Baltic Birch

[BassMunky]

How do i know the ply and the different types and what everyone uses for boxes.

http://www.woodworkerssource.com/blog/tips-tricks/your-ultimate-guide-to-baltic-birch-plywood-why-its-better-when-to-use-it/

[evermaxx]

I use 11ply. People use 13ply also.

[audiofanaticz]

Most the birch you find in your local home improvement store is not the stuff they are discussing in that link.

That wood in the link is good baltic birch and all layers or veeners are baltic birch.

The stuff you buy in home improvement stores is a top and bottom veener of birch, with weak soft dougless fir cores which is full of voids, extremely lighter in weight and no where near as strong.

However this is why people buy that wood, due to it being lighter in weight compared to mdf, but the quality baltic birch that is all 100% birch is actually almost as heavy as mdf.

Usually when you buy it, it will say how many plys it is, or you can just count them, all the plies are is how many layers.

Keep in mind birch normally doesnt come in 3/4inch thick sheets, its normally 18mm which is around .70 inches thick, so you will need to adjust your cuts and take that into consideration

There are countless threads about birch on the forums if you search.

http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/110975-birch-vs-mdf/page-2?hl=+birch

http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/151270-classic-birch-hardwood-plywood-vs-mdf/?hl=%2Bbirch

http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/board/topic/159021-how-many-plys-in-baltic-birch-should-i-get/?hl=%2Bbirch

[bushroot]

If you have a local Woodcraft store, take a look at the Baltic birch they stock. It makes my table router cry like a bitch. I usually do home stuff and it's all I use anymore.