Plywood for robot parts

[dttworld]

What type of plywood do you'll think is used in the robot base below:

http://blog.trossenrobotics.com/images/PlywoodBot01-L.jpg

Did someone add a surface finish to the wood or is that original?

In my low cost robot kit I would cut the parts out on the Shop Bot and have folks bolt them together. I have no experience with good plywood other than what you can buy at Home Depot. From what I've learned here, maybe double sided finish MDO would be a good choice. Any suggestions?

thx!

[knight_toolworks]

I always like euro plywood. or baltic birch or russian plywood. all about the same. it is pretty solid looks good and holds screws well. but it is also about 80.00 A sheet and up for 3/4"

[cabnet636]

states ind makes appleply, which is good like this

[dttworld]

Question about the Euro, Baltic Birch, Russian and Appleply plywood:

I know the top and bottom layers are smooth. If I cut a pocket out that is lets say half inch deep in 3/4" plywood, would the bottom of the pocket be as smooth as the outer layers? Wondering if the inner layers on the expensive plywoods are as good as the outer layers. What's the case with MDO or HDO?

thx

[knight_toolworks]

the layers are thew best of any plywood. most of the time void free if you stay away from the Baltic birch. But sometimes you cut almost through a layer and it cuts unclean so you need to cut it a few hundredths deeper. But most of the time it is pretty good for plywood. Mdo the layers are thicker but also more voids and lower quality.

[Mayo]

The plywood in the photo looks like the product I have seen at the local Menard's (another large home center store). It's available in two or three different pre-finished laminated surfaces. I don't know who the manufacturer is.

[beacon14]

We call that "Pre-finished" birch or maple plywood, it's more or less "regular" 3/4" plywood with a smooth clear layer bonded to one or both surfaces. I've never seen it at a big-box store but most of our cabinet-supply vendors have it in one form or another. I've seen it in various grades in both domestic (prefered) or imported (run the other way) panels. The quality, color, and grain vary dramatically from one supplier to another and seemingly even from one batch to another.

We use it for cabinet interiors when melamine is not acceptable or desired. Sure beats having to finish the interiors of all the boxes.

[wberminio]

Your right Dave
Looks like pre-finished Birch
I use it all the time beats finishing.You can get pre-finished edge banding as well.

[dttworld]

Just need to find a place near Baltimore that sells good plywood. Harborsales.net carries a limited selection. According to this HD brochure they can special order anything. Guess I'll stop by the contractor section and see how true it is:

http://www.homedepot.com/hdus/en_US/DTCCOM/HomePage/Commerce/Building_Supplies/Lumber_Composites/Docs/HardwoodPlywoodCoreGuideforWebFINAL5-4-10.pdf?videoID=000616

[Ajcoholic]

Why not check with a cabinet shop vs a lumber yard?

And, i think im the last woodworker who dislikes prefinished ply... I still like to spray all my own stuff. :)

[dttworld]

Why not check with a cabinet shop vs a lumber yard?



I'm new to this. I take it that a cabinet shop sells not just cabinets but also raw materials? One advantage of HD is you can easily get 0% financing for 6 months by just buying $300 of material. Sometimes you can get it for 1 year or 2 years. Just need to make sure you pay in full by the expiration date or you get slammed with huge finance charges.

[Ajcoholic]

I know the shops around here (like mine) will gladly retail anything brought in for their own use.

I actually being in material for other woodworking places as well, since I order weekly and get a much better price in lift quantities. It is worth a shot.. doesnt cost anything to ask.

AJC

[metabot]

You essentially want void-free, dimensionally stable plywood.

I prefer:

Latvian Birch
Finnish Birch
Baltic Birch
Apple Ply (maple)

Marine grade hydrotech is a treated plywood that is great for anything that will get wet. Looks like red oak.

Be prepared to pay for it...