Baltic Birch vs. Arauco?

[shoeman]

Gang,
Strolling through the new Lowes in town the other day I came across a plywood I'd never seen before. It's Arauco, imported from South America I believe. It looks pretty stinking good for tear use instead of the usual plywoods mentioned.
Anybody have any experience with this stuff?

[satch]

I've seen the same stuff at our hd. Never used it, but it was a lot cheaper than birch. Will need to check it out more.

[the dog]

Gang,
Strolling through the new Lowes in town the other day I came across a plywood I'd never seen before. It's Arauco, imported from South America I believe. It looks pretty stinking good for tear use instead of the usual plywoods mentioned.
Anybody have any experience with this stuff?

I haven't but would like to know more. Is only the skin different? Still a nice finish, no voids etc? I love Baltic Birch, that's a fine product.

There's a Lowes in Bangor now? Shows how often I make it out I'm in Monson, well just north. Dog

[nikwax]

found this on a boatbuilder's forum:

"It's a very good plywood for furniture and house construction. Unhappily totally unsuitable for boatbuilding beacause of the low resistance to rot in water of the wood."



which may or may not matter to us.

Also:

"Arauco Plywood is manufactured from pruned Radiata pine logs that have a significant portion of clearwood, offering attractive decorative features. Its interior veneers are manufactured from whole sheets, effectively doing away with holes and overlapping. All Arauco plywoods use WBP phenol-formaldehyde adhesives conforming to EN 314 and PSI-95standards."

[signs]

I have not seen this product, but the main thing to be aware of with imported sheet good is some of them have large amounts of very small metal scraps embedded in them. Although that my not hurt the TD, it can be murder on saws and drills. Just be careful when cutting it and use ALL safety equipment (safety glasses, gloves, etc. )



Jay

[cuyeda]

I am unsure, but is that a Georgia Pacific product?

[reiltear]

http://www.arauco.cl/pdf/Araucoply_dic_05.pdf

Make your own decisions. I've used this plywood(19/32") for painted kitchen cabinets with good results.

Hope this helps.

[shoeman]

Interesting.
The metal fragment issues where with Chinese imports I though, which would be no surprise at all, since a great many of their exports are contaminated in one way or another.
I saw the boatbuilder post too, but since we're not submerging/immersing our tears 24/7 I'm not sure their worries apply, and if you CPES it that should eliminate all water concerns.
From what internet reports I could find on it, it cuts very well, is easy on tools, and holds screws really really well. All positive attributes.
If I was not planning on starting body construction in a few weeks I'd buy some and leave it outside for a few months to see how it lasts. I suppose I could put a piece in the laundry sink and give it a week or two. Even if it does not meet Baltic Birch spec for wall/floor use, it would make great cabinet and galley use I think.
Dog, the new Lowe's is in Brewer, Bangor is soon to follow. Once the snow melts you can get to the city and see.

[the dog]

Interesting.

Dog, the new Lowe's is in Brewer, Bangor is soon to follow. Once the snow melts you can get to the city and see.

I'll try to break down and go there this month. I'm supposed take a ham test at the Bangor daily on the 19th. 6" snow last night but it's wet, winding down. Dog

[rainjer]

I bought several sheeets of 3/4" a couple years ago. It was really bad suff. It would de-laminate when you tried to put a screw in the edge and would warp with the slightest hint of moisture. I still have 2 & 1/2 sheedt left & I'm not sure what to do with them.

[shoeman]

That's not good! Did you drill pilot holes in the edge first and it still did that?

[nikwax]

I bought several sheeets of 3/4" a couple years ago. It was really bad suff. It would de-laminate when you tried to put a screw in the edge

do you mean putting a screw in the edge or on the face near the edge? If the former, I can't imagine that working well with any plywood.

and would warp with the slightest hint of moisture.

that's consistent with what the boatbuilding folks were saying.



Around here, doug fir is the common wood, so we have lots of doug fir ply. ACX will sometime get a "hardwood" face (usually alder) to dress it up. All the plywood I've been buying is locally produced, and I've been dealing with a place that just sells wood products (Mr. Plywood in Portland). I've not been impressed with HD's selection, quality, or pricing of wood products, and I'd rather deal with people who know what they are selling.

[the dog]

http://www.boulterplywood.com/?gclid=COCZupfV7JECFQJvHgod1XoTrA

They know plywood, they deliver, they been around. Some beautiful stock, link is the gallery of ply but look around. They also have it grouped like marine, ext,, Some pretty specialty designs too like the teak and holly. Dog