1/2" wood..where to get?

[Tommy Emmons]

I notice that most of the posts refer to using 1.2" wood for drawer construction. Where do you buy it or do you plane/resaw 3/4" to get the thickness down to 1/2"? I know it is a dumb question, but what do you expect from a novice.

Also, where do you buy 1/2" to 3/4" foam that I see used in boxes for tools to fit in. I see threads on how to cut the foam, but not where to get it. The borg does not seem to have it. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance, Tommy

[glenn bradley]

I use 1/2" Baltic birch plywood or buy thick poplar and re-saw on the band saw. For the rough lumber I face joint both sides whether they're parallel or not so I have flat surfaces on the outside. I then re-saw down the middle to create two planks flat on one side and band sawed on the other. Then I run them through the planer to thickness them and rip to width on the table saw.

[Dan Oliphant]

Tommy, most places don't sell 1/2 inch material because the thinner materials (solid wood) will tend to warp/twist and cup quite easy. So the loss of saleable material is reduced, therefor so are the profits.

[David Gunn]

As far as the foam, you can probably find what you need at a crafts store or some similar type of store. I could be wrong though, (its happened before).

[Al Killian]

The borg does sell the foam in 1/2" and 3/4". It is in with the insulation. You find it in either a 4x8 sheet or in small 2'x3' sheets sold in bundles. You would be better off asking a person that does siding for there scraps.
For the lumber, I use Baltic Birch. The baltic birch comes in 5'x5' sheets and is fairly heavy compaired to cdx.

[Tommy Emmons]

I should clarify. I am looking for the open cell foam, not styrofoam. The open cell is the kind that you see in specialty case to hold tool or guns in place.

[Bill Simmeth]

Go to foamorder.com and knock yerself silly.
http://www.foamorder.com/packing.html

[Paul Johnstone]

If the drawers aren't small, you can also just use plain 3/4 stock if that's all you have. (It looks silly on very small drawers)

[James Carmichael]

Be advised that plywood is never a true 1/2 or 3/4", it is always undersized. If you cut a 1/2" dado, it'll be too big for 1/2" plywood. Domestic 1/2" ply is around 31/64", foreign is 12mm.

Some hardwood dealers will mill solid wood stock to the dimensions you want, but that's one reason so many WW hobbyists have a bandsaw, jointer, and planer, to mill their own stock to just about any thickness.

[Steve Roxberg]

I notice that most of the posts refer to using 1.2" wood for drawer construction. Where do you buy it or do you plane/resaw 3/4" to get the thickness down to 1/2"? I know it is a dumb question, but what do you expect from a novice.

Also, where do you buy 1/2" to 3/4" foam that I see used in boxes for tools to fit in. I see threads on how to cut the foam, but not where to get it. The borg does not seem to have it. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance, Tommy

You can buy drawer sides prefinished and dado'ed for the bottom if you like. i use Baltic Birch ply for shop cabinets and either Maple, Poplar, or Cedar dependent on the project. I generally plan it down from 3/4 but stop around 5/8.

[Jim Becker]

I generally start with thick poplar stock (8/4 or so) and resaw drawer material from it, planing to final thickness. Some suppliers to keep 1/2" material around for drawers and other needs, but it's only a small percentage. You also pay through the nose for it sometimes...

[Russ Buddle]

You can usually find soft foam in fabric stores like Joann fabrics. They have various thicknesses, up to 4" thick.

[John Huber]

I've found 1/2" poplar at Lowe's near where they stock milled molding. Most of it is straight and flat. You can pick through it to get the best. More expensive and poorer quality than jointing, resawing, and thicknessing rough stock, but a good place for a beginner to start.

Another way to get 1/2" stock that is straight and flat is to laminate two pieces of 1/4" stock (also from Lowe's). Either a vacuum press or cauls is necessary to get a thin glue line and an attractive edge. With laminating, you can use poorer stock to start, especially if you use pieces with offsetting curvature. Once laminated, the piece has less tendency to change shape with time.

[Lee Schierer]

My local wood supplier carries 1/2" material. Basically they plane it down from 3/4 stock and the price is the same as 3/4 only I don't have the labor and shavings to deal with.

[Al Willits]

Be nice if we knew where you are, might help suggest a place.

Try the yellow pages under Foam suppliers or just Foam.

Al