Replies

1. 
   UncleDunc | Apr 24, 2002 09:29pm | #1

   All the fir ply I've ever worked with was all the same species.

   Baltic birch is all the same species. I'm sure there are others.

   But I think your problem is the contrast between the end grain and

   long grain, and using all one species won't help that.

   You could make plywood with the grain in all layers running the

   same direction (laminated gunstocks are made that way, or at least

   with a much less than 90 degree angle between layers), but it

   wouldn't have the mechanical properties that we like plywood for,

   and it would still look like a lamination.

   The latest Fine Woodworking magazine has an article on edge

   treatments for plywood. Another possibility would be to apply

   whatever kind of edge banding you like and then veneer over the

   face and the edge banding. If you used end grain edge banding on

   the ends of the panel, you could make it look like a solid wood

   panel with a decorative veneer. Just to keep people guessing,

   you could orient the growth rings in opposite directions on the

   two ends. Or have wide boards at one end and narrow boards at the

   other.

2. 
   TJinFL | Apr 25, 2002 06:20pm | #2

   I recently  built a filing cabinet from birch plywood and used 1" maple strips to dress the edges of the sides and top, and 1/2" for the drawer fronts.  It added nice contrast while keeping the cost down.  You can see photos of it under the Gallery section.

1. 
   DonC | Apr 25, 2002 09:51pm | #3

   Thanks for the reply guys. I probably didn't make myself clear on the plwood edges question.

   I plan to make decorative fret sawn/scroll saw trim that will later be steam bent. I need 1/2" plywood in ALL cherry veeners and also walnut. At present, I haven't been able to find any cherry and/or walnut veener to fit the bill. All have a fir or MDF core. I can't "hide" the edges. If all the layers were the same species, I would be all set to go.

   Does anyone make such plywood?

   Thanks,

   Don

3. 
   bill_1010 | Apr 27, 2002 05:10pm | #4

   The only other option i can think of is basically making bent lamintations for your product. But i say this only as speculation since i dont know what youre making.

   Hiding the edges in plywood will always be difficult with intrigate parts due to the Endgrain and the long grain contrasts. They will always be a bane on edge concealment of intrigate scroll/fret type work