I just weighed the station 6 bulkhead completed for USA 013. It weighs 1002
grams with all hybrid and epoxy applied. It would be good to get a plywood
station 6 completed and weighed.
Because the bulkheads are being used like webbing in an "I" beam, the load is
almost entirely in compression and it's doubtful that plywood would provided
as strong a vertical column as vertical cedar. However, If the plywood is 5
ply and the outer skins are oriented vertically, I think any difference is
probably insignificant. Weight and cost would likely be the real factors.
Those
milling their own strips from typical lumberyard cedar will likely have a
number of lower quality strips (appearance wise) and would be foolish to simply
throw them away and buy an expensive sheet of plywood. On the other hand,
those
buying finished strips may well be better off using plywood as long as they
are careful to seal all edges (especially around the lightening holes).
Best regards,
Bram
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