Where to buy Phenolic Plywood?

[Jim Becker]

Yes, it caught my eye. I doubt they deliver up your way, but a phone conversation with them could be worth it, before a scenic but long drive to Lewisburg which is likely closer to you than Reading. Maybe they could provide a little sample or point you to where you can get one. I may check this stuff out for shop cabinets, honestly, as an alternative to typical pre-finished depending on the cost.

[al ladd]

I'm looking for, I think similar product to what John was after here. The Woodcraft phenolic BB would seem to be the ideal stuff, but it's $$$, wrong thickness for me, and has limited sizes and expensive shipping.

Im wondering about using "phenolic backer" which is basically Formica without a show side, sold typically as a balancer for backs of countertops, but applying it to both faces of a good quality plywood to produce phenolic plywood in any thickness. It's very inexpensive. Glue with PVA in a vaccuum press.

What I'm looking for is a surface that will appeal to woodworkers as a suitable hard wearing surface, and I want to not have the slipperiness of melamine or plastic laminate. Anyone have any experience using this stuff?
Like:https://www.woodworkerexpress.com/po...9br28-4x8.html or https://feeneysupply.com/products/ba...t7855046623481

[John TenEyck]

Thanks Tom and Jim. Those look like good options to pursue. I called my local full service lumber yard yesterday to ask about the current price of PlumaPly. $230/sheet. It was $170 last year, $105 a couple of years before that. Not interested at $230.

I'll see if they can get either of the options you two proposed, and what the price is. Anderson shouldn't be a problem, except maybe for the price. I'll report back.

John

[John Pendery]

Roberts Plywood sells Koskisen, which fits the bill for what you are after I believe. On the wrong side of your state unfortunately.

[John TenEyck]

google found several sources: https://andersonplywood.com/phenolic-plywood/

I checked with my local supplier about that product. $800 plus per sheet is just a wee bit more than what I want to spend.

John

[John Pendery]

John,

Not sure if you saw my post about Roberts Plywood who carry KoskiDecor, which is a Finnish birch product manufactured by Koskisen that might fit you description. If they don’t have any in stock another supplier in NC, CaraGreen is a good resource. It’s not cheap, but much less than $800 a sheet. I believe 18mm 5x10 sheets run $500, 12mm 5x10 $400, 12 mm 4x8 $250. Hope that is helpful.

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[al ladd]

I recently bought a few sheets of 1/2" and 3/4" Plumaply from Atlantic Plywood for a lot less than $230/sheet. I think it was in the 3-4$ SQ foot neighborhood, about the same as they wanted for BB of same thickness.

I've been working on a table saw sled design, and the high price and poor availability of a suitable sheet good is a real drag.

The Finnish stuff looks interesting, like the Woodcraft stuff i suppose, but I like the idea of a non-wood and perhaps thicker top veneer.

I might try the phenolic backer veneering idea. I always wonder, when I consider doing something that I can't find has been done before, whether there's a good reason for it....

It seems to me there's a fair amount of interest in superior jig/table saw sled material. Solid phenolic board is seen as the ultimate (what Woodpeckers is using for their $539 sled,) but it's heavy, obnoxious to work with, and a slick surface makes no real sense for a table saw sled surface...

[John TenEyck]

I did see your post about Koskisen, John. I sent them an email about price and whether they would cut it into smaller pieces and ship it to me. They are out on Long Island; way too far to go in person. But $10/ft^2 plus shipping is pretty steep.

I looked into buying a piece of phenolic plywood from Woodcraft today, just to try it. 24 x 32" is $70, but with tax, shipping, and a "Fuel Surcharge" it's around $102. That's almost $20/ft^2. Baltic birch with a Formica skin on one side is looking better and better. That would be less than $5/ft^2.

John

[roger wiegand]

Boulter Plywood will ship to you A local source would be better.

[John Pendery]

How much of this are you looking for? I’m in the middle of a kitchen using this, and if you just want a small drop off to get a feel for it or test it out I might be able to mail you a piece or two depending on what I’m left with. I agree, initial pricing is a tough pill to swallow, and shipping on top of that is cost prohibitive for all but large projects/jobs.

[John TenEyck]

Roberts Plywood sells Koskisen, which fits the bill for what you are after I believe. On the wrong side of your state unfortunately.

Thanks for the offer, John. I'll let you know. I would hate to have you ship me a piece, fall in love with it, and then be faced with how to afford using it for real.

John

[John Pendery]

Haha good point, the penalty of future operating costs hadn’t occurred to me. That aside once I finish the kitchen if I have any leftover in a size that’s shippable and useful to you I’m happy to send along. Just let me know

[al ladd]

An interesting alternative here is Rigahex--which has one surface with a textured phenolic and the other side smooth. It's meant for truck liners to keep packages from shifting. I have a sheet and think it will be nice for table saw sled surface, where a little friction on top is desirable. I've been quoted about $175/4x8 (1/2" thick) delivered (from NJ to MA) for 10 sheet order. I've got a few other things i want to do with it as well, so may be offering it to SMC'ers if anyone's interested. The one US (more readily available in Europe) retailer: https://reparadise.co/product/naply-riga-heksa-hex-ply/ will cut full sheets for better shipping price, or PM me for better east coast contact for bulk orders.

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned Makerstock, which retails regular phenolic plywood at a significant discount compared to Woodcraft, offering may sized in 1/2" and 3/4". https://makerstock.com/products/fina...41117746659425.

[John TenEyck]

Thanks very much Alan. Makerstock looks like a real option for me if I get more orders for the product I make with that type of product.

John

[Jimmy Harris]

If you need smaller pieces, like for a jig or something, you can buy online for usually much cheaper than what it would cost you at Woodcraft. I buy mine from Maker Stock.

https://makerstock.com/collections/p...mine/film-face