Center Console - What is the best Ply?

[Knightgang]

Okay, I have read numerous, never ending debates about which plys should be used in marine applications. While I agree that marine ply is probably the best material (since it is engineered for the water) I am not sure that the expense of it is justified for my project. Here is soem detail:<br /><br />I want to build a new center console for my 18' Cobia. The boat is very dry, and does not stay on the water. It is stored on the trailer under a boat cover when not in use.<br /><br />I though about just buying a few sheets of 1/2 CDX to build it with. Glassing the inside with mat or roving and glassing the outside with Cloth and resin. I know that I will have to round all exterior edges with a router to be able to glass correctly (will look better too).<br /><br />Will CDX be an appropriate application for this. I plan to keep the boat about 5 years and then sell it (in good shape) to get a new Key-West. I want to do this as inexpensive as possible, but I also do not want to rebuild it every year.<br /><br />All input is appreciated. Thanks guys.<br /><br />Knightgang

 

[Columbia]

Re: Center Console - What is the best Ply?

You got two questions there: What is the best ply? And what is the better ply that ain't too expensive 'cuz you're going to 'glass it. If I was building that console, I'd consider using MDO two sides ply. You don't need to glass it on either side and it takes paint well and looks good. You could overlap/butt the corners and add a small strip to cover the raw edge there or you could miter the corners and have no exposed edge. If you're going to glass it, what you use isn't so important but if you use a less than 'B' face, you'll have surface voids to fill before glassing. It's sort of a trade off between cost of ply and labor.... I don't know what prices are like where you are but we have had ply shoot up in price here to double and triple last year's prices due to the gov't buying 50 million bucks worth for Iraq work. Sometimes ply that doesn't move as fast has not had its price raised and isn't much more than "cheap" ply. So called 1/2" wafer board, for God's sake, is over 20 bucks a sheet here right now and it was 6 or 7 bucks last year.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Center Console - What is the best Ply?

I used 1/2 inch ACX for my center console, and painted the living snot out if it with a good Polyurethane paint inside and out, and so far it has held up just fine.<br /><br />

 

[Columbia]

Re: Center Console - What is the best Ply?

Wow! Nice job, it looks great!

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Center Console - What is the best Ply?

Thanx Oldsailor. I was originally going to build a mold and fab up an all glass console, but I needed more weight forward. Building the console out of the wood and placing my battery in it gave me the weight I needed forward for it to run right, and I had converted the boat from a standard bowrider runabout and had cut a lot of weight out.

 

[Knightgang]

Re: Center Console - What is the best Ply?

ACX, CDX, XYZ..... what's the difference? I have done a bit of woodworkign in my time, but i have to admit i am not that educated on plywood. i do not want a bit long debate about it, but a breif summation on the differences in ACX & CDX will do for now. I will research plywood further but any advice will do. Thanks -- Knightgang

 

[Hooty]

Re: Center Console - What is the best Ply?

Plywood <br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

[airman]

Re: Center Console - What is the best Ply?

I've written a couple of posts favoring marine ply but I wouldn't bother with it for what you're building. Above the floorline I had good luck with cheap ply that was well sealed with polyester resin then painted. It's been there 5 yrs now with no rot at all.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Center Console - What is the best Ply?

The letter refer to the finish grade and the application. The A refers to one side that is sanded quite smooth. It could be painted with little work. The C refers to the other side which is not sanded as well. It is much rougher. The X refers to Exterior applications. ACX had a better appearance than CDX. ACX can also have less voids than CDX. They both use the same glues to bond the plies together. If you are going to build a center console out of ply, use ACX, building it A side out. Then you can do some finish sanding, paint (or resin soak) and be done with it.