Baltic plywood +Synthetic sheet

recipio

Anybody know where I can source some good quality Baltic plywood. This is the multi layered stuff, made in Scandinavia or Russia with no voids and comes in odd sizes like 5'x5' ? Thickness is not that important ,but I need 6,8 10 mm for furniture making. All the ply I see in the usual retailers is from the far east and frankly rubbish.
I'm also thinking of trying to use synthetic sheet ( corian , avonite , megalite ) etc but it doesn't seem to be for sale commercially. Anybody 'come across' it in Ireland ??

cheers.

kadman

Try Noyeks for the plywood, I know furniture makers that buy it there.

As for the composite material I think there was a product on sale here at one time, samsonite, basically corian. Obre fabrications in Wicklow used to use loads of corian, but I dont know if they are still on the go. Vink plastics in Bluebell Industrial estate may be able to put you in contact with a supplier. Try shopfitters for some, or do the fabrication course, and get a fabricators liscence, and then get your own supplies.

kadman

doozerie

Woodworkers in Dublin (http://www.woodworkers.ie) sell WBP Birch Ply. I have used it quite a few times (12mm, 18mm, and 25mm) and it isn't bad. I have never used Baltic plywood though but suspect that it is better quality than what Woodworkers sell. Woodworkers claim that their ply is furniture grade, but that is debatable as the surface veneer usually has quite a few voids that have been filled with biscuits of birch (which are very visible) - it tends to have little or no voids within the body of the sheets though.

One regular problem I have experienced with Woodworkers too is that more often than not the plywood sheets are not flat. I don't have the means of transporting the sheets myself so have them delivered, which means that they select the sheets for me - if you were able to go in there and select the sheets yourself you might be able to select better quality than I have received.

Another source, in Dublin, is Strahan Timber (http://www.strahan.ie/prod-plywood.htm). I have never used them, but they look interesting. Their website claims that their WBP Birch Ply is the best on the market, but I would take that claim with a grain of salt until I actually saw it in the flesh. They sell a range of hardwood too though, so they are aiming at a different market than Woodworkers (Woodworkers can get in hardwood, but the prices I have been quoted have been very steep), and for that reason I would hope that their ply may be aimed at the furniture making market and therefore be better quality too.

recipio

Thanks guys, that's very useful information.

JoeB-

Yeah, Strahan Timber sell Norwegian (maybe Swedish) Birch ply throughout.. pricey enough though at very approx 50 to 55 Euro + VAT per 18mm sheet. Noyeks sell Chinese Birch ply which only has Birch faces... some other softwood in the core... less plies as well compared to Strahan.. Strahans has approx 13 plies per 18mm, I just counted them on a piece I have from them... there are also occasional voids and maybe even patches on the surface.. I think they're called 'scotchmen'.. (the butterfly type solid wood fills). Noyeks is much cheaper at maybe 30 - 35 or so plus VAT (for the Chinese) depending on discount offered. Noyeks may also have better stuff.

For hardwoods I'd recommend a dedicated hardwood supplier.. either Morgans on the quays in Dublin or Kantor near Noyeks in Ballymount, southside... not sure about the Northside. It's strange that Kantor absolutely refuse to let you pick your own for insurance reasons, whereas Morgans expect you to climb up bales and man handle heavy planks on your own!

Recipio, if you want solid edge glued Birch in 18mm or 32mm then pm me. Approx 90 for 18mm and 150 for 32mm.. includes VAT. The prices are a bit variable.. some staff quote 120 for the 32mm and some quote 150. It's good for table tops etc, maybe even kitchen worktops but Birch is a bit bland and the lamella are very narrow.

mareks

where can get around waterford birch baltic play best quality.class b/bb?Thanks. Mark

del88

obre sell corian .... http://www.obre.ie/
noyes sell encore...... http://www.noyeks.ie/component/virtuemart/?page=shop.browse&category_id=198
the paneling centre sell ionite (which i haven't used).... http://www.in-house.ie/cat.php?x=82

It's all basicaly the same stuff......i think obre would be your best bet for price and would sell offcuts.

noyeks is pretty good for ply....if they don't have it in stock they can get in for you....