftover latex house paint, polytarp sail.
>
>
>
>
> Sean Rooney
>sean@...
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Boat buyers and sellers! Do you feel lost in a sea of classified ads?
> Stop treading water and get to iWant.com, the Internet community that
> connects buyers and sellers-FREE! It's all smooth sailing from here.
>http://clickhere.egroups.com/click/1958
>
>
>
>
>
> -- Easily schedule meetings and events using the group calendar!
> --http://www.egroups.com/cal?listname=bolger&m=1
>
>
>
>The ease of finishing MDO is the big attraction for me.
>


Dumb question: What's different about finishing MDO? I've never even
seen MDO - it's got a thin plastic coat on one side, right? Is it
stiffer than plain ply? Does it have any abrasive resistance? How
expensive compared to regular exterior ply?

I'm thinking of building an ultracheap Teal or Elegant Punt for two
years of sailing and rowing in the pond in a park near my house with
my daughters, aged 2 and 5. It will go on short cruises (an hour or
less most likely) and be stored in my garage or off the ground under
a tarp. When I move in 2002 I'll give it away. I'm thinking of 1/4"
lauan (or MDO), deck screws, whatever glue I have on hand, polyester
resin on taped joints, leftover latex house paint, polytarp sail.




Sean Rooney
sean@...
----- Original Message -----
From: Robert N. Lundy <rlundy@...>
To: <bolger@...>
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 1999 8:00 PM
Subject: [bolger] Re: Questions to Bolger

snip

> As to your questions about the 15'work skiff: I bought these plans at the
> same time I bought those of Windsprint. I decided to build the Windsprint
> first, as I really wanted to see if I could build a boat that would
actually
> sail. When looking at the work skiff plans, the first thing I noticed was
a
> lack of permanent molds/bulkheads frames, compared to one of the skiffs
> meant to be built in 1/4. Adding up all the plywood, this thing will be
> HEAVY. Which is actually what I want to replace an aluminum boat that is
> just too light for Tampa Bay. Based on looking at the plans, I think 3/8
> (if you could get some good 3/8) would work; To use 1/4" you'd probably
> want to add a more significant gunwale structure (just add another course
of
> gunwale, in and out). I'd probably keep the 1/2 or at least 3/8 in the
> bottom (its layered). Never know where you'll find a rock.

I've been thinking a lot about using 3/8" MDO. For building a moderately
cheap and easily finished boat it seems like a good bet. Unfortunately all
my current projects call for 1/4" ply and they don't make 1/4" MDO as far as
I can tell. The ease of finishing MDO is the big attraction for me.

John Bell
Kennesaw, GA
jmbell@...
http://jmbell.home.mindspring.com