# What is the Best Plywood?



## jazz (May 15, 2012)

Freeeeee plywoood!

Yes, in my post http://slingshotforum.com/topic/20371-fork-hit-perfect/?hl=%2Bperfect+%2Bfork I complained how I broke my slingshot made out of board. Then Henry in Panama pointed my direction to plywood. I read a lot about plywood here in the forum but never tried it.

So I went with my dog on the back seat of my car to the place where they sell tools, building material, dyes and many more.

I went directly to the storage area, cutting section, with an intention to ask people who work there if they have a piece of plywood leftover just to try it.

Only the man who works manual work was there and he showed me the plywood in boards some 2,5 meters by probably 1,5 meters or so and he had no idea about what plywood that was, nothing of its characteristics but he said: "Look, we have no pieces of plywood simply because we do not cut plywood here, only sell the borads, because it spoils the knives and one sharpening costs some 75$; you can speak with the woman at the counter, she's the boss, but I doubt that she will allow it."

Then he looked at my dog at the back seat and said: "Oh, this is a beautiful dog! I also have a dog but my dog is of different kind, a house keeping dog, big and not so nice."

Then he scratched his head and said: "Look, if you just want to try something I can give you plywood's legs, we throw them away anyway".

I was astonished because I had no idea that plywood might have "legs". But, what he was refering to was the plywood planks some 2,5 meters long, 9,5 cm wide and 1,5 cm thick that the wholesalers put flat at the pallete on the floor and then pile plywood boards on top of it, probably for safety, humidity and other reasons.

So I said: "Fine, excellent idea, how much is that?"

Then he looked left, then he looked right and said: "Bring you car here now and open the trunk".

I came with the car at the entrance of this section, opened the fifth door of my Fiat Punto and brought the back of the seat next to the driver back a little and then he placed three "plywood legs", in one elegant move in the car, all the way down from the front seat where the legs rest back to over the back seat and almost touching the back windshield. I was even able to close the fifth door without any problems.

So, here they are and here is my dog who certainly contributed to this find.









I know that this can not be some first rate plywood but it looks fine and promising. Any ideas as to what my first plywood project might be considering the fdact that it is 1,5 cm thick and 9,5 cm wide (lenght is not a constraint).

Thanks in advance,

jazz


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## DracoUltima (Jun 14, 2011)

You're better off buying plywood on the internet. You'll be able to get to know what type of wood it is and such. The problem with people giving out plywood is that it tends to be cheaper kind. Try this: http://www.simple-shot.com/collections/diy-blanks

The reason people use plywood is because the grains run all over the place due to multiple layers of crisscrossing wood. The layers are then glued together with resin and put under pressure. The result is a wooden material that is much, much stronger than a board cut out of your average plank.

The site I mentioned is a site made by some of the vendors here on this forum. Good luck!


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

I use far less than good plywood, because that is what is available here. Many of my frames require some filling with Plastic Wood. I've never had one break or fail, but the cheap plywood doesn't stand up to fork hits as well as a better grade.

I'd say you got a good score. At the very worst, you can use that plywood to practice frame making. As for what to make first, I'm partial to "La Cholita". Here's the template. It works well with 3/4 or 1/2 inch plywood.

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/5631-la-cholita/


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## Hawkman (Oct 18, 2012)

Nice one Jazz, I love free stuff especially free usefull stuff. My 1st shooters were made from free flooring samples, the engineered stuff was ply backed and that works a treat. I work mostly on building sites and I'm always bringing home various offcuts in a wide range of qualities. Just made my 1st prototype starship out of roofing baten, ply and some 4" guttering. That's right, all for free and tomorrow's tea break will involve me shooting free 16mm hex nuts.


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## LP Sling (Nov 24, 2012)

You can use Midwest Plywood found in any store of Radio control model airplanes.
It is expensive but the quality is outstanding.
The 3mm 1/8" ply has 5 layers of wood and the 5mm 3/16" has four layers.
They are top quality made in Finland
I glue 3 pieces 1/8 and 2 pieces 3/16 with epoxy to obtain a blank with 19 mm to make one extremily stiff slingshot
This is the link:http://www.midwestproducts.com/store/products/693542e7-e110-4a12-89d0-df140e159d4a/1/Birch_Plywood.aspx


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## brucered (Dec 30, 2015)

Henry in Panama said:


> I use far less than good plywood, because that is what is available here. Many of my frames require some filling with Plastic Wood. I've never had one break or fail, but the cheap plywood doesn't stand up to fork hits as well as a better grade.
> 
> I'd say you got a good score. At the very worst, you can use that plywood to practice frame making. As for what to make first, I'm partial to "La Cholita". Here's the template. It works well with 3/4 or 1/2 inch plywood.
> 
> http://slingshotforum.com/topic/5631-la-cholita/


I have a 2x2x1/2" piece of FIR plywood in the shop. If I make some handles, will they be suitable for shooting or is this grade of ply only good as templates and for me to practice?


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## Genoa Slingshot (Oct 29, 2015)

I use 18mm marine plywood. It is easy to work, it has a good strenght and good water resistence too, it is cheap and easy to find...


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