Plywood

[chris77]

I am wanting to VCarve out some designs using plywood. From the things I have read so far people say baltic birch is the best. I found out quickly that it is very expensive. Does anyone know of a good source for baltic birch or another type of plywood that would have the same outcome but not as expensive?

[TReischl]

The thing is the number of layers in BB vs regular plywood, that and the fact it has no voids.

You can purchase cabinet grade plywood with no voids but not that many layers. I could get this all wrong but IIRC BB has like 13 layers compared to 5 for normal plywood. Too lazy to go look it up.

Whatchya making?

[jimandi5000]

The thing is the number of layers in BB vs regular plywood, that and the fact it has no voids.

You can purchase cabinet grade plywood with no voids but not that many layers. I could get this all wrong but IIRC BB has like 13 layers compared to 5 for normal plywood. Too lazy to go look it up.

Whatchya making?

One thing to watch out for... There is a cabinet grade plywood called "Blonde wood" and my experience this product has been extremely difficult to use for sign making. Every 4 x 8 sheet has been bowed, curvy and waves throughout the sheet. Every sign I have made with this material, gets added to my Combustible prototype pile.

https://www.hunker.com/13401255/blondew ... ch-plywood

[chris77]

I am wanting cut out a pattern that will show off the layers of the baltic birch when it is cut using a VCarve tool path.

[chris77]

Thanks to the both of you for the information!

[TReischl]

Well then you will have to use BB if you want to see all those layers in your carving. As they say: "It is what it is."

[newmexico]

Great question!

We cut up approximately 10 sheets of plywood a month.
Since there is no such thing as "Flat Wood," we've learned to clamp down all for corners to help take out the cup in the piece we are working on.
All plywood of any species and core configurations can be cut on the CNC. (Yes, we've cut up construction grade cheap plywood successfully.)

Around here, we first ask the big question... "What finish are we wanting?" This dictates which species of ply to grab off the shelf.
"Do we need a light background for our stain finish?"

IMHO, Maple provides a nice whitish background for color dye finishes.
Red Oak is our choice for Antique old wood finishes. (We pop the grain with black dye a lot around here and oak has lots of open grain.)

Baltic Birch has 11 layers in its core and glued together with exterior grade glue. It is strong, heavy and flat. Cuts nice, too.

First ask the big question... What finish do I want?

[chris77]

Thank you for the information. I do not know much about wood so this is very helpful.

[Tailmaker]

"Real" Baltic or Russian plywood comes usually in 5'x5' sheets (sometimes also 4'x8'). But my plywood supplier has also domestic birch 4'x8' plywood with veneer core that is almost as good and a little less expensive (https://www.andersonplywood.com/birch/). I use quite often their "Europly" which is super flat and dense with phenolic surface coating, especially for jigs and mechanical applications. But I believe the ship only within Southern California.
Another designer quality plywood is "Appleply" (https://statesind.com/product/appleply) that can be sourced in various places (https://statesind.com/page/where-to-buy). I have not used it but also supposed to be expensive.

[DLWOODWORKS]

Be VERY careful with Chinese plywood. Use a metal detector on it before using any bits or blades on it. I had a piece that when I ran it thru my tablesaw with a $100 plywood blade, I saw sparks coming out of the plywood. Found a huge chunk of metal embedded in the plywood. Since then chinese plywood is not allowed in my shop.

[Savannahdan]

Lowes handles a plywood called Top Choice Blondewood. Presumably it has 11 layers. Might work for a project if you're in a pinch. I've not used it for any projects but might explore it for a bookcase for one of my daughters. We had a fellow in our woodworking club who used it many years ago and made some incredible things. He has long passed. It's pricey but you might get some discount if you are My Lowes/Veteran.

[litzluth]

Real Baltic Birch can be hard to find. Neither Lowes nor HD carry it. Some Mendards stores do (in 4x8, interestingly, not 5x5). It is the BB/CP grade, so not great, but will still be significantly better than the Lowes/HD "birch."

[ger21]

I could get this all wrong but IIRC BB has like 13 layers compared to 5 for normal plywood

Depends on the thickness. The thicker the plywood, the more layers. 18mm has twice as many layers as 9mm. (Roughly, as the number of layers is always an odd number)

Another designer quality plywood is "Appleply" (https://statesind.com/product/appleply) that can be sourced in various places

Appleply is virtually identical to Baltic Birch, with one exception. Apple ply comes in imperial thicknesses, where Baltic Birch is in mm thicknesses.
And Appleply is harder to find, and more expensive.

"Real" Baltic or Russian plywood comes usually in 5'x5' sheets (sometimes also 4'x8').

We did a job last year where we had about 200 4x8 sheets direct from Russia, with Russian lettering on the packaging. I've got about 100pcs, roughly 18x24, that were left over scrap.