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Thread: Plywood goldmine/gloat

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Hatfield, AR
    Posts
    1,170

    Plywood goldmine/gloat

    For those of you that are within a few hours of DeQueen, AR (40 minutes from my shop):

    Hamel Plywood buys culled plywood from Columbia and random stock from places where their stock becomes outdated as government contracts change. Don't think of culled plywood as a bad thing either. Some of the defects are so ridiculous I can't imagine it being listed as a cull: but good for me/us.

    Every 3/4x4x8 sheet, regardless of veneer is $32/sheet
    Stacks of QSWO with Maple A1 backs.
    Stacks of Red Oak QS with Maple A1 backs.
    Rotary cut RO2S
    Pine
    Alder
    Birch

    Every 5/8x4x8 is $25!!!

    Every 1/2x4x8 is $12!!!

    Every 1/4x4x8 is $8!!!

    To give a little perspective. I've been paying $110 for QSWO single sided. $75 for RO Rotary. $10 for 1/4 MDF.

    I picked up 13 sheets of 1/2x4x8, prepainted on both sides (feels and looks like melamine) for my shop-side office and paint room walls for $12. Perspective? I outfitted my interior paint room with 7/16 OSB and it took 4 gallons of primer and 4 gallons of enamel - cost me about $400 all together. The sheets for the exterior cost me $187. Only one side had defects in the paint - and for a shop those defects were laughable.

    Anywho... w00t!
    -Lud

  2. #2
    Good for you!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,677
    Wow...I'd jump on that deal in a split second if I were in that area!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Wow! I occasionally run into a deal but not not like that. Sounds like it might be worth a road trip for someone.

    I did find out one of my local dealers sold ply and siding with very minor defects but you had to ask - they didn't advertise. When building the shop I bought a bunch of siding panels with minor corner or edge dents for $5 each - almost free. I was going to trim some a bit anyway.

    JKJ

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Southwestern CT
    Posts
    1,392
    I'd be broke saving money!
    "the mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.” Confucius

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    Just color me JEALOUS!
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Hatfield, AR
    Posts
    1,170
    I've had people telling me about the place for some time, but since my distributor delivers to my front door for $15, I never made the trip. The owner told me he's tried to get the distributor to come check him out, but they don't. Again, good for me - bad for my sales rep.

    I'm still reeling. My next trip will involve a trailer, guaranteed.
    -Lud

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    1,408
    I thought that's what plywood costs in heaven.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Bloomington, IL
    Posts
    6,009
    Great find.
    Glad its my shop I am responsible for - I only have to make me happy.

  10. #10
    I built a extremely heavy duty 30' x 60' workbench using only culled wood from a local orange big-box. Tripled 2 x 6 legs, 2 x 6 top frame and supports, double 3/4' plywood top and shelf ... total cost for wood was around $10.00! They no longer sell culled wood though ... too bad!

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Shanaphy View Post
    I built a extremely heavy duty 30' x 60' workbench using only culled wood from a local orange big-box. Tripled 2 x 6 legs, 2 x 6 top frame and supports, double 3/4' plywood top and shelf ... total cost for wood was around $10.00! They no longer sell culled wood though ... too bad!
    30' x 60' eh? That is Optimus Prime's workbench!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298

    plywood workbench?

    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Shanaphy View Post
    I built a extremely heavy duty 30' x 60' workbench using only culled wood from a local orange big-box. Tripled 2 x 6 legs, 2 x 6 top frame and supports, double 3/4' plywood top and shelf ...
    Hey, do you have and photos or sketches? I ask since my buddy Joe wants to build a heavy duty workbench and is looking for some ideas.

    This is a bit of a "cheap" plywood story too but different. The plywood was free but the circumstances were sad. A mutual friend, my old flying and cave diving buddy, passed away last year and his wife called me to see if I could use some wood she was taking out of the basement. Turns out it was from his model train layout which had taken up half the basement. I loaded up my big trailer with about 15 sheets of 4x8 3/4" plywood plus rectangular frames for each sheet, well made from 2x4s, torsion box style. (Carl never did anything half way!) The wood is pristine except for some screw holes - perfect for work benches and such. We both want to build something useful from this wood as a bit of memorial for our friend.

    I figured a sheet of 3/4" on both the top and bottom of a frame would be fairly sturdy but I like the idea of a doubled top. I did that when I build a bench for my little milling machine. Did you glue the sheets together, screws? It would be nice to give Joe some ideas - he's not specifically a woodworker but he can do just about anything.

    JKJ

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