Question about 1/4” plywood

[Jaxwagen]

I’m just getting started with fulfilling my dream of building and flying a LE XL. I have a rib jig and plan on taking on the wing build first.
I have no real experience with something like this but I’m sure I’m not the first to say that and I suspect there’s LE pilots that once said that themselves.
I’m looking at material that I’ll need and 1/4” Birch plywood is one of those items. I see Hobby Lobby has a sale on Baltic Birch Wood Strip plywood - 1/4" x 8" x 36" and I’m hoping someone can tell me if:
1. Is this the type of 1/4” plywood I’d want to use?
2. Is the sale price, $6.00 a sheet, a good price?
3. If yes to 1 and 2 how many sheets would you suggest I purchase.
My experience getting the jig I’ll be using was through the forum here (Thanks Theo) and I realize that there will be ‘nesters who’ll help along the way. All well and good BUT in a perfect world I hope to find some hands on experience as well near my home in Reno. Maybe even help a current builder or flyer so I can learn.
I’m currently recuperating from radiation and chemo treatment for throat cancer. It’s taking longer than I’d been led to believe (damn Medical people!) but I want to remain optimistic that the treatments were effective so to that end I’m not letting it stop me from thinking I can realize this dream.
Jack

[Kamcoman77]

Welcome! I hope we can be helpful to you with your project. The Hobby Lobby Baltic Birch ply you are referring to is sometimes called Lite Ply in the RC modeling community. It is usually made by Midwest Products. It does not have as many plies and is not as strong as aircraft grade birch plywood, but it is much lighter and I am using it for the nose ribs of my ailerons and the "D" section nose ribs at the leading edge of my XL wing. For any other 1/4" plywood I'm using aircraft grade birch from Aircraft Spruce & Specialty in Peachtree City, GA (they also have a California location). Once you decide if you will make some parts out of Lite Ply or all out of aircraft grade, let us know which parts with which plywood. Then we may be able to help you figure out how much you will need. If you decide to make the nose ribs from the Lite Ply, I suggest you lay out a couple of paper or cardboard nose rib templates on a large sheet of paper that is 8" wide and 36" long. See how many ribs you can fit in the 36" piece and go from there. You will use a lot of 0.8mm and 3mm plywood in your wings, much more than the small amount of 1/4". Lite Ply will not work for spar webs or the leading edge covering, even in the proper thicknesses (too weak).

[Chuck in Indiana]

"D" section nose ribs at the leading edge of my XL wing.

*I don't think that is a problem..* the plywood carries the load.
but.
The "D" section is very much a structural element of the spar.
I rebuilt a Taylorcraft L2 that had an altercation with the ground one time.    Damage to the left wing, landing gear, and vertical tail. The right wing was undamaged, and had been recovered within the last 5 years. Since I was going to have to recover everything else, I decided to recover it, too.
I was glad I did.
The L2 also uses a "D" section. It had some cracks and a couple of holes in it that had been covered over with duct tape.  Because of this, the D section was flexing, and the rib carrying the aileron load (number 7 on the Legal Eagle) had broken loose.
This airplane was being used as a trainer, and it was not far from having bad things happen..