I am making an entertainment center out of teak. It will have 6 drawers,
each with a teak drawer face attached to the 1/2" plywood drawer. I have
seen ApplePly in drawers and it looks very nice. I have used baltic birch
and it is less nice. The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I am wondering if
there is a nice way I could finish the baltic birch or should I spring for
the ApplePly.

I would value your opinion if you have worked with ApplyPly and/or Baltic
birch.

TIA.

Dick Snyder

"Dick Snyder" wrote
The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I am wondering if there is a nice way I
could finish the baltic birch or should I spring for the ApplePly.

Only you know the answer. You are spending a bunch of money for teak, so why
not spend the extra for the wood you really want. Same labor for either,
but if it will nag you down the road that apple would have been better, is
is best to do that now.

Go back to the original concepts of a drawer. It holds stuff. If there are
no big holes for the content to fall out, any wood or sheet goods will do.
Start with particle board covered with shelf paper and work up from there
until your wallet starts to smolder.

"Dick Snyder" wrote in message
...
I am making an entertainment center out of teak. It will have 6 drawers,
each with a teak drawer face attached to the 1/2" plywood drawer. I have
seen ApplePly in drawers and it looks very nice. I have used baltic birch
and it is less nice. The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I am wondering if
there is a nice way I could finish the baltic birch or should I spring for
the ApplePly.

I would value your opinion if you have worked with ApplyPly and/or Baltic
birch.

TIA.

Dick Snyder

Well this is totally weird. I posted this message about an hour ago and the
same message showed up in this website:

http://www.homeownershub.com/woodwor...se-348834-.htm

What the heck????

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

"Dick Snyder" wrote
The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I am wondering if there is a nice way I
could finish the baltic birch or should I spring for the ApplePly.

Only you know the answer. You are spending a bunch of money for teak, so
why not spend the extra for the wood you really want. Same labor for
either, but if it will nag you down the road that apple would have been
better, is is best to do that now.

Go back to the original concepts of a drawer. It holds stuff. If there
are no big holes for the content to fall out, any wood or sheet goods will
do. Start with particle board covered with shelf paper and work up from
there until your wallet starts to smolder.
Good point. I just picked up my teak this morning in unfinished form and I
nearly had to go rob a bank to pay for it.

Dick Snyder wrote:
....

Well this is totally weird. I posted this message about an hour ago and the
same message showed up in this website:

http://www.homeownershub.com/woodworking/...

What the heck????

It's one of the "veritable plethora" of parasitic sites spring up solely
for the scraping of usenet in attempt to generate ad/hit revenue on the
web...

--

Dick Snyder wrote:
"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
"Dick Snyder" wrote
The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I am wondering if there is a nice way I
could finish the baltic birch or should I spring for the ApplePly.
Only you know the answer. You are spending a bunch of money for teak, so
why not spend the extra for the wood you really want. Same labor for
either, but if it will nag you down the road that apple would have been
better, is is best to do that now.

Go back to the original concepts of a drawer. It holds stuff. If there
are no big holes for the content to fall out, any wood or sheet goods will
do. Start with particle board covered with shelf paper and work up from
there until your wallet starts to smolder.
Good point. I just picked up my teak this morning in unfinished form and I
nearly had to go rob a bank to pay for it.

Well, if one is spending the $$ for the casework, why would you scrimp
on secondary wood(s) and/or hardware or anything else, for that matter?

IMO, unless the drawer sides are so tall as to make solid material a
real likelihood for bowing, to me there's nothing that says "shortcut"
like ply drawer boxes whether Baltic or Appleply or whatever.

The Appleply does finish and look somewhat better than does the B-B
owing to the solid strips so doesn't have the plies showing w/o banding
as does the B-B but you're at mercy as to which grain direction will be
showing unless make certain to get a particular orientation one edge and
then cut to width for the other...

Personally, I'd probably use white oak for the visible secondary wood; I
like the grain contrast w/ teak.

Just $0.02, ymmv, imo, etc., etc., etc., ...

--

On Sat, 11 Dec 2010 14:44:43 -0500, "Dick Snyder"
wrote:


"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

"Dick Snyder" wrote
The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I am wondering if there is a nice way I
could finish the baltic birch or should I spring for the ApplePly.

Only you know the answer. You are spending a bunch of money for teak, so
why not spend the extra for the wood you really want. Same labor for
either, but if it will nag you down the road that apple would have been
better, is is best to do that now.

Go back to the original concepts of a drawer. It holds stuff. If there
are no big holes for the content to fall out, any wood or sheet goods will
do. Start with particle board covered with shelf paper and work up from
there until your wallet starts to smolder.

Good point. I just picked up my teak this morning in unfinished form and I
nearly had to go rob a bank to pay for it.

In that case, don't ever look for ebony, tulipwood, blackwood,
kingwood, or ziricote. You can max out a credit card and still be
able to haul it home on your motorcycle. I don't own enough crowbars,
wallets, or credit cards for any of that stuff.

And check out the plantation teaks at half the price. Not as rich
looking, but nice. One source (random/std. disclaimer applies)
http://www.advantagelumber.com/plantation-teak.php

--
Know how to listen, and you will
profit even from those who talk badly.
-- Plutarch

In article ,
says...

"Dick Snyder" wrote
The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I am wondering if there is a nice way I
could finish the baltic birch or should I spring for the ApplePly.

Only you know the answer. You are spending a bunch of money for teak, so why
not spend the extra for the wood you really want. Same labor for either,
but if it will nag you down the road that apple would have been better, is
is best to do that now.

Go back to the original concepts of a drawer. It holds stuff. If there are
no big holes for the content to fall out, any wood or sheet goods will do.
Start with particle board covered with shelf paper and work up from there
until your wallet starts to smolder.

For appearance, why not use Baltic Birch (or MDF for that matter) with
teak edging and teak veneer on the faces?

On 12/11/2010 11:41 AM, Dick Snyder wrote:
I am making an entertainment center out of teak. It will have 6 drawers,
each with a teak drawer face attached to the 1/2" plywood drawer. I have
seen ApplePly in drawers and it looks very nice. I have used baltic birch
and it is less nice. The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I am wondering if
there is a nice way I could finish the baltic birch or should I spring for
the ApplePly.

I would value your opinion if you have worked with ApplyPly and/or Baltic

I built a prototype sideboard a few years back and, because it was a
prototype, made the drawers out of Baltic birch using a locking rabbet
joint.

It is still sitting in my dining room, much too gorgeous to call it a
prototype any longer, and I'm here to say that I'm perfectly happy with
the Baltic birch drawers in that piece, and that not one of the many
admirers have even noticed, or ever even remarked upon, the plywood drawers.

Keep in mind that I personally build a minimum of a few dozen, hardwood,
dovetail drawers a year to go in high end kitchens ... so I'm not all
that easy to please.

In short, a good argument can be made that anything well made will stand
on its own regardless of the material.

YMMV ...

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"Dick Snyder" wrote in message
...
I am making an entertainment center out of teak. It will have 6 drawers,
each with a teak drawer face attached to the 1/2" plywood drawer. I have
seen ApplePly in drawers and it looks very nice. I have used baltic birch
and it is less nice. The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I am wondering if
there is a nice way I could finish the baltic birch or should I spring for
the ApplePly.

I would value your opinion if you have worked with ApplyPly and/or Baltic
birch.

TIA.

Dick Snyder


Something to consider, it has been said that ApplePly is the American
version of Baltic Birch. Most manufacturers try to copy Baltic Birch and
many yards market all kinds of stuff as Baltic Birch and in all actuality it
is not the real McCoy. No doubt your opinion of what looks good is what
counts. However, there is the distinct possibility that what you were
looking at was not Baltic Birch rather a "look a like" being sold as Baltic
Birch. Generally the real Baltic Birch is very flat with no voids and does
not have a fuzzy surface appearance.

"Leon" wrote in message
...

"Dick Snyder" wrote in message
...
I am making an entertainment center out of teak. It will have 6 drawers,
each with a teak drawer face attached to the 1/2" plywood drawer. I have
seen ApplePly in drawers and it looks very nice. I have used baltic birch
and it is less nice. The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I am wondering if
there is a nice way I could finish the baltic birch or should I spring for
the ApplePly.

I would value your opinion if you have worked with ApplyPly and/or Baltic
birch.

TIA.

Dick Snyder


You may well be right. It was the fuzzy feel to the surface that turned me
off. There is a high quality plywood supplier, Boulter, in the Boston area.
Kind of a long trek but they have a LOT of different kinds of plywood. I
think a field trip there would help me settle this question in my mind.
Thanks.
Something to consider, it has been said that ApplePly is the American
version of Baltic Birch. Most manufacturers try to copy Baltic Birch and
many yards market all kinds of stuff as Baltic Birch and in all actuality
it is not the real McCoy. No doubt your opinion of what looks good is
what counts. However, there is the distinct possibility that what you
were looking at was not Baltic Birch rather a "look a like" being sold as
Baltic Birch. Generally the real Baltic Birch is very flat with no voids
and does not have a fuzzy surface appearance.

"Dick Snyder" wrote in
:

There is a high quality plywood supplier, Boulter, in the Boston area.


Thanks for the hint! That is close to my son's place.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

On Dec 11, 12:41*pm, "Dick Snyder" The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I
am wondering if there is a nice way I could finish the baltic birch or
should I spring for the ApplePly.

I bought a chest of drawers for my wife a few years back and it had
cedar drawer boxes. Of course, for clothes and such this makes sense,
but I thought it was a very nice touch and one worth emulating.

On Dec 12, 6:48*am, "Dick Snyder" wrote:

You may well be right. It was the fuzzy feel to the surface that turned me
off. There is a high quality plywood supplier, Boulter, in the Boston area.
Kind of a long trek but they have a LOT of different kinds of plywood. I
think a field trip there would help me settle this question in my mind.
Thanks.


If you're closer to NYC, Honerkamp in the Bronx is a plywood candy
store.
http://www.honerkamp.com/hardwood_species.html

R

"Leon" wrote in message
...

"Dick Snyder" wrote in message
...
I am making an entertainment center out of teak. It will have 6 drawers,
each with a teak drawer face attached to the 1/2" plywood drawer. I have
seen ApplePly in drawers and it looks very nice. I have used baltic birch
and it is less nice. The ApplePly is pretty expensive. I am wondering if
there is a nice way I could finish the baltic birch or should I spring for
the ApplePly.

I would value your opinion if you have worked with ApplyPly and/or Baltic
birch.

TIA.

Dick Snyder


Something to consider, it has been said that ApplePly is the American
version of Baltic Birch. Most manufacturers try to copy Baltic Birch and
many yards market all kinds of stuff as Baltic Birch and in all actuality
it is not the real McCoy. No doubt your opinion of what looks good is
what counts. However, there is the distinct possibility that what you
were looking at was not Baltic Birch rather a "look a like" being sold as
Baltic Birch. Generally the real Baltic Birch is very flat with no voids
and does not have a fuzzy surface appearance.

Took my field trip to Boulter plywood in Boston. Their Baltic Birch was
wonderfully smooth -- no fuzz. I bought what I needed for my project and
learned an important lesson. Go to a quality supplier if you need a quality
product as all BB is NOT the same.

BTW: they could not order any ApplePly from Boulter despite lots of calls
and they are probably the biggest plywood retailer in Massachusetts if not
the Northeast.

"Dick Snyder" wrote in message
...
sNIP



Something to consider, it has been said that ApplePly is the American
version of Baltic Birch. Most manufacturers try to copy Baltic Birch and
many yards market all kinds of stuff as Baltic Birch and in all actuality
it is not the real McCoy. No doubt your opinion of what looks good is
what counts. However, there is the distinct possibility that what you
were looking at was not Baltic Birch rather a "look a like" being sold as
Baltic Birch. Generally the real Baltic Birch is very flat with no voids
and does not have a fuzzy surface appearance.

Took my field trip to Boulter plywood in Boston. Their Baltic Birch was
wonderfully smooth -- no fuzz. I bought what I needed for my project and
learned an important lesson. Go to a quality supplier if you need a
quality product as all BB is NOT the same.

BTW: they could not order any ApplePly from Boulter despite lots of calls
and they are probably the biggest plywood retailer in Massachusetts if not
the Northeast.


Glad to hear you were able to find the real thing.

On Dec 15, 9:03*am, "Leon" wrote:
"Dick Snyder" wrote in message


BTW: they could not order any ApplePly from Boulter despite lots of calls
and they are probably the biggest plywood retailer in Massachusetts if not
the Northeast.

Glad to hear you were able to find the real thing.

Proper Baltic Birch, from Finland, is available in many grades all the
way from sub-floor grade to 'no knots, not even on the inner plies'.
Some hairy, some smooth. some flat, some bowl-shaped and almost
impossible to use in drawers..... all from the same Finnish sources.
And as long as each birch tree is different, whether from the side of
a rocky hill or from a dried, sheltered lake bed..the stuff _will_ be
graded.
When I was building a lot of loudspeaker enclosures, I visited many
plywood suppliers looking for that perfect material. I saw 5 x 5
sheets, of similar thickness, in at least 5-6 grades and priced
accordingly.
Not to pick nits, Leon, but even the 'real thing' is all over the
place.
I would therefore assume that a nice slab of Canadian birch plywood is
nicer than a crappy 'real' Baltic Birch slab.
/end gratuitous nationalistic plug

"Leon" wrote in message
...

"Dick Snyder" wrote in message
...
sNIP



Something to consider, it has been said that ApplePly is the American
version of Baltic Birch. Most manufacturers try to copy Baltic Birch
and many yards market all kinds of stuff as Baltic Birch and in all
actuality it is not the real McCoy. No doubt your opinion of what looks
good is what counts. However, there is the distinct possibility that
what you were looking at was not Baltic Birch rather a "look a like"
being sold as Baltic Birch. Generally the real Baltic Birch is very
flat with no voids and does not have a fuzzy surface appearance.

Took my field trip to Boulter plywood in Boston. Their Baltic Birch was
wonderfully smooth -- no fuzz. I bought what I needed for my project and
learned an important lesson. Go to a quality supplier if you need a
quality product as all BB is NOT the same.

BTW: they could not order any ApplePly from Boulter despite lots of calls
and they are probably the biggest plywood retailer in Massachusetts if
not the Northeast.


Glad to hear you were able to find the real thing.

While we are on about BB, I wanted to see what experience people have had
finishing it. I want it to be very blonde. My finishing book by Flexner says
that water based finishes will leave it the most blonde with no color
imparted to the wood. It will also be more work as the water in water based
finishes raises the grain but Flexner was very specific about how to deal
with that.

Has anyone found a way they like to finish BB? These will be shallow
drawers, 5" high, to hold CDs in the teak entertainment center I am
building. The faces of the drawers (7" high) will have pieces of solid teak
attached. I think the teak would be nicely offset by a finished BB that
hasn't any color added to it.

Thoughts anyone?

On Dec 17, 5:11*pm, "Dick Snyder" wrote:
"Leon" wrote in message

...



"Dick Snyder" wrote in message
m...
sNIP

Something to consider, it has been said that ApplePly is the American
version of Baltic Birch. *Most manufacturers try to copy Baltic Birch
and many yards market all kinds of stuff as Baltic Birch and in all
actuality it is not the real McCoy. *No doubt your opinion of what looks
good is what counts. *However, there is the distinct possibility that
what you were looking at was not Baltic Birch rather a "look a like"
being sold as Baltic Birch. *Generally the real Baltic Birch is very
flat with no voids and does not have a fuzzy surface appearance.

Took my field trip to *Boulter plywood in Boston. Their Baltic Birch was
wonderfully smooth -- no fuzz. I bought what I needed for my project and
learned an important lesson. Go to a quality supplier if you need a
quality product as all BB is NOT the same.

BTW: they could not order any ApplePly from Boulter despite lots of calls
and they are probably the biggest plywood retailer in Massachusetts if
not the Northeast.

Glad to hear you were able to find the real thing.

While we are on about BB, I wanted to see what experience people have had
finishing it. I want it to be very blonde. My finishing book by Flexner says
that water based finishes will leave it the most blonde with no color
imparted to the wood. It will also be more work as the water in water based
finishes raises the grain but Flexner was very specific about how to deal
with that.

Has anyone found a way they like to finish BB? These will be shallow
drawers, 5" high, to hold CDs in the teak entertainment center I am
building. The faces of the drawers (7" high) will have pieces of solid teak
attached. I think the teak would be nicely offset by a finished BB that
hasn't any color added to it.

Thoughts anyone?

I spray my BB drawer boxes with 2 coats pre-cat lacquer over a vinyl
sanding sealer(sherwinn williams system). Its reliable, quick and
smooth as glass. Exceeds Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association
(KCMA) durability standards.

In article 9aa1746c-e8e8-4813-bc6d-
,
says...

On Dec 17, 5:11*pm, "Dick Snyder" wrote:
"Leon" wrote in message

...



"Dick Snyder" wrote in message
m...
sNIP

Something to consider, it has been said that ApplePly is the American
version of Baltic Birch. *Most manufacturers try to copy Baltic Birch
and many yards market all kinds of stuff as Baltic Birch and in all
actuality it is not the real McCoy. *No doubt your opinion of what looks
good is what counts. *However, there is the distinct possibility that
what you were looking at was not Baltic Birch rather a "look a like"
being sold as Baltic Birch. *Generally the real Baltic Birch is very
flat with no voids and does not have a fuzzy surface appearance.

Took my field trip to *Boulter plywood in Boston. Their Baltic Birch was
wonderfully smooth -- no fuzz. I bought what I needed for my project and
learned an important lesson. Go to a quality supplier if you need a
quality product as all BB is NOT the same.

BTW: they could not order any ApplePly from Boulter despite lots of calls
and they are probably the biggest plywood retailer in Massachusetts if
not the Northeast.

Glad to hear you were able to find the real thing.

While we are on about BB, I wanted to see what experience people have had
finishing it. I want it to be very blonde. My finishing book by Flexner says
that water based finishes will leave it the most blonde with no color
imparted to the wood. It will also be more work as the water in water based
finishes raises the grain but Flexner was very specific about how to deal
with that.

Has anyone found a way they like to finish BB? These will be shallow
drawers, 5" high, to hold CDs in the teak entertainment center I am
building. The faces of the drawers (7" high) will have pieces of solid teak
attached. I think the teak would be nicely offset by a finished BB that
hasn't any color added to it.

Thoughts anyone?

I spray my BB drawer boxes with 2 coats pre-cat lacquer over a vinyl
sanding sealer(sherwinn williams system). Its reliable, quick and
smooth as glass. Exceeds Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association
(KCMA) durability standards.

But how much color does it impart? I've never seen a precat that was
water clear in the same way as an untinted waterborne polyurethane. I
see that Sherwin-Williams does have a "Kemvar LF" and a "Sher-Wood Water
White" conversion varnish but both have to be catalyzed shortly before
use and don't have much pot life after catalyzation.

My advice to the OP is "find a real paint store and ask them what to use
that meets KCMA standards to get the effect you want".

Personally I think I'd go for a contrast--BB is a light colored wood and
teak is a light colored wood although darker than BB and there wouldn't
IMO really be much "offsetting". I think a darker finish on the BB
might be better. Or just paint the insides of the drawers white (make
sure to use a "non-blocking" finish).

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
in.local...
In article 9aa1746c-e8e8-4813-bc6d-
,
says...

On Dec 17, 5:11 pm, "Dick Snyder" wrote:
"Leon" wrote in message

...



"Dick Snyder" wrote in message
m...
sNIP

Something to consider, it has been said that ApplePly is the
American
version of Baltic Birch. Most manufacturers try to copy Baltic
Birch
and many yards market all kinds of stuff as Baltic Birch and in all
actuality it is not the real McCoy. No doubt your opinion of what
looks
good is what counts. However, there is the distinct possibility
that
what you were looking at was not Baltic Birch rather a "look a
like"
being sold as Baltic Birch. Generally the real Baltic Birch is very
flat with no voids and does not have a fuzzy surface appearance.

Took my field trip to Boulter plywood in Boston. Their Baltic Birch
was
wonderfully smooth -- no fuzz. I bought what I needed for my project
and
learned an important lesson. Go to a quality supplier if you need a
quality product as all BB is NOT the same.

BTW: they could not order any ApplePly from Boulter despite lots of
calls
and they are probably the biggest plywood retailer in Massachusetts
if
not the Northeast.

Glad to hear you were able to find the real thing.

While we are on about BB, I wanted to see what experience people have
had
finishing it. I want it to be very blonde. My finishing book by Flexner
says
that water based finishes will leave it the most blonde with no color
imparted to the wood. It will also be more work as the water in water
based
finishes raises the grain but Flexner was very specific about how to
deal
with that.

Has anyone found a way they like to finish BB? These will be shallow
drawers, 5" high, to hold CDs in the teak entertainment center I am
building. The faces of the drawers (7" high) will have pieces of solid
teak
attached. I think the teak would be nicely offset by a finished BB that
hasn't any color added to it.

Thoughts anyone?

I spray my BB drawer boxes with 2 coats pre-cat lacquer over a vinyl
sanding sealer(sherwinn williams system). Its reliable, quick and
smooth as glass. Exceeds Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association
(KCMA) durability standards.

But how much color does it impart? I've never seen a precat that was
water clear in the same way as an untinted waterborne polyurethane. I
see that Sherwin-Williams does have a "Kemvar LF" and a "Sher-Wood Water
White" conversion varnish but both have to be catalyzed shortly before
use and don't have much pot life after catalyzation.

My advice to the OP is "find a real paint store and ask them what to use
that meets KCMA standards to get the effect you want".

Personally I think I'd go for a contrast--BB is a light colored wood and
teak is a light colored wood although darker than BB and there wouldn't
IMO really be much "offsetting". I think a darker finish on the BB
might be better. Or just paint the insides of the drawers white (make
sure to use a "non-blocking" finish).

My teak is somewhat dark though it will lighten with sun light over time and
my entertainment center will be in a room that gets a lot of sunlight. I
think I want to leave the drawers very blonde. My kitchen has rather dark
cherry cabinets and very blonde drawers -- I like the contrals. My paint
store recomends either of these two products:

Deft's Waterborne clear wood finish

Varathane clear wood finish



I guess I will get a can and experiment.