# plywood



## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

i like using birch plywood to buid jigs and shop tables etc. the only problem is its kinda pricey. our lowes has a plywood called blondewood. has anyone ever tried it? does it work good? it is about ten bucks a sheet less than birch. also i see lots of you using half inch mdf. where do you buy it? nowhere around here has it.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi levon

"blondewood"
It's OK, it's made to make cabinets,etc.it's hard to get fasteners to hold in it.
They do make spec.fasteners for it,, I'm sure you have seen them, they have a very large head the norm.with a Allen socket hex key hole in them, plus spec. threaded insert nuts...

MDF, sometimes called sign maker stock, I'm sure you will have some one in town that sells it , let your fingers do the walking on this one..


http://en.allexperts.com/q/Cabinets-Furniture-Woodworks-1468/Blondewood-plywood.htm

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levon said:


> i like using birch plywood to buid jigs and shop tables etc. the only problem is its kinda pricey. our lowes has a plywood called blondewood. has anyone ever tried it? does it work good? it is about ten bucks a sheet less than birch. also i see lots of you using half inch mdf. where do you buy it? nowhere around here has it.


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## unlimitedwoodworker (Mar 3, 2006)

Yeah i am sure your local Lowe's sells MDF.


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

*mdf*

our lowes does sell mdf, but only 3/4 in. i cant find 1/4 or i/2 in.


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## Voncarlos (Oct 15, 2008)

levon said:


> our lowes does sell mdf, but only 3/4 in. i cant find 1/4 or i/2 in.


Don't buy Lowes MDF, it's of very poor quality for woodworking projects. Go to an independent lumber store. I have found the quality to be much much better and it will come in all thicknesses.


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

*mdf*

i have had several people telling me to buy mdf from all kinds of sources. most of you live far away. our small town's stores (independants) mostly sell what sells and that is 3/4 mdf and they sell it to contractors. so dont tell me i can buy 1/4 in or 1/2 in mdf at independant lumber yards, it dont work!! i wish that were true, but know its not. we cant buy baltic birch either. our lowes sells birch, oak and 3/4 mdf. i have looked around. i dont mind you telling me what to buy as i am a novice, but want you to know its not for sale in tifton ga.


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## Voncarlos (Oct 15, 2008)

I think you can special order it at Lowes, and what about a special order at your lumber yard?


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

*sorry*

sorry but wrong on both accounts


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

*sorry*



Voncarlos said:


> Don't buy Lowes MDF, it's of very poor quality for woodworking projects. Go to an independent lumber store. I have found the quality to be much much better and it will come in all thicknesses.[/QUOT E
> 
> 
> sorry butyou are wrong on both accounts


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI levon

talking about " tifton ga " download the program below for some neat things, like a fly over your house or better yet your front door to your house and your yard, I don't know how they do it but it's a fun to play with,,  it's free from google...it also works for things you want to find on the net like a store  it's so good you can read the hours they are open on the front door 

http://earth.google.com/

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levon said:


> i have had several people telling me to buy mdf from all kinds of sources. most of you live far away. our small town's stores (independants) mostly sell what sells and that is 3/4 mdf and they sell it to contractors. so dont tell me i can buy 1/4 in or 1/2 in mdf at independant lumber yards, it dont work!! i wish that were true, but know its not. we cant buy baltic birch either. our lowes sells birch, oak and 3/4 mdf. i have looked around. i dont mind you telling me what to buy as i am a novice, but want you to know its not for sale in tifton ga.


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

Voncarlos said:


> I think you can special order it at Lowes, and what about a special order at your lumber yard?


nope


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi, I know this is a long way up the hill but it maybe worth a shot (UPS) thing maybe

Maybe we can get Bob N.( Forum Moderator) to jump on this post he is just west of Atlanta.GA. he may have a tip. 

*Independent Rockler Reseller*
Atlanta, GA *

Rockler Woodworking and Hardware is proud to offer selected products at this and other Independent Rockler Resellers.







*Address - * _*East Atlanta Village Hardware*_
1231 Glenwood Ave
Atlanta, GA 30316 *Phone - * 404-627-575

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Just a snapshot of the store in Atlanta see below 

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levon said:


> nope


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Hi levon,


I have no idea of what is available down your way or from whom, but I am able to get 1/2 inch mdf from the Home Depot around the corner from me. I have no looked for 1/4" inch, but have purchased the 1/2" in the past. Not sure what that blonde wood is, but again, Home Depot has what they call a Sand Ply that is pretty good stuff. I made a project from the sand ply a couple of years ago. You can see it in the table top of the picutures below. Hope this helps in some small way. If you ever get up to Macon or other larger city area, you may want to call Home Depot ahead of time to see if they stock what you are looking for. I also think Rockler, Woodcraft and Highland Hardware carry these items in their Atlanta stores as Bj already mentioned. You may want to check with them although shipping would most likely be a deal breaker.

One other after thought, if you have a Michaels or Hobby Lobby in Tifton, check with them. I have found 1/4"-1/2" bass ply in there for making jigs from time to time.


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## ajh359 (Jul 17, 2008)

Valdosta is not that far away check there.


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

*thank you*

thank you to each who tried tohelp me. i had been on the phone with a tech support person, that i couldnt understand for sooo long and my last brain cell was aggravated. i will try in valdosta. they have so much more to choose from than my small town. also at Thanksgiving im going to atlanta and i can check out woodcraft and others. agaain thanks for all your help and i am sorry to sound like i wasnt appreciative. this forum is the best and i enjoy being here. i am not very experienced in this level of woodworking and i have learned so much here.


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## ajh359 (Jul 17, 2008)

If you have a local cabinet shop ask where they get there supplies.


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

i was able to find 1/4 and 1/2 mdf in 48x96 sheets at home depot. wife wants to go to macon today to shop and i will pick up some there. home depot seems to be so much better than lowes in our area of the country. we are sadly one of the only towns that has a lowes and no hd.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

levon said:


> i was able to find 1/4 and 1/2 mdf in 48x96 sheets at home depot. wife wants to go to macon today to shop and i will pick up some there. home depot seems to be so much better than lowes in our area of the country. we are sadly one of the only towns that has a lowes and no hd.


Hi levon,

I feel for ya. If you do a search on my town, you'll discover that I either have to travel 10-15miles north or south of me to a nearest lumber yard. This isn't so bad now, that the price of gas is down. Fortunately, there's a HD north of me. To get to both a HD & Lowes, I'd have to travel 50+ miles NNE or NNW. It's why, I like the internet anymore. I have to pay for shipping either way I go. My gas or theirs. I'd recommend you do a search for independant wood suppliers in your area. Rather that be in a phone book or on the net.

This might be a silly question but, have you considered using HDPE or UHMW? http://www.ptreeusa.com/uhmwproducts.htm


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## vettnut (Sep 1, 2008)

Hi Levon,
I live in a small town but we have a woodworking shop here and they throw away their scrap, which is sometimes pieces of plywood that is up to 18x24, which make great jigs etc. They let me "dumpster dive" for it. Works great and the price is right. Also makes great practice material.
Don


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