Danny Fenton Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 Hi Richard it does affect things, the thickness of liteply has to be increased to give similar strength to "real" ply and this alters the corresponding components. It is just my preference but I do not like Lite ply and would always use either ply or balsa. Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Fane Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 Danny, Richard Sorry my previous description was incorrect, I think the ply parts are real ply not liteply. Some of the sheets are marked "Birch Ply" some are not marked at all but I would say they are all the same material ie Birch Ply. sorry for the confussion Martin Edited By Martin Fane on 22/09/2017 17:58:33 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 Thanks Martin that's good to know.And thanks everybody for the feedback.CheersDanny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 One thing I have been looking at whilst sorting this one out is the use of Poplar play instead of Birch ply on some of the main formers, it is stronger than liteplay, but only slightly less than Birch, it is lighter than birch but heavier than lite, it is also a proper play, less prone to warping and burning than lite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Hi to everybody still out there, @ Dylan > I must admit that this apprentice thought 'liteply' was the same as poplar ply. Here in BE it seems to be sold that way anyhow. Locally I can find light - but not strong & easily warped - poplar ply (in minimum thickness of 3mm), standard birch ply (3 & 6mm and thicker), cyparis ply (3, 6 & 9 mm) or 'aviation grade' birch ply from Finland (from 0,4mm up to 9mm) but quite - or say 'very' - expensive at, for example, € 22 for a 100x50cm / 1,5mm sheet. Still much to learn down the road it seems... Cheers Chris Edited By McG 6969 on 30/09/2017 17:48:43 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Liteply as per sold by SLEC and others, isn't a proper ply as far as I am aware, has very little crush resistance, warps easily in all directions (because of no opposite ply layer directions), and turns to charcoal when laser cut, Poplar ply is a proper ply made up in opposing layers, exactly the same as birch but using poplar wood. It does bow when in larger sheets as does birch, mainly due to the stresses of manufacture and moisture content, but this also applies to birch, poplar is lighter than birch but not as strong, it does have crush resistance but not as much as birch and it lasers very well. I personally have no problems with replacing birch whenever possible, which is I would say 80% of the time, I have done it on several models. The main time I would is for bulkheads, engine mount plates, u/c mounts etc where you do need the strength of birch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Thanks for the clarification Dylan, it does beg the question as to what the "other" cutter is using exactly. As mine will be electric several of the parts could be balsa and i would prefer that to lite ply. Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Thank you for the clarification as well, Dylan. The description of 'liteply' you're giving is a bit worrying, as if there are no cross grain layers, one should hardly call it real 'ply' indeed. A bit strange they sell it under that denomination. Your description of poplar & birch is exactly what we can find here in BE locally. But around here I never saw any 'non-crossed-grain' laminated wooden substance called 'ply'. I agree with Danny about avoiding 'liteply' then and having choices between balsa, poplar or birch ply where & when needed. Thanks to both of you. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 There are other so called light ply woods about, when we got our hands on the Airsail stock, there was some very strange materials in the packed parts, one was very dark but very red outers with white coloured inner plies, not seen it available for sale as sheets anywhere, but to be honest I'm not sure I'd want to use it anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Posted by Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services on 01/10/2017 16:07:19: I personally have no problems with replacing birch whenever possible, which is I would say 80% of the time, I have done it on several models. The main time I would NOT is for bulkheads, engine mount plates, u/c mounts etc where you do need the strength of birch. I assume you missed out 'not' in your post? ie where I've inserted it in upper case and bold. So what is the liteply sold by SLEC. I use it quite a lot and assumed it was a birch (or poplar?) balsa sandwich. I haven't had any real problems with it except when I built kits (Precedent - which is part of SLEC and, I think, Flair) which uses it and there was some warping which straightens itself out in the build. No mechanical problems in flight. I used a sheet successfully as the one piece deck of my 1 metre Thames sailing barge hull with suitable cut-outs for deck housings etc because it was easy to score lines to represent planking. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 I’ve used Liteply a lot and have some 3mm in stock. The stuff I’ve got does fit in very nicely between hard balsa and normal ply. I’d certainly used it again. It sounds as if it’s not all the same though, doesn’t it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Taylor Posted October 1, 2017 Share Posted October 1, 2017 Hi Danny, Having had a couple of years with the Precedent Stampe I had decided on the Hawker Fury for a Winter build project. The plans were purchased and the wood kit bought for the very same Denis Bryant Mk 1 version and that is as far as it got. I had even visited Duxford for the Flying Legends Weekend and armed myself with a good many static and flying shots of their Fury. What a stroke of good luck your build master class is - please count me in! Cheers, Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR 71 Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I have used lite ply for the last 5 years with no problems at all, and i build big models, i store it flat all the time Lighter than birch and stronger than balsa, i think it fits the bill exactly Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I agree. I like Liteply. With care and consideration for its usage and purpose (and if necessary hollowing out to save weight) its a very good balsa substitute, its far more ding proof (essential with my built in clumsiness) and is excellent for facing thing like ailerons, flaps etc. Its also about 1/4 the price of balsa and due to the greater area can be very economic when laying parts out. I have built many models now with Liteply ribs, no complaints at all. Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 Hello to all, All this is very confusing as I think some of the forumites talk about 'liteply' as if it was 'poplar' ply. Poplar shows up as very light coloured - around vanilla - nearly without any substantial grain visible but is cross grained. No idea though how the discussed 'liteply' looks like. Dylan stated that the 'liteply' he tested was quite weak and subject to "charcoal burned" edges when laser cutting. I worked quite a bit with laser cut genuine poplar ply (3 & 6mm) - non aero modelling related - for material cost and faster laser cutting speed compared to birch ply. So, I'm wondering if there isn't a verbal confusion here about comparing the wood bits you people use without at least a density comparison... Maybe we could have some samples cut and compare our results? I won't propose a 'g/dm²' comparison though as I have a fantastic converter software at hand... BTW, is this something like "opening a can of worms" that I sometimes read on the forum? ... Cheers Chris Edited By McG 6969 on 02/10/2017 18:36:34 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted October 2, 2017 Share Posted October 2, 2017 I think i need to clarify my post. I think liteply is a good substitute for balsa in certain circumstances. I think that in some circumstances you could replace 1/16 birch ply with 3mm lite ply, for example the rear formers where i think lite ply may be a better option. I would never advocate exchanging birch ply for lite ply on load bearing components. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 Yes, don't get me wrong, "liteply" does have it's place and uses, but I certainly wouldn't even consider it for anything remotely load bearing, I will try and get some pics up on here of each kind and do a sample piece for each and show weight difference for an identical part. As far as the plan goes, I have stuck to the materials suggested with the exception of a few formers where I have replaced 3mm Birch ply with 3mm Poplar Ply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McG 6969 Posted October 3, 2017 Share Posted October 3, 2017 ... some light in the tunnel then maybe for me. As Dylan stated about 'liteply', 'poplar ply' & 'birch ply', there must be a difference between 'lite' and 'poplar'. (note to self: Very obviously, of course, Chris.) I still have no idea what 'liteply' looks like. Probably it remains a 'persona non grata' on the Continent with no CE Certification... When you're cutting some samples to compare, Dylan, could you please include some 'liteply' example as well? Thanks for it. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 Seems we are famous, our masterclass is mentioned in the Sarik advert on the back page of the RCM&E Special Edition. Along with a cracking picture by Chris Bott of me and my Chipmunk at the Nats. Really looking forward to getting cracking on the Fury Cheers Danny Edited By Danny Fenton on 04/10/2017 20:29:49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted October 4, 2017 Share Posted October 4, 2017 Danny, mine arrived today. The Sarik advert is inside the mag on pages 110/111.The top of page 111 has a good colour photo of the Fury, with a mention of the build thread and price list for all the bits. There is a full page advert for the Dynam B-26 Marauder on the back. The photo of you and the Chipmunk is on the “Next Issue” page, no.122. Excellent freeze shot of the plane with you in the background. You look somewhat blurred and I’m not sure if it’s the usual out of focus background effect or the heat haze resulting from you sweating on the top line! I certainly would have been. I’ve got to say that although the Fury looks quite good in the camouflage and yellow scheme, it seems slightly out of proportion to me. The rear fuselage looks too deep. I suppose there could be some distortion effect in the way the picture has been transposed into print, maybe it’s just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mallam. Posted October 5, 2017 Share Posted October 5, 2017 'Morning all. Notwithstanding all of the above comprehensive discussion about ply, I would be interested to hear views on the ply (to be laminated) former (F1) firewall on the Fury as indicated on the plan and supplied in the woodpack from Sarik. For those who received their woodpacks from Sarik, will you be using this - or would standard (from Orbit) 6 mm light ply be preferable? The ply in the pack is 2mm, laminated to make 4mm, whereas the plan itself suggests 6mm.... Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Hi Richard can you post a picture of the 4mm F1 bulkhead so we can see the material quality please? Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Mallam. Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Thanks Danny. Some pictures below. Am not sure that a 4mm former will be man enough? Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny Fenton Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Hi Richard, thanks for posting those pics, I am always a little aprehensive when the parts are not as the designer intended, however in this instance provided that is good quality ply I reckon it will be okay, provided the joints are good between it and the other load bearing parts surrounding it. If you are going electric then this is all probably too much. Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 For a proper man sized 90FS sized IC engine, I think that I would want 6mm ply. I agree though for wimpy electric 4mm would be enough. Probably get away with 0.8mm balsa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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