Material:Plywood
| MaterialInfoBox Plywood | |
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| Synonyms: | DE: Sperrholz |
| Suggested Tools: | see individual sections |
Plywood is an engineered wood consisting of several layers of veneers (DE: Funiere) stacked with crossing (versperrten) grain directions. Wood glue ensures the layers are tightly bonded. The resulting material has little to no internal effects of grain direction. Cheap plywood often has veneers of inferior quality as its "invisible" layers which may become evident when laser cutting. Read more about the basics over at OpenDesk.
There are several types of plywood. For example, poplar plywood is rather cheap but will readily warp due to moisture. Baltic birch plywood is harder, more stable and more expensive.
The sheets found in hardware stores are often too large to fit into a laser cutter or a scroll saw but can be cut easily when properly clamped down.
Baltic Birch Plywood
| MaterialInfoBox Baltic Birch Plywood | |
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| Synonyms: | multiply birch plywood; DE: Birke Multiplex, Birkensperrholz |
| Suggested Tools: | wood saws, wood drill bits, laser cutter |
Baltic birch plywood has good structural and aesthetic qualities which makes it well-suited for a multitude of projects.
It is available nearby at Bauhaus in various sizes. Also check the offcuts section for cheaper pieces! One local retailer with a larger variety is Schoell Modellbau.
Poplar Plywood
| MaterialInfoBox Poplar Plywood | |
|---|---|
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| Synonyms: | cottonwood/aspen plywood; DE: Pappelsperrholz |
| Suggested Tools: | laser cutter, wood drill bits, wood saws |
Poplar plywood is very soft and bright which makes it great for laser cutting or engraving, especially laser engraving photos. It's often already warped when you buy it - try cutting it up into smaller, flatter pieces before you begin your actual project!
Bauhaus is a sourcing option for this type of plywood as well, they sell different thicknesses of 100 × 70 cm sheets as well as DIN A3 "hobby kits" (cheap, but may contain poor quality pieces you only discover when unpacking).
