polyurethane varnish plywood

Stoner

Hi All

Polyurethane varnish

Just wondering what people use here on their plywood projects. Obviously you can pay top dollar for this, but there are cheaper options, but are they good.

What to the trade people use?

recipio

It depends on the plywood I suppose - all will darken and Baltic Birch ply will turn an unattractive shade of honey/yellow.
I use the Chestnut range of spray cans ( available from the Carpentry Store ) especially the melamine lacquer for an excellent finish. Water based polys are available of course but I have had mixed results with them. They tend to leave a slight 'rainbow' sheen when viewed in a certain light.
Spraying pre-cat lacquers is probably the best but few of us have the facilities for that ?:rolleyes:

Stoner

recipio wrote:

It depends on the plywood I suppose - all will darken and Baltic Birch ply will turn an unattractive shade of honey/yellow. I use the Chestnut range of spray cans ( available from the Carpentry Store ) especially the melamine lacquer for an excellent finish. Water based polys are available of course but I have had mixed results with them. They tend to leave a slight 'rainbow' sheen when viewed in a certain light. Spraying pre-cat lacquers is probably the best but few of us have the facilities for that ?

Thank you, where do you buy your Baltic butch ply.


I don't mind about the colour TBH.

I'm looking to make a router table and something smooth and tough is what I'm looking for.

I'll look at the chestnut range thank you.

recipio

Stoner wrote: »

Thank you, where do you buy your Baltic butch ply.


I don't mind about the colour TBH.

I'm looking to make a router table and something smooth and tough is what I'm looking for.

I'll look at the chestnut range thank you.

Shop around your hardware stores - one of them should have Baltic ply although I'm told there is is limited demand. You should find 12 and 18 mm.( There are different grades but that's another story )
The commercial router tables use a phenolic resin material which is strong but very pricey.The important thing with a router table is that its stiff and as frictionless as possible. I would try a sheet of blockboard which is still available.
A few coats of poly is a help but if you can find old fashioned sheets of formica ( they are still stocked ) to glue on the ply they are ideal for a top.
One problem with router tables is that there is a heavy router in the centre tending to cause sagging and you can't simply put a support under the centre.
The ideal solution if you are building one out of ply is to invest in an aluminium centre plate to take the router - they are 6 mm thick or so and allow the router bit greater rise and fall. Complicated isn't it :eek:

Stoner

Thank you.

Yes it is complicated.

I'd aim to strengthen it with unistrut.
I've a very small work area so I want to have the router table, drill press bandsaw etc on a shelf with pre fitted bases so I can slot them in and out.


Also it's a very simple router table I'd build. Just a fence and a pivot.

Woodwork is not something I've done a lot of, but I want to use the router to create interlocks on boards for a skinny shed.

Thank you for your help here.

I see lidl or aldi have 400mm tins of finish for 4 euro next week.

I am confused about the ply alright, last marine ply I bought was rubbish.

I've looked into it and see that I need to spend twice the amount I did to get better stuff.


The shed will be very well lit anyway

recipio

Mmmm........marine ply is usually top notch for quality - you certainly don't need it for a router table. As I said , I think Blockboard is the most stable of the sheet goods -- I buy mine in Chadwicks and use it in veneered furniture.

You can certainly machine a tongue and groove joint for timber cladding on the router table but it must be precise. That means using a featherboard to keep the board tight against the fence and held down to the table. I presume you will be mounting a 1/2 inch router and they can be heavy. Even a 1 mm deflection will ruin any edge mouldings etc - another good reason to invest in a mounting plate for the router.

Markcheese

Translac is a fairly reasonably priced, hard wearing varnish... I've used it on floors...