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Tropical Plywood Photos

Started by jim king, July 21, 2007, 02:24:37 PM

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jim king

Several weeks ago I promised to post photos of some samples of tropical plywood that we are in the process of making samples from to get an opinion of.  Maybe I have been in the Amazon to long and have some worms in the brain but I think some of them would make nice kitchens.  These are the rough samples but the finished product will be perfect.

I would appreciate any comments.






























jrokusek

Amazing.  I would love to get my hands on some of the stuff! I don't think everyone will like the grain patterns for their home, but I bet you'd still be able to sell boatloads of the stuff.  I'd make it into kitchen cabinets as long as I could get some solid wood to make matching doors.  Are you going to try and market this in the US or elsewhere?

Jim

Radar67

The third from the last is just mesmerizing. What type of wood is it?

Stew
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treecyclers

From a marketing standpoint, I think I can market the daylights out of it, providing a couple ideas are met -
Is the wood being harvested sustainably?
(I think I already know the answer to that question, knowing you, Jim)
And 2, what is the repeat on plain sliced veneer layup?
The kicker on most of the plywood I come in contact with is that the repeats are tough to deal with, tough to center in a panel without tons of waste, and often the veneers are so DanG thin that one can see the glue used through the veneer.
Chinese plywood is the worst, as they typically use a 3 mil veneer, which on a white birch, is transparent.
US and Canadian plywood is a lot better, typically with a 6-8 mil veneer, as it leaves a little room for finish sanding.
The next question is where does your core come from? Are you using US or Asian import?
As of late, the asian import stuff has been delaminating in Phoenix, creating panels that look like tacos.
My suggestion?
Use the best quality materials you can to start, as you're making your name in the marketplace, and charge a fair price for hte quality.
I frequently sell high grade exotic veneer face plywood for $100-175 a sheet, and I think that's where you're at in that regard.
Conversely, I sell units of import trash white birch by the truckload to the lower end cabinet makers all day long at $30 a sheet for 3/4".
If you want to discuss it more, contact me directly off list, and i'll give you more detailed info that may be of assistance to you in develpoing your markets.
Superdave
I wake up in the morning, and hear the trees calling for me...come make us into lumber!

Tom

I think it is a winner.  Prepare yourself for an onslought before someone else steals your market.  Get known quickly.  That stuff will find its way into every office building in the world.  I think there may be a lot of homes using it for focal points too.

Jeff

Quote from: Radar67 on July 21, 2007, 02:40:55 PM
The third from the last is just mesmerizing. What type of wood is it?

Stew

I agree, thats the one I picked as favorite, but I like most of them.  :)
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thecfarm

I myself could not afford that plywood,nor would it look good in my house.Would look out of place is what I mean.But that is some pretty wood for the people with way too much money.I would think you could get a market for it,but not from the working man like me.
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Burlkraft

Hey Jim,

Those are AWESOME........... ;D ;D ;D ;D
Why not just 1 pain free day?

Don K

Why can't we have wood like that up here. ???

Beautiful product, would make nice accent wood

Don
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Tom

Quote from: Don K on July 21, 2007, 07:06:06 PM
Why can't we have wood like that up here. ???

Because we have graders that put it in the chipper as rejects.

Don K

I guess so and there are some beautiful figured woods in North America, but nothing to compare to wood types from other continents especially those with a tropical persuasion.
Lucky to own a WM LT40HDD35, blessed to have a wife that encouraged me to buy it.     Now that\'s true love!
Massey Ferguson 1547 FWD with FEL  06 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4X4 Dozer Retriever Husky 359 20\" Bar  Man, life is getting good!

Corley5

WOW that's impressive  8) 8) 8)
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pasbuild

I think some of them would make nice kitchens.

I make kitchens every day and I agree with you, they would make REAL NICE KITCHENS.
If it can't be nailed or glued then screw it

farmerdoug

Send it all here.  I am sure all those beauties will sell well here in the States.  Interested in knowing the dimensions you are planning on producing?

Farmerdoug
Doug
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Furby

I'm a little more interested in hearing the costs involved to act as a dealer?

Don_Papenburg

I also like the third from the bottom.   what one has the red color wood that you turn bowls and things from.          What is the thickness of the outer veneer?
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farmerdoug

Furby,

I will have shipped in and you can do the in country shipping since you are getting good at that now. ;) :D :D

This may pay for us members to work together on.  Maybe we could get some out of Costa Rica too.

Farmerdoug
Doug
Truck Farmer/Greenhouse grower
2001 LT40HDD42 Super with Command Control and AccuSet, 42 hp Kubota diesel
Fargo, MI

Furby

That may not be totally out of the question! ;)

Quartlow

WOW!! that is wicked I like them all, oh though 7 8 and 9 are my favorites!!
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Have a wooderful day!!

Don P

They are beautiful!
I would be interested if you can somehow figure out what small lots delivered would range. If we had a system worked out for delivered pricing and could produce high quality, dry, material, I would be happy to direct customers to photo pages showing what members can supply.

jim king

As I posted this on more than one site I will give a general answer.  Thank you very much for the replies.  It is almost exactly as I expected.  Some up some in the middle and some positive.   What I am trying to duplicate is what a major US forestry company failed at several years ago as they had no one who knew the wood and where to find it to make any quantity.   Our target market is high end boats and housing products , I am the first to agree that this is not for the small town of 696 people in Northern Wisconsin where I grew up.  The sizes will be ¼ ,  ½  , and ¾ inch thick and 2 foot by 4 foot to 4 foot by 8 foot..  The plywood is double faced with the same species to make a very stable product with 1/16 inch thick face  stock on both sides after sanding .  Yes it is harvested sustainable .  I think it is an interesting adventure and thank you for your replies.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. 

Furby

What size are the pieces of plywood in your photos?

jim king

The photo peices are 4 foot by 4 foot.

Tom

Not knowing that you can always match pieces,  I think you should come up with a means of identifying batches.  It would be the same as buying brick.  You can buy the same model of brick for years, but there are batches that will fit together. If you want to match your model, you begin looking for someone who has the same batch as you bought.

There's always going to be the guy that thinks it should all match always, as if it were drawn on there with ink, following a pattern.

jim king

Tom:  We are going to do series by the indidual tree so we can match sheets..  What you see in the photos is just a basic example of grain patterns and the real thing will be first class.

I forgot to mention that we will have lumber availble to support the plywood.  S4S  1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 plus 15/16 hit and miss KD but no moldings.

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