Question for UK members

[Martin]

Where do you get Baltic Birch 3mm ply? Preferably somewhere close to me in the (West) Yorkshire area. I can find some 4mm at around 21GBP for a 4ftx8ft sheet, probably plus VAT, but I haven't managed to find any 3mm without buying online.

Martin.

[rob roy]

Hi Martin, try Hobby.uk.com. They have 6.35 plywood but I don't know if it is baltic. I have trouble getting it up here in Scotland. HTH.
Rob Roy.

[Martin]

Hi Rob Roy, it's 3mm I am wanting for cutting portraits, but hopefully the 4mm will do just as well.
Cheers,
Martin.

[EIEIO]

Martin - I don't know if it's true, but I've been told by my supplier (WoodWerx in Gahanna, Ohio) that Baltic Birch ONLY comes in 5'x5' sheets. That might be a help in locating the real thing.

I accepted what I was told, but if anyone knows that this 5'x5' business is not true, please speak up. 

[dgman]

Martin - I don't know if it's true, but I've been told by my supplier (WoodWerx in Gahanna, Ohio) that Baltic Birch ONLY comes in 5'x5' sheets. That might be a help in locating the real thing.

I accepted what I was told, but if anyone knows that this 5'x5' business is not true, please speak up. 

You are right big E. true BB comes in 5'x5' full sheets.

[daveo]

Martin I think you will  find that the gear you've seen at ?21 a sheet will be birch faced ply and not BB
as for the 5x5 bit I dont know.
Have you tried Arnold Laver, they have a good reputation and they seem to be popular in yorkshire
Hull and Leeds plus various others. Let us know how you go on, as I am looking for similar.
Dave

[Martin]

I'm glad I just read the bit about 5x5 sheets. My pal phoned me to tell me about a company where he said I would get some, and it is in 5x5 sheets.

"Birch Plywood C Grade 1525 x 1525 x 3mm FSC
Good quality plywood generally used for components and furniture framework"

I'd read somewhere that the same ply is used for furniture, so hopefully this is the real deal, or rather, real pine. I don't really know how I can find out for sure as the guy in the store may not even know, he'll just sell by the catalogue number.

Daveo, the company is called Travis Perkins and as they have over 600 stores in the UK, there should be one near you. There two practically on my doorstep that I didn't know about. No price online, you have to phone your local store.

Thanks all,
Martin.

[daveo]

Martin I will be giving TP amiss, have had there stuff befure and found it full of voids
Dave

[EIEIO]

You could ping the guys here in Ohio. They list prices on line, but they don't ship outside the US. If it would help, I'd be willing to get some, cut it to some usable size, and send it to you by USPS. Here's their site:
http://www.woodwerks.com/

I spoke to the sales guys at Woodwerx and they say their BB plywood comes from Finland (makes sense), which should be cheaper there than it is here. Their 5'x5'x 1/8" is $18.50, or about 12 GBP.

[Martin]

Martin I will be giving TP amiss, have had there stuff befure and found it full of voids
Dave

Thanks for letting me know before I spent my pocket money.

EIEIO, your offer is much appreciated, although I hope I don't have to take you up on it. I've got a couple more fairly local places to try yet before I concede defeat. There's no hurry at the moment as I like to get some metal work done and get out on the bike during the summer, plus there's lots of steam rallies to go to.

Martin.

[Keefie]

I get mine from a local timber merchant, it's not Baltic birch just plain birch ply, but I get the "B" grade or "BB" grade, the B grade has no blemishes and very few knots, the BB grade is not as good as it has a few small blemishes and knots, but anything of size is repaired with an inlay. These inlays dont bother me as they always go on the back of a portrait, and i've yet to have a patch both sides in the same spot.  He doesn't keep the birch ply in stock but he orders it in for me and it's usually in within 3 - 4 days.
 So far, I have not found anyone that can get me Baltic Birch ply in the UK.
Hope this helps
Keith.

[Martin]

C grade doesn't sound good at all then, Keefie. No matter, there's no hurry, and I'll get pleasure from cutting the old pine shelves I have. I do want to cut the pattern EIEIO made for me of the steam bus, but that can wait until I get some decent quality ply.

Martin.