Wood Project that left a Question

[baileyuph]

Couple days ago, one of my jobs was to fabricate recliner backrest framing for two recliners.  The wood was used by a Vietnam furniture manufacturer.  It was so weak, one could separate the plys with fingers.  Very weak, I never saw plys separate by bending the wood.  It appeared almost like hardly any glue was used in fabricating the plywood.

Well, the frames were made as requested and upholstery and hardware transferred to new frames.  In the process I learned that the frames were made by a manufacturer in Vietnam.  Other experiences have been had with wood furniture from that region and I believe all of it has been marginal for use, at best.

The experience left me wondering if all vietnam wood is this weak or could the wood used by them be from another country and imported because it is cheap?

BTW, this furniture was only a few weeks old, I was told. 

Doyle

[MinUph]

I gater by plys your talking about plywood? The manufacturing process for plywood negate the strength of the product. Maybe they just skimp on glue like you said. I doubt it is the type of wood as long as the glue bonds to it it should be good.

[byhammerandhand]

I can't say I've seen it all, but nothing surprises me any more.

I've had 3/4" plywood that varied between 5 and 13 plys.   Just laid up haphazardly, never mind the voids and overlaps.   And some plies have all the structural strength of straw.

I was doing some work for a customer in his warehouse.   He bought some Home Depot or Lowe's plywood to underlay limestone table tops.   While I was cutting, he picked up some of the scraps and laid them on the covered loading dock.   I needed a small piece to fill a void in a 54" underlayment, so I went for the scrap and because it was misting outside, it had already delaminated.   I can show myself (or the customer) just how strong some of this stuff is by breaking it with my bare hands.


I've also seen lots of solid wood that is knotty, punky, brash, or grain run-out that breaks inside a frame when you put any force on it.

[sofadoc]

It sounds like one of these:


I think it's kind of silly for a customer to buy this cheap crap, and then pay Doyle to go out in the woods, cut a tree down, and completely re-build it.

That's like buying a mobile home, and then adding brick walls and a composition roof.

[brmax]

Im glad you others feel the same about quality, thats why i listen a bit, thanks
Ive seen and been hearing "oh so great "stuff about birch plywood as the top line.
Well it is use to be a cabinet only grade available as i remember " old school " still is. Just marketing uses its cabinet quality reputation and has abused it as far as im concerend, bummer.
but nowadays it seems i see much better c/d roofing plywood and i can trust it to have some type of glue maybe not elmer himself but relatively close.
Good Day

[byhammerandhand]

There is a "Baltic Birch" that comes from Northern Europe.   Normally sold in 60" x 60" sheets (metric equivalent of something)

It is good stuff -- all the plies are of equal thickness, including the face plies, no voids, no warpage, etc.




I tried to buy some Birch Ply at the home centers a couple of months ago.   Lowe's had junk.   Home Depot had USA-made Columbia that was good quality.  (Menards wasn't open yet.)   Normally, I get domestic plywood from a supplier out of town that delivers to the door.

[baileyuph]

keith, Lowe's was where I got the plywood you described.  Very consistent and strong.  I didn't pay attention to find out what or where they got it from.  I got the last sheet, if the job comes up again, I should when because it does, I hope to use the same again.

Keith, you glue everything I am sure, like I did.  But, I noticed that the manufacturer didn't put any glue at joints.  They just attach joints with the hair pin type construction staple.  I did use my Bostitch neumatic gun but added corner blocks with professional glue.

It was strong! 

As long as consumers will not pay a lot for furniture, what they are buying will not change.

Baltic birch, 60" square sheets at Home Depot!

Doyle

[byhammerandhand]

Yes, I see failed staple joints all the time.  "Glue and screw" is my cure.  My wife and I are looking for a RV travel trailer.  I was shocked to see some of the interior construction 2x2s stapled at the joints.   The current front runner has welded aluminum framing.

Normally, I get plywood from a commercial supplier.   They are about 3 hours away but deliver free as long as I can wait for a few days until their truck is headed into town.   I just got a used pick up truck and up until then, I didn't have a good way to haul plywood or lumber over 8' in length.

[baileyuph]

Screw and glue, in the other order actually, is my general modus of operation.  This one I put corner blocks everywhere and glued it because after testing I saw it was very strong.  Efficiency, remember is a driver.

The project went relatively fast. Made a plan, patterned it out, and set the saws up and went at it.  Won't mention money, but made decent money off the project.  BTW, got a call late yesterday to do two more.  Know what, I suspected it and already have the patterns made can cut the wood soon as they blow the whistle.  Stuff like that I like to do, my wood shop isn't integrated into the upholstery shop so there isn't a conflict with the dust.  The more I use the Shop Smith, the faster I become with it.  Plus, the radial arm sits nearby.  Fun stuff! 

It would be a big plus to have quality materials available, delivered no less!

Busy day ahead,

BTW, the wood supplier you use must have a good volume on his route to be able to give that kind of service.  Is he an independent operator, working mobil or?

Doyle

[byhammerandhand]

http://www.frankmiller.com/  They're a huge mill.

They supply most of the retailers around here and some of the big shops.   I'm usually just one of several stops on their run.

BTW, the wood supplier you use must have a good volume on his route to be able to give that kind of service.  Is he an independent operator, working mobil or?

Doyle

[baileyuph]

This was a very interesting presentation for it was up lifting regarding our hardwood supplies in this country.  We are in better position today regarding hardwood resources than most people think. 

I also found the expose informing about the high quality of solid quarter sawn hardwoods, not only are they beautiful, they are preferred in most cases because of performance.  Quality wins out in the long run.

Interesting company and definitely not rum dum, I notices the CEO's are primarily in the Phd category.

Thanks for sharing.  Like I said, very informative.  I didn't know wood would be so interesting.

Doyle

Doyle