4'x8' Baltic Birch

[jbrowning]

Good morning everyone, I was wondering if anyone has bought a full sheet of Baltic Birch plywood for jigsaw puzzles and before they cut that sheet up. have they went ahead and stained one whole side before cutting it down to the sizes you make your jigsaw puzzles? I thought that might be quicker then having to stain (our another type of finish) before you start cutting out your puzzle. What I'm thinking is getting a full sheet 4'x8' or 2'x8' and stain one whole side. Then cut the sheet down to have a stock of boards ready for when I want to start cutting jigsaw puzzles.

 

And yes I'm stuck inside again with no cutting to be down because it is only going to be in the 20's and I woke up to about 6-8 inches of snow on the ground.

 

Thanks

Jim

[Dan]

I have not done that for jigsaw puzzles but have done it for other things. Why are you staining the ply?

[orangeman]

The 1/4" and 1/8" Baltic Birch that I buy only comes in 5' x 5' sheets.

 

bb

[Denny Knappen]

I have purchased full sheets of Baltic Birch Plywood and like Orangeman says 5' x 5'.  I get mine from Jefferies Woodworks in Seymour, TN.

[WigWag Workshop]

I have purchased 4x8 sheets of baltic birch, I have them cut it in half length and width, which gives me 4 easier to manage pieces. I then cut those pieces into the size needed for my projects has needed.  I still buy the 12" x12" Scroll Saw pack from Woodcraft, for some projects.

 

-Steven

[jbrowning]

I have not done that for jigsaw puzzles but have done it for other things. Why are you staining the ply?

 

Because I have seen where some folks stain or put a clear finish on the back of their jigsaw puzzles before cutting them out.

 

Thanks

Jim

[oldhudson]

I've never seen Baltic birch other 5' x 5', not even on-line. Although I've heard appleply is a true Baltic birch made to the more common Imperial size of 4' x 8'

 

Regarding the staining of a sheet -  when I do real cabinet work e.g., a vanity and I purchase a 4 x 8 sheet of birch or some other hardwood pw I often put the finish on the full size sheet before cutting the panels. Typically I don't stain the cases of a cabinet, but I do apply 3 coats of General Finishes Polyacrylic, a water based top coat.

[MrsN]

You can stain or finish one side. It may cause the panel to warp out of flat, since you are adding moisture to only one side. It probably won't matter once you cut it in to smaller pieces.

[jbrowning]

Thank you everyone for you thoughts. Does everyone have local suppliers for their Baltic birch? Turns out the one I was seeing on Home Depot was regular birch. So that only leaves Woodcraft here in Colorado Springs. I sure wish we had a Menard's close by.

 

Jim

[Lucky2]

Jim, for the life in me, I can't understand why you'd want to stain the back of a full sheet of plywood. On any puzzles that I've ever made, I've never finished the backer with anything other than rattle can clear coat. A good product to use on the PW backer, would be a plywood conditioner. You could use it as a clear finish, it goes on by brush and dries fast. Plus, it makes the plywood better for staining if you still want to. Untreated the plywood will go all blotchy and not stain evenly, treated it won't. I'm interested in seeing some of the items your doing this way, it's a different way of doing things.

Len

[Scrappile]

Jim, check local lumber yards.  Lots of them carry it.  I also found it at a local place that sells unfinished furniture place. 

 

Around here is usually sells for $30-$35 a sheet.

Edited March 27, 2016 by Scrappile

[oldhudson]

In the Twin Cities area I have Rockler and Woodcraft who both sell true Baltic Birch, but I purchase both Baltic Birch and hardwood plywood from a local lumber yard. And while I've never purchased pw on-line I've purchased hardwoods and I've been very happy - delivered to my front door.

[amazingkevin]

Good morning everyone, I was wondering if anyone has bought a full sheet of Baltic Birch plywood for jigsaw puzzles and before they cut that sheet up. have they went ahead and stained one whole side before cutting it down to the sizes you make your jigsaw puzzles? I thought that might be quicker then having to stain (our another type of finish) before you start cutting out your puzzle. What I'm thinking is getting a full sheet 4'x8' or 2'x8' and stain one whole side. Then cut the sheet down to have a stock of boards ready for when I want to start cutting jigsaw puzzles.

 

And yes I'm stuck inside again with no cutting to be down because it is only going to be in the 20's and I woke up to about 6-8 inches of snow on the ground.

 

Thanks

Jim

Now that's a thought,Not a bad one either! :) :D

[crupiea]

I dont use stain but i mainly use white paint as a base coat on all my pieces.  its always a hassle to paint all the pieces white after the fact so i just started painting the entire sheets white and then cutting the pattern.

 

i guess great minds think alike!!