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General Category => General Scroll Saw Talk => Topic started by: BigPete on December 12, 2011, 03:27:04 am

Title: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: BigPete on December 12, 2011, 03:27:04 am
Can anyone tell me the best place to source Baltic birch in the UK as i am not having much luck so far!..Pete
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: tux_linux on December 12, 2011, 03:53:43 am
Baltic birch is often not the best choice here in Europe. I also get mostly lousy quality here in Germany.
I've discovered that the Birch ply I get in custom sizes is better than the ready made sheets. So I can recommend to ask for a good piece of wood - It's just a little more expensive.

I also have changed a lot to Beech ply. It's a bit harder, has less errors and works fine. Great to finish. Finer grain. Color is not as light as Birch is.
But you'll still have to check the edges for holes inside the ply.
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: Keefie on December 12, 2011, 06:50:29 am
I get my 6mm Birch ply off of Ebay from Hobbies. It is ?4.45 for a 610mm by 305mm and p+p is ?6.95, but you can have as many sheets as you want for same p+p. The quality of the birch ply from there is very good, I've never had a bad bit yet. I haven't found a supplier locally yet for some reason no one stocks it. Don't know if that helps you.
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: grampa on December 12, 2011, 08:12:06 am
Hi Peter, you could try here
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quality-Birch-Plywood-Panel-610mm-x-305mm-x-3mm-PLY2-/350186017226?pt=UK_Crafts_Other_Crafts_EH&hash=item5188b691ca
or even here   http://www.alwayshobbies.com/Tools
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: BigPete on December 12, 2011, 09:58:51 am
Thanks for reply's, will prob try some off of ebay or the other Paul Mentioned .
Paul , After what i said about the ply i had i went and broke a piece of the facing on one of the Patterns you had done for me !AAAARRRRRGGGH, it looked terrible  and i had only cut one copy so i had to adapt  >:( I will show it to the  client and see what they say ! i will do it again if i have to, hence the need for some quality ply !
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: mrsn on December 12, 2011, 07:14:10 pm
Here in the states another sorcery of quality ply is airplane models. If you can find anybody with model making as a hobby they might have an idea.
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: BigPete on December 13, 2011, 02:53:15 am
Thanks for the  idea mrsn, That is my other hobby i fly model helicopters and aeroplanes but it is mostly balsa wood and marine ply that i use which is to expensive for what i want  for scrolling ;)..Pete
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: tux_linux on December 13, 2011, 03:45:10 am
Pete, the airplane BB ply is really fantastic stuff!

I made Ornaments from that this year, worked really well. You can go for the ultimate narrow cuts with that material.
It is expensive - ~ $4.20/sq feet. But it's sometimes worth it.
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: BigPete on December 14, 2011, 02:04:06 am
Torsten , maybe some time in the future if i am doing a more complicated patten i would stretch to this kind of ply but at my level just now i feel i am just learning so i will take one step at a time  ;) but thanks for your info and thoughts ..Pete
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: bow152 on December 15, 2011, 02:03:24 pm
Hi I am in Scotland and I know jewson had a promo on for birch ply
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: cliveg on December 15, 2011, 03:43:36 pm
hi i live in oxfordshire and get bb ply from timbetts of oxford there yard is only 1 mile from me there 6.5mm ply is 5 layers all approx 1mm thick i pay ?30 for an 8x4 sheet iam not sure if they deliver small quantities but there allways helpfull
regs clive
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: BigPete on December 17, 2011, 03:44:26 am
Thanks cliveg have tried to google timbetts  in oxfordshire but came up empty
bow152 i will try jewsons , where in Scotland are you !
Title: Re: Baltic Birch in the UK
Post by: BigPete on December 26, 2011, 08:36:05 am
Finaly  managed to source some 6.5mm birch ply  (1/4" ) from a place called Timbmets in Glasgow (about a 40 min drive)  for ?33 per 8x4 sheet  so i bought 3 sheets and i managed to collect it while my better half was doing her christmas shopping , so that should keep me going for a while  ;).
Cliveg dont know if this was the same company you were telling me about as the spelling is similar?.
Still looking for some 3mm ply though as timbmet does not stock it , may just buy it online, thanks for all your sugestions ...Pete