Spruce layer plate (Schicht platte Fichte ) sounds like it might be what we
Brits (and maybe yourselves) know as gluelam - as in gluelam beams - not
exactly plywood, but a beam layered depthwise, such that the glue lines are
running parallel and in line with the longitudial stresses - that is the
bottom of a beam loaded from above would be in tension with the top in
compression. Picture a three layer beam (5 would be more typical) with the
middle layer effectively carrying no longitudinal stresses. I think the
gluelines then just carry shear stresses which they are good at and the
timber layers can then better accomodate varying strains. Spruce is a good
material for beams, strength/weight ratio - the WWII De Havilland Mosquito
(the Wooden Wonder)was a composite of spruce, birch-ply and balsa. The main
spars were predominantly spruce I seem to remember. But as always, there is
spruce and there is spruce! You probably have better quality timber supplies
than here.
Are the 'Schicht platte Fichte' components stressed beams or spars?

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dylan Spurgin" <vanagon@MAIL.SPURGIN.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, July 07, 2002 10:56 PM
Subject: Re: Any German Translators? Some VC

> From http://babelfish.altavista.com/:
> Schicht platte Fichte translates (roughly) to Layer plate spruce
>
> plywood?
> ds
>
> At 05:47 PM 7/7/2002 -0400, Jerome Perkins wrote:
> >Hi,
> >I have got some plans for a rear bench seat but they are in German, I can
> >work most of it out but can any one tell me what "Schichtplatte" means?
It is
> >one of two materials the bench is made from. The other material is
> >"Sperrholz, beschichtet ca 15mm" which I have translated as 15mm plywood.
Any
> >help would be appreciated
> >
> >Jerome Perkins
>
> Dylan Spurgin
> 81 Westy - Elly the Electric Elephant
> http://www.spurgin.net/westy1.htm