Un-WARPing Baltic Birtch

[Mike vonBuelow]

So, I have a few nice sheets of BB that have twisted themselves somehow that I would like to use but cant (since they need to be flat).

Any have any helpful tip & tricks to share to flatten them out??

I was thinking of soaking them overnight, the let them dry under weighted press for a few days/weeks.

I'm not in a rush, just hate to part with my money this way.

T.I.A.

[Mike Null]

Don't waste your time.

[George M. Perzel]

You can try wetting the convex side and drying them in the sun-works for small pieces of solid wood but then must be used fairly quickly. Otherwise Mike's right-not worth screwing with.
Best Regards,
George
Laserarts

[Chuck Stone]

If you have any print flattening solution, it can't hurt to try. (you'd be
throwing it away anyhow..) If there's any camera stores left, they should
have it if they carry darkroom supplies. I had some Kodak stuff left over.

I used it with moderate success on some thinly sliced mahogany veneer
(not the backed stuff, just peeled wood slices) and it flattened out the
wood for a few days after it was dry. But the relative humidity still did it's
work and it curled back up.

EDIT it is mostly propylene glycol if you have better access to that.

[Michael Hunter]

New ply is a nuisance.

I buy mine in bulk (2 full sheets each of 3 and 6mm) well in advance of the old lot being used up.
Cut up into laser-bed size sheets and store in a flat pile for as long as possible, then use from the middle of the pile.
After two or three months the edges have shrunk more than the middle so the sheets "bong" a bit, but after about 6 months they do stay flat.

If I'm forced to use new stuff, I leave it on edge with both sides exposed for a day or two and that normally gets it flat enough to use for non-critical things.

[Michael Kowalczyk]

I usually bend them by hand and use immediately before they get their spring back or try to counter the bend with weights. Make a metal frame the size of the material and then use thin rare earth magnets to hold it down. Sometimes I use 2 small blocks of wood say 1"x 1" by 12" on each end and a gallon of paint in the middle for a period of time.
PS Be careful when you bend them so that they don't snap. don't ask me how I know ;)

[TAMI WILSON]

If it is a small wonk i just put weights on it as I laser it. I have some flat steel bars just for this purpose. Flat enough that the laser would pass over them but they still have some weight.

tami