WTB: 12" x 12" cut and routed wood boards

[Sigurthr]

Hey everyone!
I don't have any wood working tools, nor do I have the funds or space for any. I need small orders (in batches of 2) of simple 12" x 12" boards in a thickness between 1/2" and 1" (tolerance not critical, but must be under 12.125 inches per side). They MUST be straight unwarped wood with no knots. That is why I can't source this locally, all the damned wood here is warped or has knots throughout it. Type of wood doesn't really matter as long as it is suitable for basic structural/display purposes (no balsa or plywood). The edge routing doesn't have to be fancy, just has to have somewhat rounded corners and no rough edges.

Price is negotiable, but I'm not looking to pay a fortune for what is essentially about 5min of work for someone who has the two tools needed and only costs them about $5 of lumber. Trades will also be accepted (let me know what you're interested in!).

I'd like to keep this within the continental US for shipping cost purposes. I believe this size should fit in the large flat rate box from USPS.

 

[Jmillerdoc]

Have you considered Baltic Birch ply? When finished, the edges have a very nice appearance due to the type of material. It's ply but cosmetically it looks very nice, even the sanded edges. Baltic Birch ply is unique and much higher quality than standard plywood, layers are made from veneer rather than some of the more pulp type of layers in standard construction grade plywood. Google some images of finished Baltic Birch edges. 3/4" is available but not too easy to find in some place, 1/2" is much easier to source.
Just a thought because it is very straight material unlike regular types of common wood that warps. Be careful with using regular wood, even kiln dried can start straight and unwarped but quickly end up changing shapes on you with the slightest variance in humidity and temperature. For things that must retain their shape, regular wood can prove to be very difficult to work with. If you don't like the idea of ply edges showing, even the BB mentioned above, consider a veneered plywood and use a veneer tape to cover the edges.

Send me a PM if you want to discuss it some more, I'd be glad to offer some assistance. Wood working was my hobby before lasers.
JM

 

[beamrider]

Perfectly flat wood is almost a myth, because wood moves at different temp/humidity. I can mill you a piece dead flat, but by the time it gets to you, may no longer be flat. Even baltic birch can warp. I started using MDF for all my shop jigs, simply because it doesn't warp, at least not in my shop. Isn't pretty, but it can be veneered.

Or, you might look into phenolic faced birch. I made my router table out of a slab of that and it's still dead flat 4 years later.

If you go with BB plywood, it isn't cheap. A 3'x5' 3/4" sheet here is about $60. Phenolic is higher than that.

 

[Sigurthr]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I don't need it perfectly flat, just no more than about 3/32 variation along an axis from one edge to the opposing edge; the idea is that it just has to sit flat and fit corner supports that are able to adjust +-1/4".

Warping will happen with humidity, aye, but the boards here are literally U shaped along the width and tortioned along the length. Out of a 10ft board I can't cut a single 12" section that has less than 1/4" deviation.

 

[beamrider]

Getting wood from Lowes/Menards/the BORG, it's all going to be warped. No way around it, that's why most guys who do this, buy rough stock. Once it acclimates to your shop, then you rip/joint/plane to final dimensions, which gives you a flat/square piece of stock.

I don't know if you have a Menards close by, but they do offer a larger selection of nice wood (cherry/walnut/maple/oak/pine/aspen/hickory etc), which you wont find at Lowes/BORG. Their "premium" stock is usually pretty flat, and would suit your purposes. I don't think they carry 12" solid tho, it's probably a 2 piece glue line join board. Depends on what you want tho, if you're dead set on "real" wood, or would consider higher grade plywoods.

 

[Sigurthr]

Unfortunately I live about 100miles from the nearest real hardware store of any kind. We have a General Store here for any hardware type stuff, and that's it. They've got some 6" x 3/4" x 10' pine boards (U shaped and tortioned) and 3' x 6' plywood sheets, but can't cut anything down for me and I only have a shitty circular saw, lol. I can't even fit the plywood sheet in my car, lol. Whenever construction is to be done here they ship everything in from downstate. We don't even have local contractors.

I said no plywood because the only plywood I have experience with comes unglued very easily and peels apart. I can literally split the sheets by hand using only a flat screwdriver. That's all that is available up here, people use it to board up windows and such for storms. If there are other types of plywood available that won't separate when you cut it and don't have large sections you can peel off the outer layers then that would probably work fine.

The end use of these squares is just a two tiered base for my tesla coils. I have PVC supports and flanges to support the upper tier (I had to order them in online too). The only real requirements as such are just that they have to sit on a relatively flat table without rocking and not fall apart from being cut.

 

[beamrider]

I bet the plywood you've dealt with before is more of the "exterior glue and sawdust" variety then, the humidity from breathing on it will cause the top ply to seperate and warp off......

Here's an example of baltic birch: http://www.trmguitarcabs.com/baltic_birch_002.JPG

 

[Sigurthr]

Oh wow that looks nice!

After a fair amount of searching I found a site that sells 12" x 12" Baltic birch plywood squares very inexpensively. They don't do custom cuts (not needed) or routing though, but I think I can live with the raw edges, at least for now. 1/2 Baltic Birch: 12'' x 12'' Squares Shipped to You! Lowest Price, Highest Quality for your wood working needs from Woodworkers Source

Once I get them in the mail if the edges are unsuitable I'll change this thread to "WTB routing services" and then just have any future orders shipped to whoever will do the routing for me.

Thanks for all your help guys!

P.S. EasternVoltageResearch charges $100 for two 12" x 12" pine boards with four 1 1/8" x 1 1/8" x 6" corner supports. All they do is cut and route them and toss in about $2 of hardware.

 

[beamrider]

Those prices dont look too bad for 1/2" foot squares, I think you can get 4 in a box before the shipping goes up. I'd say go for it, for that price.

If you decide you want the sides routed, or corner feet, etc. holler at me, I've got all the tools, and nothing but time.......lol

Best of luck, and PM me a few pics of the finished product, I'd love to see some action shots!