Anyone have experience with Home Depot 12ply birch?

[Glowbug]

So I was lurking around HD a few nights ago, and found a stack of 12ply birch plywood for $30 a sheet...anyone have experience using this stuff? Considering 5ply baltic birch sells for $45 a sheet, it seems almost too cheap to be good...

Reason I ask is that I've heard the 5ply stuff doesn't take too well to a roundover without chipping, seems like 12ply would work a lot better.

[pjanda1]

If it's similar to the $30 a sheet 12ply I've purchesed up here in MN, it ain't good. Here it is available in Birch and Oak veneers. I built a little sub with it that worked fine, once I fixed all the air leaks created by the voids (from the driver, PR and amp holes to the edge.) It's loaded with enormous voids. The edges sometimes make it look pretty good, but they lie.

They have a new product here too labeled "cabinet grade." It's $5 cheaper than the ply I'm talking about, so I'm not optimistic.

I built my BIB's out of $60 a sheet ply from Menards (which I don't believe you have). It was labeled baltic birch. The outer veneer isn't as nice as the $30 HD stuff, but the inner ply quality is much, much higher.


good luck,

Paul

[badman]

Some of the Home Depot stuff I've worked with is pretty decent, but yeah, the cheap big sheets do have some voids. The 4' X 2' "Handy Panels" are very high quality ply, much denser. The veneer on either can leave something to be desired.

[pjanda1]

In our HD, they cut the Handy Panel sheets from the 4x8's the have. I've watched 'em do it, and they always look identical. I wonder if all HD's carry the same wood products, or if they are just similar? We are spittin' distance from Canada, you are near an enormous port. I think there is a good chance they choose the most convenient supplier. I could be wrong. I do wonder if the $30 sheets are from China. (I don't have any problem with buying Chinese, they make some great stuff. Not everything is up to par though.)

Paul

[Glowbug]

OK, this backs up what I was thinking...

I have a couple lumberyards local to me, tomorrow I'm going to lurk those and see what they have...probably end up paying $60-$80 a sheet but I plan on keeping these 'peekas a while.

All for 6.5" drivers

[geaugafletcher]

I bought a couple sheets to make a pair of Pi 2 towers and agree with the negative assessments above. The panels had quite a few voids in them and were warped all to heck.

[thylantyr]

Wood quality varies from store to store. You have to do a visual
inspection yourself and train yourself on what to look for.

[jocko_nc]

Do yourself a favor and latch on to a decent cabinet / furniture supplier. I made the mistake of grabbing some birch "handy panels" from Lowe's the other day for a project. What garbage.

True, the plywood they used to have was good. Like everything else at the Big Box store, cost must have been reduced to point where the product is crap.

It's not even what you can see or necessarily tell from the outside. Internally, the sheets sucked. Beyond sucked. The vendor is putting garbage lumber into the veneer stipper and they have to know it. That is why they can sell it so cheap. Lowe's knows it too.

jocko