Baltic Birch just took a huge price increase in our area this past week jumping from $12 per sheet to $21 per sheet. Anyone else seeing this increase?
Baltic Birch just took a huge price increase in our area this past week jumping from $12 per sheet to $21 per sheet. Anyone else seeing this increase?
Doug
Equipment: Universal 35W Laser, Roland Vinyl cutter, Roland SC-540 54" Solvent Print / Cut, HP L25500 60" Latex Printer,
Seal 6500 Dual Heat 60" Laminator, Kodak 9810 8x10 Dye Sub, Kodak 6850 6x8 Dye sub, Nisca Color Plastic Card Printer,
16x20 automatic Heat Press
Doug, what year you living in? 5' x 5' x 1/2" sheet of BB goes for $50 in my world.
Not only a price increase - my big box stores have quit stocking any thing in 1/8"!
Jim Huston
Fireborn Studio
M 360 60 Watt, 4 X 8 CNC Plasma, Glass Blowing
I have noticed a shortage of thin woods at my local suppliers too, more so the basswood. I have also found some items in other areas that have been discontinued due to slow sales. I think it's a matter of keeping in stock only those items that are profitable which in better times might have been kept as more of a service to the customers.
We need to keep that in mind when quoting, and check both price and supply before giving an amount or we can get burned.
Sammamish, WA
Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.
"One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher
"The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green
Speaking of 1/8 inch, I have never been able to find any locally. Where do most people buy theirs?
Epilog Legend EX24, Corel X3
I've been buying my birch at H.D in 1/4" .. I find that it gives me a better contrast than any 1/8th I've found (must be the glue!) .. I give it a light sanding, a light coat of Lacquer, and another light sanding.. I cut it to size, and quickly sand the edges on a bench belt sander then laser.. On my old tube, (I'm still resetting all my .dat files) I gave it two passes a 600 dpi 100p, One at 35sp (to start the etch, and get through the lacquer) and the second at 25sp.. to burn in the image.. I can now do it all with one pass at 45sp..
Epilog 24TT(somewhere between 35-45 watts), CorelX4, Photograv(the old one, it works!), HotStamping, Pantograph, Vulcanizer, PolymerPlatemaker, Sandblasting Cabinet, and a 30 year collection of Assorted 'Junque'
Every time you make a typo, the errorists win
I Have to think outside the box.. I don't fit in it anymore
Experience is a wonderful thing.
It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Every silver lining has a cloud around it
The stuff at the box store isn't baltic birch and tends to laser poorly. We use 1/8th inch baltic for a lot of stuff we make on the laser. Contrast is good and cuts very well. We buy it from hardwood distributors or cabinet makers. Anyone know where you can buy it direct without getting a middle man involved?
Doug
Equipment: Universal 35W Laser, Roland Vinyl cutter, Roland SC-540 54" Solvent Print / Cut, HP L25500 60" Latex Printer,
Seal 6500 Dual Heat 60" Laminator, Kodak 9810 8x10 Dye Sub, Kodak 6850 6x8 Dye sub, Nisca Color Plastic Card Printer,
16x20 automatic Heat Press
I have plenty of 3mm (1/8") B/BB Baltic Birch but it is hard to get and getting harder. I offer a box of 25 sheets cut to 11.75"+-x23.75"+- if anyone is interested please PM me. Many members here use us and it is designed to use right out of the box for Laser Buzz products.
Let me know if I can help and ...
Have a Blessed day,
Michael Kowalczyk
Laser-Trotec Speedy II 60 watt with 9.4.2 job control and will soon upgrade to JC X
Corel Draw Suite X6, FlexiSign Pro 8.62, AI CS3 and Lasertype6
CNC Routers-Thermwood model C40 with 4th axis. Thermwood Model 42 with dual tables and dual spindles with ATC for high production runs,
ArtcamPro 2010_SP4, EnroutePro 5.1, BobCad v21 & v24, Aspire v8 and Rhino 5.
FOTC link
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/friends.php?cp=210&lp=0&t=0&q=
Hey Mike - Nice to see you are still around. I'll be placing another order pretty soon. For folks that haven't used Mike's Birch it's great material and laser cuts with no problems at all!
Ed
Epilog 40W Mini24, Corel X8 (64-bit), and two big fire extinguishers.
Hey Ed,
Nice to see you chime in. Yes I am thankful that "IKE" did not sweep us away so the business is still up and running. We have plenty of 3mm so we are ready for you.
Thanks and ...
Have a Blessed day,
Michael Kowalczyk
Laser-Trotec Speedy II 60 watt with 9.4.2 job control and will soon upgrade to JC X
Corel Draw Suite X6, FlexiSign Pro 8.62, AI CS3 and Lasertype6
CNC Routers-Thermwood model C40 with 4th axis. Thermwood Model 42 with dual tables and dual spindles with ATC for high production runs,
ArtcamPro 2010_SP4, EnroutePro 5.1, BobCad v21 & v24, Aspire v8 and Rhino 5.
FOTC link
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/friends.php?cp=210&lp=0&t=0&q=
Must be differences in the birch ply from area to area, because I get excellent, much darker results from the stuff I buy, and does not feel as thin and cheap when you hand it to a customer. The 1/8 tends to be too 'brownish'. But then again, it could be just the 1/8 they distribute in this area..
Epilog 24TT(somewhere between 35-45 watts), CorelX4, Photograv(the old one, it works!), HotStamping, Pantograph, Vulcanizer, PolymerPlatemaker, Sandblasting Cabinet, and a 30 year collection of Assorted 'Junque'
Every time you make a typo, the errorists win
I Have to think outside the box.. I don't fit in it anymore
Experience is a wonderful thing.
It enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Every silver lining has a cloud around it
As mentioned by others, I've had very good results with Michael's birch. I could buy it from the woodworking stores but it's inconvenient and their supply is inconsistent.
Mike Null
St. Louis Laser, Inc.
Trotec Speedy 300, 80 watt
Gravograph IS400
Woodworking shop CLTT and Laser Sublimation
Dye Sublimation
CorelDraw X5, X7
http://www.kencraftcompany.com/ply3.htm Try this place. They will cut and ship. I had them cut it to the sizes for Laserbuzz items.
EPILOG LEGEND 32 60 WATT, CORELDRAWX5, PhotoGraV2.11, strip heater, PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA
Last edited by Michael Kowalczyk; 09-22-2008 at 7:19 PM. Reason: Keep it less grey
Have a Blessed day,
Michael Kowalczyk
Laser-Trotec Speedy II 60 watt with 9.4.2 job control and will soon upgrade to JC X
Corel Draw Suite X6, FlexiSign Pro 8.62, AI CS3 and Lasertype6
CNC Routers-Thermwood model C40 with 4th axis. Thermwood Model 42 with dual tables and dual spindles with ATC for high production runs,
ArtcamPro 2010_SP4, EnroutePro 5.1, BobCad v21 & v24, Aspire v8 and Rhino 5.
FOTC link
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/friends.php?cp=210&lp=0&t=0&q=