back to woodworking

[bilspe]

First few posts on this site
Always dabbled with woodworking but not done as much as I'd like
Hoping that will change and here's a recent 'Hi-fi rack' project (still finishing)
Going through a Birch Ply phase ))

 

[Brdy]

Looks smart! Where do you source your birch plywood from and how much per full sheet?

 

[robgul]

Looks smart! Where do you source your birch plywood from and how much per full sheet?

I'd be interested to know that too.

I've just finished making a table with Stretek Poplar-faced ply - I'm pleased with the result as a piece of furniture but the grain/figuring on the clear-finish Stretek isn't as atrractive as Birch (which I used for the table's predecessor about 4 years ago - the new one is a different size)

 

[bilspe]

Looks smart! Where do you source your birch plywood from and how much per full sheet?

There's a CNC operation on a nearby industrial estate that makes ply furniture etc.
They generate alot of offcuts which I'm able to buy at a very fair price.
I've never bought full sheets from a supplier but looking at prices, an 8x4ft sheet of 15mm works out around £160

 

[robgul]

There's a CNC operation on a nearby industrial estate that makes ply furniture etc.
They generate alot of offcuts which I'm able to buy at a very fair price.
I've never bought full sheets from a supplier but looking at prices, an 8x4ft sheet of 15mm works out around £160

Ah - if you're getting offcuts you can work around any defects/plugs in the surfaces - I hunted around with suppliers all over the country for "perfect" (or at least one side perfect in the large-ish sheet I needed) Birch ply and failed to find anything - hence the compromise with Stretek.

 

[bilspe]

Ah - if you're getting offcuts you can work around any defects/plugs in the surfaces - I hunted around with suppliers all over the country for "perfect" (or at least one side perfect in the large-ish sheet I needed) Birch ply and failed to find anything - hence the compromise with Stretek.

There shouldn't be too many defects / plugs in the higher BB grades of plywood although I guess it's near impossible to get one full side completely free.
I had a big problem though in working with offcuts.......
If they all come from the same 'batch' of sheets it's fine but different batches vary in thickness. 18mm is rarely exactly 18mm when measured with a vernier. It can vary between 18 - 18.5mm, which if you're laminating, and cutting very fine joints that are on show this can be a nightmare. Also different batches have varying colours and grain pattern on the face surface. Ok for more general work but on a nice piece of furniture it's really difficult to match up when using offcuts.

I've never worked with the birch alternatives Stretek etc.
I'm hearing that the USA is struggling to get supplies of true birch ply and they're having to compromise with the substitutes

 

[robgul]

There shouldn't be too many defects / plugs in the higher BB grades of plywood although I guess it's near impossible to get one full side completely free.
I had a big problem though in working with offcuts.......
If they all come from the same 'batch' of sheets it's fine but different batches vary in thickness. 18mm is rarely exactly 18mm when measured with a vernier. It can vary between 18 - 18.5mm, which if you're laminating, and cutting very fine joints that are on show this can be a nightmare. Also different batches have varying colours and grain pattern on the face surface. Ok for more general work but on a nice piece of furniture it's really difficult to match up when using offcuts.

I've never worked with the birch alternatives Stretek etc.
I'm hearing that the USA is struggling to get supplies of true birch ply and they're having to compromise with the substitutes

Yes the good stuff should be OK, at least on one side - but nobody seems to be selling any, anywhere, at any price

Watchng the US YouTubers with plywood projects it always looks like very poor "core" quality with 18mm (3/4" in US parlance) only being about 5 or 7 plies?