Where to get 5x10 sheets of plywood?

[Bamaeagle]

I am in the process of gathering info for a teardrop build. I am wanting to use 5x10 plywood for the sides. Where in Alabama or near by can I get this plywood. I only need two or three sheets. I went to my local Lowes and they said I would have to buy a full bundle of 60 sheets.

Thanks for the help this site gives.

Jerry

[3GKnight]

Don't necessarily have a solution, mostly commiseration... I couldn't find any at 5 lumber stores nearby. I could by special order but it was astronomically expensive. I suggest researching this forum for methods to splice plywood. I used biscuits, which were fine but I would try something different next time, like a dovetail.

[tony.latham]

The last place I'd look for extra-large plywood is at a box store. Ask a lumberyard if they could special order it. I live outside a town of 3,000 and three hours from a box store and I suspect the lumberyard manager could have two sheets of that stuff next week for me. (Gawd, I'll betcha it's expensive!)

I use a spline joint to stretch my plywood cores. It's quick and easy but weak... until the interior/exterior 1/4" plywood underlayment laps the joint. Three sheets of 3/4" AC will do two 4 x 10 walls. (CDX is junk in my opinion).





Tony

[clip]

Don't necessarily have a solution, mostly commiseration... I couldn't find any at 5 lumber stores nearby. I could by special order but it was astronomically expensive. I suggest researching this forum for methods to splice plywood. I used biscuits, which were fine but I would try something different next time, like a dovetail.

Are you thinking about a sliding divetail or more of a puzzle piece?
What about dowels more depth penetration.

[bobwhite215]

Don't necessarily have a solution, mostly commiseration... I couldn't find any at 5 lumber stores nearby. I could by special order but it was astronomically expensive. I suggest researching this forum for methods to splice plywood. I used biscuits, which were fine but I would try something different next time, like a dovetail.

What did you find lacking about the biscuits? That was my plan ~ biscuits, glue and pocket screws to hold it together.



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[pchast]

Hi, If you live anywhere near a larger 'city' check on line and in th e yellow pages.
Find a wholesale company that supplies th e local lumber yards.

The one in this area is pleased to sell a few sheets of specialty stock at a normal retail
price to any woodworker. You may not be able to walk through and pick th e sheets but
I've found any thing ours brings out I would have picked myself. I've used them twice
over the last 5 years. I'm not exactly a great customer.

[clip]

My local Menards (toledo, Ohio) has 5x10 for $100, a local boat supply has marine grad for $300 specialty plywood dealer has it all, I make regular trips from Ohio to KC on I 70 and to FL along 75 if the timing works out I can throw some on the truck and meet in root if it is of any help in the future, maybe some kind of travel plan thread or sticky would work for this kind of thing. i.e. traveling from-to on ......dates just a thought

other than a possible issues with wood movement overlaying 2 layers of 3/8 with some staples(or other) in the right places could work

looking at how clean and precise tony's wall is I'm tempted to change my mind from stick built, the challenge of the bent laminations isn't worth the extra work but I will probably still do it.

[3GKnight]

What did you find lacking about the biscuits? That was my plan ~ biscuits, glue and pocket screws to hold it together.

Structurally, biscuits were ok, but my TD has primered, yet to be panted sides and that splice has cracked just a hair. Just enough to show. I was going to let things settle and see if I can't repair it before painting. Of course if you're skinning it, the imperfections get covered. I also did not use any screws.

Are you thinking about a sliding divetail or more of a puzzle piece?

The dovetail I was thinking about looks like this:



Either kind would achieve the same thing I think. And with those handy dovetail jigs out there, either would be easy.

[tony.latham]

For many years, the standard joint for lengthening plywood in the wooden boat world has been the scarf joint. I've built two 16' drift boats using plywood joined with scarfs and they–-the joints––are as strong as the rest of the wood. Back in those days––and it's been thirty years--you'd use a block plane and follow the laminations like contours on a map. It wasn't too bad as long as your plane was razor sharp.

Since then, boat builders have developed an easy-to-build jig screwed to a circular saw that cut scarfs quickly. If I were ever needing to build a new 10' long side pattern, I'd crank one of these jigs out in a heartbeat.



Gluing scarfs up is another subject but it's not difficult. They're stinking strong.

Tony

[clip]

I see, yours is more a curved finger joint I thought a true dovetail shape about 4 inches high 1 inch deep cut with a jig saw etc. where you had to lay both pieces flat glue up and press it down from the top like a puzzle piece would give glue surface and locking strength, but neither one solves the paint crack problem.

[3GKnight]

I see, yours is more a curved finger joint I thought a true dovetail shape about 4 inches high 1 inch deep cut with a jig saw etc. where you had to lay both pieces flat glue up and press it down from the top like a puzzle piece would give glue surface and locking strength, but neither one solves the paint crack problem.

Right, sorry. I was calling a finger joint a dovetail. Both can be cut with a dovetail jig I believe. Or at least a box finger joint. I think a dovetail or finger joint would be significantly more stable than a biscuit in plywood. Again, I don't have a lot of experience with both in plywood, but cutting the biscuit in the edge of plywood wasn't the most precise thing. Some of the interior ply material broke out, making the slot wider than it should have been. Biscuit joints in hardwood is great but not so much in plywood on edge.

Now that I put some more brain cells on it, I'm changing my mind... I'd go with a dovetail over a finger, just for the surface area and pull out resistance. I don't think either would show paint surface cracks as long as both pieces of plywood were properly braced on the inside of the camper.

[Kelly'sTear]

Check local lumber yards. I found mine at Austin Hardwoods in Denver. I know they have locations in other states not sure about near you.

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[Bamaeagle]

Thanks for all the info. I do not have any kind of lumber mill or yard nearby. Just the box stores and they want an arm and leg to special order the plywood. I have researched how to join the plywood (thanks to this site) and have decided to use half lap joints. I have the tools to do the job and think it would be better than biscuits.

Thanks again for the info and help,

Jerry

[clip]

halflap will work fine, a router jig is easy to make, lots of dust but a solid connection clamps and a couple temporary screws will keep them from wanting to push apart.

[noseoil]

I did the layout for my 5x9, then used 8' sheets to make the walls. Once the layout was drawn, I just used 3 dowel pins (3/8" dia.) to match up the walls where the structure was left. Crude, but quick. Since it's a skeltonized construction, care in handling was needed only until the 1/8" interior skin was glued in place. After that, it was easy, light & no problem with breaking the joints was encountered. With the 1/8" skins glued up inside & outside, it can't break.

Is it a weak joint? Yes. Does it work, yes!

Dowels are in three places, roughly over the sticker on the gravel.


Here's the side with 1/8" skin attached & finished.