USA Map Bookshelf (need help on wood choice and design)

[Mat Harris]

Gentleman and ladies,

I'm planning on building a large USA map bookshelf to be the focal point of a large wall in our home. I've found two versions online, which you can see at the following links. I'm inclined to fashion mine more like the first one below on Dwell.com, which only has the shelves coming out on the lower parts of the state borders, rather than the whole state being outlined, but I'm not set on this yet. My question is, I want to build this with fine plywood and leave the edge exposed (not wanting any edge banding). We have an Eames lounge and coffee table, so lots of formed plywood. Any recommendations on a type of plywood that would cut well, leaving clean edges, and look good with just a sealer, no stain? I looked at cabinet grade plywood at HD, but it didn't look like great quality. I'm thinking some hardwood sheeting, 7-10 ply? Any other thoughts or ideas about this project would be appreciated. Here are the links:

http://www.dwell.com/finishing-touch...okshelf-london

http://freshome.com/2009/04/06/books...es-of-america/

an-american-bookshelf-in-london.jpg

[Jamie Buxton]

Look at baltic birch plywood. It is all-birch, and there are very few voids in the core. All the plys are the same thickness. It looks a lot like the edges you see on your Eames furniture. In my local dealers I can buy it in 6 mm, 12 mm, and 24 mm thickness.

True baltic birch comes only in 5'x5' panels, so maybe it fits your design. It is readily available. I've also seen Finn ply and Latvian ply, which are the same birch ply, but in 4'x8' sheets.
There's also ply which looks a bit like real baltic birch, but which is not. It is sometimes called Chinese multi-ply. You may find it at your local Home Depot or Lowes. The core is something soft, and oddly stinky. The face plies are tissue paper thin. And the stuff has tensions built into it, so when you cut a full sheet into smaller panels, they warp. I do not recommend it.

[Mat Harris]

Look at baltic birch plywood. It is all-birch, and there are very few voids in the core. All the plys are the same thickness. It looks a lot like the edges you see on your Eames furniture. In my local dealers I can buy it in 6 mm, 12 mm, and 24 mm thickness.

True baltic birch comes only in 5'x5' panels, so maybe it fits your design. It is readily available. I've also seen Finn ply and Latvian ply, which are the same birch ply, but in 4'x8' sheets.
There's also ply which looks a bit like real baltic birch, but which is not. It is sometimes called Chinese multi-ply. You may find it at your local Home Depot or Lowes. The core is something soft, and oddly stinky. The face plies are tissue paper thin. And the stuff has tensions built into it, so when you cut a full sheet into smaller panels, they warp. I do not recommend it.

Thanks Jamie. I found a source here in Salt Lake.