Baltic birch plywood

[Wayne Cannon]

I, for one, have been very happy with ApplePly. It comes in 4'x8' sheets. For most jigs and smaller projects, I buy "shop" grade -- very few dings from strapping or handling and a significant price break.

[Donald G. Burns]

I'm curious, why 5'X5' sheets? I can't seem to recall needing 2.5' wide panels in any great amount. Plus, 5X5 sheets are a PITA to get into the back of a pickup with a cab height cap on it. I have to fit them diagonally, and that just makes getting other stuff in the bed even more difficult.

Because BB is produced in countries using metric measurements and it is 1.5 meters x 1.5 meters and 12mm or 19mm thick. Not 5' x 5' and not 1/2" or 3/4" thick.

[Jim Becker]

Because BB is produced in countries using metric measurements and it is 1.5 meters x 1.5 meters and 12mm or 19mm thick. Not 5' x 5' and not 1/2" or 3/4" thick.

True, but most plywood is produced in metric thickness and has been for some time. That's why it's marked with the odd fractional thicknesses. The only materai I've bought in a very long time that came actually at .75" was MDF.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I just bought 3 sheets of 1/2" and 3 sheets of 3/4" Baltic Birch from Terry Lumber in Peninsula Ohio a couple months ago.
It was 60" x 60" - and it was spot on at 1/2" and 3/4".
It's also a pleasure to work with something like that since it makes it so easy to measure and cut.

As far as why it's 5' X 5' - I have searched high and low and nobody seems to know why.

[Frank Pratt]

I just bought 3 sheets of 1/2" and 3 sheets of 3/4" Baltic Birch from Terry Lumber in Peninsula Ohio a couple months ago.
It was 60" x 60" - and it was spot on at 1/2" and 3/4".
It's also a pleasure to work with something like that since it makes it so easy to measure and cut.

As far as why it's 5' X 5' - I have searched high and low and nobody seems to know why.

I got this from a BB distributor. The sheets are actually produced in 5' x 10' sheets for use locally, but for shipping cost reasons, they're cut down to 5' x 5' for the export market.

With regards to quality, several years ago I came across a batch of BB plywood that was about 1/8" out of square. That caused no small amount of grief, so now I always give sheet goods a quick check before cutting just to be sure. I haven't had any BB since that was out, but I've found other sheet goods that were.

[Bill McNiel]

I, for one, have been very happy with ApplePly. It comes in 4'x8' sheets. For most jigs and smaller projects, I buy "shop" grade -- very few dings from strapping or handling and a significant price break.

Here in Seattle ApplePly is significantly more expensive than BB. I use BB for every sheet goods project that I care at about. Crosscut Hardwoods carries both 5x5 & 4x8 which allows me to choose the size that minimizes waste the best.

[andrew whicker]

I can't imagine handling a sheet of 5 x 10 3/4 BB solo.... It's hard enough w/ a 4x8 sheet.

[Frank Pratt]

I can't imagine handling a sheet of 5 x 10 3/4 BB solo.... It's hard enough w/ a 4x8 sheet.

Try to get your head around manhandling 5x10x3/4" MDF. I made all the millwork trim & door jambs for my house out of that stuff. It was pure hell, both for the heaviness of the stock & the ankle deep ocean of dust. I did have a helper for the heavy lifting.

[Earl McLain]

I can't imagine handling a sheet of 5 x 10 3/4 BB solo.... It's hard enough w/ a 4x8 sheet.

At first read the extra didn't sound too bad--only 1 x 2 difference. Then i did the math in my head and came up with 50 Sq Ft versus 32 Sq Ft--right about 55% more area, and weight!! Motivator to stick with small boxes!!
earl

[mike johnston]

Wow this post has legs. The reason I asked is because a few years ago I did see Baltic birch ply at the local menards, 5x5 sheets. It was advertised as Baltic birch. But have not looked lately.

[andrew whicker]

Not just the weight.. have you handled a 5x5? I am 5'9 (and mostly square, i.e. my ape index is 1) and I can't reach the top of the sheet, so it's a total pain to carry around. Let alone doubling it's length..

[Derek Meyer]

I can handle 5x5 Baltic birch with no trouble, but 5x10 would be difficult.

I've got a sheet of 1" 4x8 MDF in my garage, left over from a project years ago. I had to move it last year, and about killed myself. That stuff is really heavy!

[Frank Pratt]

Not just the weight.. have you handled a 5x5? I am 5'9 (and mostly square, i.e. my ape index is 1) and I can't reach the top of the sheet, so it's a total pain to carry around. Let alone doubling it's length..

Yes, that's one of the down sides to 5x5 sheets. They really are awkward to handle. I'm careful to think it through before moving a sheet cause it's so easy to strain something.

[Ron Selzer]

Back in my mid 30's I worked for a company and we made office furniture for in house use. 5x12 3/4 mdf was feed through the panel saw from time to time. I handled it by myself, the rest of the guys were smarter and two carried it to the panel saw.
Fortunately not an every day occurrence as most was 30" by 10' or 4x8. Also I was maintenance electrician for the company and only had to work in the shop when they were behind bad, to make prototypes, or I had nothing else to do.
No way could I handle one of those big sheets now, struggle with 4x8 melamine now. 5x5 3/4 BB is not bad to handle as I do have the wing span to do it.
Ron

[Alan Lightstone]

The 5 x 5 sheets also don't fit in my panel saw, which I learned the hard way. Ah, time to break out the track saw.