Plywood verses solid wood

[CanadianScroller]

For many projects plywood and solid wood, either hard or softwoods, can be used interchangably.
I know some of it is related to cost and some to durability.
How do scrollers feel about the selection of materials for a project?
Is it ok to use plywood when building shelves or fancy boxes?
Does the edge of a baltic birch panel detract from the finished project, or can it be used to augment the pattern?
Do you avoid sheet products like ply or MDF, and if so why?

[greg194799]

I like the look of solid wood; I do not care to see the edges of ply. This is just my opinion.

Greg

[lonepine]

I actually prefer using solid wood for small projects. I would resaw on my 12" band saw, it does work pretty good for me. On some larger projects like suncathers I use the plywood, it is light but have trouble with fuzzy's. Bob

[millwab]

I'm fairly new at this and haven't done a lot of scrolling, but the things I have done were with solids (usually cherry or walnut). Some of my queued up projects would be a lot easier using ply. Question is, what do you do to hide the edges. I imagine with darker woods like walnut you could cover the edges with color and it would blend away, but what do you all do with lighter colored woods (ie maple)? Hope some of you 'vets' can help out.

Bruce

[Jediscroller]

It depends on the project. For ornaments, clocks, shelves, I prefer solid woods. For portraits and such where the edges don't show I'll use plywoods. For some of my furniture projects, I'll use HVHC plys with a solid wood edging. I just don't like the look of the ply edges showing, I think they cheapen the look of the project (just my opinion).

Kevin

[DirkMartin]

I get almost no requests for plywood any more, so I quit selling it.

[Old Mooner]

I use BB for most of my fretwork portraits/scenes and "solids" for segmentation, intarsia, puzzles, and any "stand alone" (without framing) piece.
Moon

[minowevie]

Hi , I like ply wood. as long as it is good ply wood,. as a beggener, it is cheaper to practice on. but I have had my probleams with ply wood. like sometimes the core has holes in it. an the vener is so thin. finding the good stuff is hard unless I go to the magazine selers. which I can not afford right now. I do prefer hard woods but then that can be exspensive. an then you get it home an it warps. drats,( wood lock time.) so does ply wood. I have made some great projects out of 1/4 inch oak plywood. and some xmas ornements out of stacked 1/8 oak ply wood. it is easyer to cut. an gives me satisfaction right away without, the $$$$. yes there are alot of frezzies. but not when I use the right blade. the one thing I do like about ply wood is, on little fret work. it has some cross grain that wont break so easly, maybe if I sold my stuff , I would only use hard woods.In one of the cwwc magazeans, there was a guy , (sorry can't remember the month or year.) who had a hole lot of projecks made of only ply wood. clocks shelves etc, rely inpressed me. but for now . I just make things for my house an to give to friends an others. well thats my 2 cnts worth Evie

[jttheclockman]

Bruce

There was a question in there and would like to answer but if you read most of the other posts it sort of sums it up. But What most people use plywood for is 2 things. One is for portraits and things that will get frames so the edges arent seen. Two is for the strength purposes. especially when using 1/8" plywood. There is no better plywood then to use either Baltic birch, Finnish birch or even pear plywood. These do not have the voids and more layers are used to give it the strength. Good to use for ornaments because of the thinness and strength is needed here. People have made large clocks and clocks of any size. It is a matter of taste for there is nothing wrong with seeing the edges. I myself like the look of hard woods but have used plywoods on occasion. So to sum it up it is a matter of preference and availability to either plywoods or hardwoods.

[sheltiecarver]

JT
Did you really mean 'Pear" plywood? Made from the fruit trees? If you did, what is it like, and where is it available?? How is it priced (like - compared to bb ply, etc)
Thanks already
Sandy