African Mahogany is a pale reddish-brown color with a straight interlocking grain, and the species is about 50% harder than most Mahogany woods.  This variegated grain can produce beautiful dark and light bands of color when finished.  The higher the quality of the Afican Mahogany, the better it will machine and finish, so our standards are very strict regarding the lumber we buy.

Marine plywood can be graded as being compliant with BS 1088, which is a British Standard for marine plywood. There are a few international standards for grading marine plywood and most of the standards are voluntary. Some plywood is also labeled based on the wood used to manufacture it. Examples of this are Okoume or Meranti.

Okoume Plywood

Okoume grows rapidly and regenerates well in clearings, which makes it very renewable. It is light pink in color with a variable interlocked grain. The grain appearance is prized, likened to that of mahogany and is often varnished for a decorative appearance. The panels are normally painted or finished bright. The species has a high strength to weight ratio which is why it is used in building racing boats and airplanes. Be sure to finish all exposed edges and sides.

Okoume marine grade plywood is considered perhaps the finest construction plywood now available for boat building. Users range from individual hobby boat builders to some of the world’s largest boat builders. Most often it is used with epoxy and fiberglass. This combination gives a structure that can be stronger and lighter than plastic or fiberglass, rivaling the performance characteristics of more advanced composites such as carbon fiber. It contains an exterior weather and boil proof glue.

Meranti plywood is produced from several species of trees in the Shorea family. The wood is similar in color and grain to Mahogany with generally a clear face with little to no knots, solid veneer core and no voids.

West System® epoxy is a versatile, 2-part marine-grade epoxy that bonds and coats fiberglass, wood, metal, fabrics and other composite materials to provide superior strength and moisture resistance.

West System® Brand Epoxy is perfect for all kinds of building and repair projects. West System® can be used in major architectural projects and to repair, maintain and improve their homes. Also used to repair fiberglass, wooden, and aluminum boats, build new boats and modify cars and planes.

http://www.westsystem.com/

For more information on how to use go to the HOW TO USE menu at westsystem.com. Select the Video Demos. By clicking on one of the underlined titles listed you can access a short video of the activity described. In addition, by clicking on the HOW TO USE menu, you may access and download any or all manuals.

Sitka Spruce has an outstanding stiffness-to-weight ratio, and is available in large, straight-grained pieces, lending this timber to a wide range of commercial uses.  Common uses include aircraft components, musical instrument soundboards, boat building (mast and spars), wind turbine blades and virtually any application where a wood material with a good strength-to-weight ratio is needed.

McCormick Lumber has been selling Sitka Spruce for over forty years when enthusiasts of the popular winter sport of ice boating, encouraged us to stock Sitka Spruce to use in building their boats.  Once stocking the Sitka Spruce, we began selling it to aircraft builders as well.  In fact, the Sitka Spruce used in the reproduction of the Spirit of  St. Louis came from McCormick Lumber.  Our Sitka Spruce does meet aircraft specifications; however it is not stamped “Aircraft”.

Our average shipping time of in stock items is one week and along with the Sitka Spruce, we also carry the West System, epoxy.  Aircraft and Ice boat enthusiasts find this system to be very user friendly.