Lowes "Professional Grade" ply

[Schleeper]

My local Lowes is selling something called Professional Grade plywood with one side maple and one side birch. Instead of the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 (7/32, 15/32, 23/32) inch sizes that I'm used to seeing, the sizes are metric. I'm looking for material for my kitchen cabinet project, and we're pretty sure we're going with maple. Should I be considering something like this?

In addition to the quality of the plywood, should I be concerned about cutting the proper dado size to accomodate the metric thicknesses? The dado set I own is accurate to 1/32, but millimeters is another story...

[cgallery]

It is always interesting to hear what the different box stores carry in different parts of the country. I've been looking at plywood at my local Lowe's and I'm pretty sure that (in Milwaukee) they don't carry any "professional-grade" plywood.

I'm currently working on a bathroom remodel and I used the cheap Lowe's plywood for a medicine cabinet. Worked fine.

If I was doing a full kitchen of cabinets, though, I think I'd want something better. But still, I have a larger cabinet to build to fill an old closet and I was surprised that I couldn't find prefinished 3/4" maple plywood locally.

The problem I've had w/ Lowes plywood is inconsistent thickness (even within the same sheet), and delamination.

Still, 3/4" maple at my local lumber yard is $80/sheet. 3/4" birch is $60. With the project starter coupons I can get Lowe's plywood for about $35-$40/sheet.

But I'm sure the lumber yard stuff is nicer.

[cabinetman]

Cabinet shops can get the equivalent plywoods that the box stores carry. That questionable Maple ply at the box stores is referred to in the trade as shop grade. The can also get the high quality sheet goods.

Most shops that do any volume get discounts on multiple sheet orders. You might call a few local shops and tell them what you are looking for. They may include your needs with their order and get a discount that may filter down to you. At least buying that way you can get exactly what you want.
.

[Bruce Cohen]

What are they charging for this "Pro" grade ply. I usually pay $115.00 a sheet for 3/4 maple ply. And yes, it's worth it.

Bruce

[Salty]

Another problem with the box store ply is the extremely thin veneers. It doesn't take much sanding to get through the layer.
I doubt I'll ever use it again.
It usually stinks, as in smells funny
It splinters real bad
and it has lots of voids...be sure to buy extra filler

[LCHIEN]

dado blades, stack or wobble, can be adjusted to any specific size.
Wobbles are infinately variable.
the stacks, although the chippers along usually go 1/16th in the smallest increment, you can use shims distributed among the chippers to space them out further. You can buy sets of dado shims, usually they have multiple 40, 20, 10 and 5 mil that can be used to get within .005 of any size. Or you can make your own out of thin carboard and plastic sheet stock if you just look around with a pair of calipers in your hand.
Just cut out a 2" square piece and drill a 5/8" hole in the middle.

[eccentrictinkerer]

I used the "shop grade" maple stuff from the Borg for the carcasse's of a project for a customer.

The veneer peeled off a corner, so I got out my new digital caliper and masured the thickness. I got 0.007" (including glue residue)!

That's less than a 1/128 of an inch! Remember the good old days when the veneer layer was 1/28"?

Good thing it all was to be painted.

[Schleeper]

OK, you've convinced me. When it comes to buying the material for making my cabinets, stay out of the BORG!

Cabinetman, are you saying that a cabinet shop might be willing to order my lumber for me, so I can benefit from their volume discount? Call me skeptical, but in my experience, people rarely do anything unless there's something in it for them. Are cabinetmakers the exception?

Along those same lines, I've been told on more than one occasion that I can probably find someone that can make exactly what we want, for the same price that it will cost me to buy just the materials. Believe it or not, one of the guys who works at the local Woodcraft store was the last one to lay that on me! (And no, he's not a cabinetmaker looking at me as a potential customer.) By way of illustration, he pointed out a number of ads in the back of Woodshop News from companies that make dovetail drawer boxes to order.

Taking on this project means more to me than just a way to save money, but LOML is definitely more "bottom line" oriented. There's only one reason she's agreed to put up with the additional disruption and aggravation of having me construct the new cabinets, and that's the cost savings. In fact, if she knew for sure that it would only cost us a thousand (or two) dollars more, I suspect she'd be talking to the KraftMaid people today.

What's the straight poop? Can I really save money by constructing the cabinets myself? Can good quality components (ie. drawer boxes, door panels, etc.) be purchased for about the same amount it would cost me to make them?

[cabinetman]

OK, you've convinced me. When it comes to buying the material for making my cabinets, stay out of the BORG!

Cabinetman, are you saying that a cabinet shop might be willing to order my lumber for me, so I can benefit from their volume discount? Call me skeptical, but in my experience, people rarely do anything unless there's something in it for them. Are cabinetmakers the exception?

Along those same lines, I've been told on more than one occasion that I can probably find someone that can make exactly what we want, for the same price that it will cost me to buy just the materials. Believe it or not, one of the guys who works at the local Woodcraft store was the last one to lay that on me! (And no, he's not a cabinetmaker looking at me as a potential customer.) By way of illustration, he pointed out a number of ads in the back of Woodshop News from companies that make dovetail drawer boxes to order.

Taking on this project means more to me than just a way to save money, but LOML is definitely more "bottom line" oriented. There's only one reason she's agreed to put up with the additional disruption and aggravation of having me construct the new cabinets, and that's the cost savings. In fact, if she knew for sure that it would only cost us a thousand (or two) dollars more, I suspect she'd be talking to the KraftMaid people today.

What's the straight poop? Can I really save money by constructing the cabinets myself? Can good quality components (ie. drawer boxes, door panels, etc.) be purchased for about the same amount it would cost me to make them?

I have on more than a few occasions ordered materials for customers. They (the cabinet shops) may add a handling fee, or a profit. But what you get will be exactly what you may need. There are many shops that do nothing except specialize in making just doors or just drawers. They are set up for the process and cater to other shops that aren't equipped, or don't want to take the time for that part of the job. Some cabinet shops that primarily do kitchens can profit from gaining the space and time involved by arranging others to supply specific needs. On occasion I have "farmed out" parts of a job for those reasons with good luck.

If you do decide to outsource part of the project, my suggestion is to have the cabinets in a state of completion that would facilitate taking exact measurements so everything will fit properly. Making your own will use up a lot of space by the time everything gets assembled. If you can organize your area for both storage and working space, and you feel like doing your own drawers and doors are part of the accomplishment of doing the job yourself, then that's what you should consider.

If you order parts for your project, the details provided to supply the doors or drawers must be specific, so in the event there is a problem, it can be worked out who will be responsible.
.

[atgcpaul]

What's the straight poop? Can I really save money by constructing the cabinets myself? Can good quality components (ie. drawer boxes, door panels, etc.) be purchased for about the same amount it would cost me to make them?

Check out this post on a different WWing forum. OP wondered if others had
bought cabinets through some ready-to-assemble outfits. He orders two
cabinets from these places and gives a short review on the 2nd page.

His conclusion was that he was overall impressed with the quality he got.
I think it cost him a little more than making them himself but when he
factored in time, etc, buying them would put him ahead.

The link is below.

http://www.forums.woodnet.net/ubbthr...v=#Post3539661


Paul

[Salty]

Another factor you may want to consider is what other tools are you going to need.
While there is definately a measure of pride and accomplishment in building your own, if the end result centers around the bottom line then buying them may be the better choice.
When I reworked my kitchen I had the benefit of a relative with lots of tools who was willing to help me with the construction of the doors and drawer fronts, along with an additional wall cabinet needed and the face frame material. If I would have had to buy the tools to do that part of the job the cost would have doubled.
If those tools will be used for more than just this project then go for it. Woodworking is an enyoyable craft that can be extended to many projects that can save you money.