I understand where you are coming from Greg. Seems like every time I
turn around the lumber industry has found a way to squeak a bit more
out of us. Plywood dimensions keep getting thinner and thinner ( I
recently bought some 1/2" shop grade that was barely above 3/8). And my
local hardwood supplier charges a "straight Lining" charge of 10% on
all domestic lumber they carry. Claiming its S3S lumber. Can't figure
out why they just don't add it into the marked price. It artifically
makes the price on the rack look cheaper...marketing tactic I guess.
Even then I have to joint it every time and usually end up removing
more than 1/8" to get it true.
I just got some 5/4 mahogany (s2s) and it was less than an inch thick.
And the veneer on hardwood plywood is so thin these days that I reject
a sheet even if it's got a "shipping" mark on it. I know if I try and
clean it up by sanding the black mark off I risk burning right through
it. And have you bought dimensional construction lumber lately? I see
why more and more housing is using steel studs. Wood studs are
expensive and crappy. Remember the reason a 2x4 stud is 3 1/2 by 1 1/2
is because the mill cut off the bad parts. Now days it would be a tooth
pick.
Mark