Where to buy quality 1/8" plywood?

[cls]

Hey folks, where do you buy quality plywood? By quality, I mean 5 ply, "aircraft" rated.

All I can find locally is 3 ply, looks like thin birch veneer over thicker basswood? Several brands, all say "not for aircraft use".

The "not for aircraft" stuff has interior checks, splits, and voids, so really doesn't last well.

Checked a couple manufacturer web sites, Midwest and another I forget, they do not even list anything other than 3 ply.

I found some birch poplar birch laminate, which might be better than basswood core.

Maybe all that from the Before Times is just gone now?

 

[Titan II]

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/what-is-a-good-source-for-quality-plywood.170948/
I frequently laminate my own with thinner sheets.

 

[catman001]

Balsa Usa carries 5 ply Aircraft Grade in 1/8 inch.

https://shop.balsausa.com

 

[Zeta]

Hey folks, where do you buy quality plywood? By quality, I mean 5 ply, "aircraft" rated.

All I can find locally is 3 ply, looks like thin birch veneer over thicker basswood? Several brands, all say "not for aircraft use".

The "not for aircraft" stuff has interior checks, splits, and voids, so really doesn't last well.

Checked a couple manufacturer web sites, Midwest and another I forget, they do not even list anything other than 3 ply.

I found some birch poplar birch laminate, which might be better than basswood core.

Maybe all that from the Before Times is just gone now?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2824823934...ZbDYCvLM29n+g2kz+GSncmnsuA==|tkp:BFBM3JyqwsJg

 

[Titan II]

MW5304 is 3 ply.

Sig carries 1/8 5 ply.

 

[cls]

Embarrassed, I forget about SIG... Thanks

 

[kennethgwebb63]

You might try veneer, can't help with the aircraft cert and not sure about the ply count

 

[heada]

Aircraft spruce.

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/wp/plywood.html

 

[cls]

Hi folks, thanks for the great suggestions. To close the loop:

Last time I ordered from Aircraft Spruce, it was all warped. A quick phone call and the nice man confirmed all the thin plywood stock was warped.

Sig has 5 ply 1/8"! Great. Their retailers list showed a hobby shop 20 miles away, never heard of it, run by a mean old man, is there any other kind? looks like a great place, can't wait to visit. So I called over there, he said he has one sheet of midwest 3 ply, warped, and he doesn't order from SIG. Oh well.

So I'll mail order from SIG.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[sambatterman]

Woodcraft, or I would also recommend sendcutsend if you have a design - it's cheaper to have it cut and mailed to you, then to buy the bulk.

 

[Titan II]

Woodcraft, or I would also recommend sendcutsend if you have a design - it's cheaper to have it cut and mailed to you, then to buy the bulk.

Woodcraft 1/8 Baltic birch is only 3 ply.

 

[James Duffy]

National Balsa offers a 1/8"-thick 6-ply product.

 

[cls]

National Balsa website is kaput, oh well

 

[James Duffy]

National Balsa website is kaput, oh well

Huh? I just accessed it a few moments ago.

https://www.nationalbalsa.com

 

[Titan II]

Works fine.

 

[roc_boy]

Hi folks, thanks for the great suggestions. To close the loop:

Last time I ordered from Aircraft Spruce, it was all warped. A quick phone call and the nice man confirmed all the thin plywood stock was warped.

Sig has 5 ply 1/8"! Great. Their retailers list showed a hobby shop 20 miles away, never heard of it, run by a mean old man, is there any other kind? looks like a great place, can't wait to visit. So I called over there, he said he has one sheet of midwest 3 ply, warped, and he doesn't order from SIG. Oh well.

So I'll mail order from SIG.

Thanks again everyone.

Yep. I ordered a large sheet of 1/8" ply from Aircraft Spruce a few years ago. It was warped beyond what I will use for fins. Before I pursued returning it, it dawned on me that there was nothing "wrong" with it, as this would not be an issue with its intended use in full size aircraft construction where it will most likely be used in an assembly that will provide rigidity.
In my view, when I need good flat stock, I'm just going to have to buy it in person, where I can pick through the rack. Finding acceptable plywood in and of itself is pressuring me from cardboard & wood to composite construction.

 

[Woody's Workshop]

I bought some at Woodcraft couple years ago, probably longer.
Used it on the BT-70 & BT-80 Wizard Upscales.
Worked out great. What I left over did the usual twist.
But the fins stayed nice and straight as they were attached to centering rings I made that locked into the TTW Fins.
Woodcraft also has good packing, so the travel through the service used comes in great shape.
I use to spend a lot of time at Woodcraft when I had my Wood Shop.
Spent a lot of money there for machines and clamps and tools.
But if you can get you pieces pre-cut out and locks into the centering rings, that's the way to go.
I spent a lot of time sanding a little here, a little there to get everything nice and tight at the joints.
Would save quite a bit of time pre-cut.

 

[jhill9693]

As an experiment, I laminated my Estes V2 balsa fins with BSI Finish Cure epoxy and heavy card stock. The result was comparable to 1/8” plywood and a heck of a lot cheaper and easier to work. In fact I think they are lighter and stronger than plywood of the same thickness.