American Birch Plywood

[TAIrving]

Rockler is listing "American Birch Plywood" American Birch Plywood (rockler.com).  It sounds like they intend it to be an alternative to Baltic Birch Plywood.

Does anyone have any experience with this?  How does it compare in quality?  In price vs what you are paying for BBply?  

[Dan]

Sounds like a good deal compared to what Rockler wants for Baltic Birch. I haven't bought any birch plywood in a while so I'm interested in seeing what people are paying.

[kmmcrafts]

Looks like a decent deal compared to BB.. I didn't see 1/8" unfortunately that's mostly what I use..

[jollyred]

Looking at the reviews on it, this is just the same as the birch plywood from the box stores.  There is one ply for the core, and one reviewer said the core is fir.  

Tom

[TAIrving]

The description on the Rockler site says the core is "solid fir ply" and "solid wood core with between 5-7 plies depending on thickness".  

[kmmcrafts]

When I first seen it I thought it was just the PureBond brand plywood as Tom said but it does appear to be different. 

There is certainly a market out there for solid core plays like BB.. and I think many different species would be awesome too but seems they all always do plain ol Birch. LOL There is enough crafters laser operators etc out there now that use this stuff and want it stained or ? I think different species would sell well if someone made it, lol

[don in brooklin on]

I saw a video from one of my suppliers about this.  It has a thinner top veneer.  I wonder about scrolling this material for tear out.

They sell "craft' plywood with mdf core and a thin veneer surface.  The first project I tried I got lots of tear out on the back and had some breaks right to the front on some tight areas.  Scap that project.  Need to test using some other blades.

The comparison is here https://youtu.be/P7itvDBsKvc

 

[Norm Fengstad]

BB here were I live is selling at $70.00 bucks for a 5x5 sheet (if one can even get it) of 1/8 I stocked up some months ago when it was $17 bucks for the same size

[kmmcrafts]

Saturday the wife wanted to go to her favorite store which is just a couple blocks from my lumber store.. so I dropped her off as usual and went to the lumber store. I asked about the BB ply price on 5 x 5 x 1/8 and it was $35 a sheet or 10-20 sheets for 31.. I didn't get the price for beyond the 20 sheets.. but I do usually buy 10 - 15 at a time. A couple years ago it was $12 for the 10 sheets.. Last time I bought it ( last spring I think it was ) it was around $30 for the 10 sheets. I'm going to need to get some again pretty soon but hopeful the price will go down some by then.  

[scrollingforsanity]

I hope the price goes down Kevin instead of up. 5x5 sheet here is $ 64.00. I looked into some of the craft boards from HD you told me about not long ago, they may be an alternative. I have plenty for now. Hopefully we can wait it out. 

[Matt B]

I just purchased Baltic birch four days ago.  Bought at Hardwood Lumber in Dallas,TX. I don’t have my receipt anymore so I will be approximate in the price.  1/8” is $34.00 and 1/4 is $43.00.  Both 5x5.  I asked where they come from and the said they buy through a broker. They know it is from the Baltic region but not from Russia. 

[Norm Fengstad]

I tried some fibre core 1/4 inch veneer oak plywood It worked o.k for projects the need a back board . I learned not to touch it up with a sander as the veneer is really thin.