Bombarde16 Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 OK, we all knew that but it never hurts to offer one's failures as an object lesson for the good of the team. I did a built-in for my computer room two years ago. Life got in the way and I'm just now coming around to putting doors on the base cabinets. Nothing fancy, I had intended to use plywood with a solid wood edging. I cut the doors roughly oversize and stored in the same room as the built-in. What should I find today but the following: Yup, the one on the left is out by 5/8" over a run of less than 24". In hindsight, it's a good thing that I got distracted. The only thing conceivably worse than having to throw these blanks in the trash and start over would be for me to have gone through the whole routine of edging, fitting, hinging, finishing, hardware-ing, finessing, installing, etc...and then have them go caddywhompus on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatworks Today Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 That's a bummer; it I would have thought that 9 ply would have been more stable. What kind was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pghmyn Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 I've got a sheet of cheap birch plywood from Menards in my basement. About 4x4 left over from a previous project. Looks like it is smiling at me now. There were so many dados, compartments and what not in the project that even if it wanted to move, it would extremely minimal. That's why I didn't care about the plywood, as long as the face veneer was good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombarde16 Posted October 30, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 There were so many dados, compartments and what not in the project that even if it wanted to move, it would extremely minimal. That's why I didn't care about the plywood, as long as the face veneer was good. Ah! why didn't I think of that? Maybe if I slash the daylights out of the inside face (perhaps in the name of adding some sort of organizational doohickeys) I can bend it back where it needs to be and then edge band with thick stock to keep it there. Sam, you're a genius. Something to ponder over lunch. Wednesday is lumberyard day: One of my daughter's classes takes me perilously close to Owl Hardwood out in Des Plaines...leaving me with an hour to kill surrounded by all sorts of riches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Pretty much all plywood bends like that if it is not reinforced somehow. Even the stuff from owl. I bought some prefinished birch ply there a while back and it was warped in a day. But the dadoed shelves pulled it all back together. mdf core is probably better for flat panel doors. I dont use a lot of sheet but that is my understanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmykx250 Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Ah! why didn't I think of that? Maybe if I slash the daylights out of the inside face (perhaps in the name of adding some sort of organizational doohickeys) I can bend it back where it needs to be and then edge band with thick stock to keep it there. Sam, you're a genius. Something to ponder over lunch. Wednesday is lumberyard day: One of my daughter's classes takes me perilously close to Owl Hardwood out in Des Plaines...leaving me with an hour to kill surrounded by all sorts of riches. Lunch at owl hardwood sounds like that could get expensive to me! I love that place great people and service too. Shop labor rates are VERY aaffordable so I buy all my plywood cut to size from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatworks Today Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Marine ply must be a different animal.. Most of the ply I use (for work, NOT personal projects) is rated BS1088 or BS6566 (and no, BS does not = Bull S#!t) . But I've had panels sitting in the shop for months at a time and they are as flat as can be.. That being said, for the price tag on this stuff it better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick LoDico Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Marine ply must be a different animal.. Most of the ply I use (for work, NOT personal projects) is rated BS1088 or BS6566 (and no, BS does not = Bull S#!t) . But I've had panels sitting in the shop for months at a time and they are as flat as can be.. That being said, for the price tag on this stuff it better! BWT Not to hijack the thread here but. I need a sheet of 1/2" marine and wondered what you pay. The nearest place to me has it for 60.00 for a 4 x 8 sheet. I expected it to be more. Can I get decent quality at that price? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Marine ply must be a different animal.. Most of the ply I use (for work, NOT personal projects) is rated BS1088 or BS6566 (and no, BS does not = Bull S#!t) . But I've had panels sitting in the shop for months at a time and they are as flat as can be.. That being said, for the price tag on this stuff it better! It's not just marine ply...woodsap needs to try himself some quality ply. I had a half sheet of walnut combi-core ply in my shop...leaning against a wall...for about six months...and it didn't move at all. High quality ply is stable. If it's not stable, it's not quality ply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boatworks Today Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 BWT Not to hijack the thread here but. I need a sheet of 1/2" marine and wondered what you pay. The nearest place to me has it for 60.00 for a 4 x 8 sheet. I expected it to be more. Can I get decent quality at that price? This is where I order my marine ply Boulter Plywood. Typically the two types that I get are Okoume or Merranti (the latter being a bit cheaper). $60 seems a little cheap for a 'marine grade ply', but it still may be good quality. As long as it's solid veneers (no voids) and it's laminated together with a WBP glue (Water and Boil Proof) it should be a good ply. Also, the more laminates for a given thickness the better Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan S Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 last time I was at Owl's they had an amazing looking 8/4 Camphor Burl slab that was about 2' x 5'. It would have made an awesome coffee table but it was just shy of $900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMort847 Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Owl Hardwood in Des Plaines is a great source. Definitely don't buy "Tiger Ply" veneered plywood at Menards. I did one time when funds were low and I needed some bookcases. Horrible stuff. I now go to Owl for most of my project needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 I am sure the more expensive the ply, the more likely it will stay flat. However, I have had cheap stuff from Menards stay flat. I have had cheap stuff from Menards warp. I have had expensive stuff from Owl stay flat. And I have had expensive stuff warp. I wouldn't make a generalization about cheap or expensive ply based on one experience. Like I said, maybe the cheap stuff is more likely to warp (heck, most of it on the rack at menards is already warped), but even the expensive stuff can warp. It is a natural material (or starts off that way , more so than MDF) and will behave as such. ERIC - you say your combi core stayed flat. but that is kind of comparing apples to oranges, no? You have two thick layers of MDF helping to keep it flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 Yes and no.....MDF does not warp but it is also not load rated. There may be too little wood in combi core to act on the MDF but MDF can be acted on. In other words I would expect the MDF to not make things worse but I would not depend on it keeping anything else flat except veneer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 ERIC - you say your combi core stayed flat. but that is kind of comparing apples to oranges, no? You have two thick layers of MDF helping to keep it flat. That's why I buy it. I agree with Shaffer...it's not going to keep anything flat, but the less wood and more MDF involved means more stability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan S Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 That's why I buy it. I agree with Shaffer...it's not going to keep anything flat, but the less wood and more MDF involved means more stability. As long as you never get it wet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted October 30, 2013 Report Share Posted October 30, 2013 As long as you never get it wet! It will still be flat, just 2" thicker than it started out at! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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