How thick is cab grade plywood??

[Mad Lou]

Howdy folks,
I'm finishing up Norm's workshop hutch and am ready to begin the drawers. This will be my first real venture into making drawers, but I've studied up on it and am confident in the "hows" for this project. My question revolves around the plywood called out in the plan - 5 sheets of 5'x5' 1/2" cab grade plywood. I can't find this for less than $55-60/sheet!! That's $250-300 for drawers - too much. I can get good 3/4" cab grade ply for about $26/sheet, but the large drawers would end up weighing about 40 lbs. I read on the New yankee shop note page that 1/2" cab grade ply is actually 3/4" - what gives? I don't think 1/2" AC ply has enough laminations to be able to do dovetails or lock rabbit joints. Any recommendations? Thanks.

[TerryD]

I use 1/2 inch birch for all my drawers, both sides and bottoms. Check your local hardwood lumber store. Should be approx $45/sheet for 4' x 8'.

Terry

[Wood_Junkie]

Howdy folks,
I'm finishing up Norm's workshop hutch and am ready to begin the drawers. This will be my first real venture into making drawers, but I've studied up on it and am confident in the "hows" for this project. My question revolves around the plywood called out in the plan - 5 sheets of 5'x5' 1/2" cab grade plywood. I can't find this for less than $55-60/sheet!! That's $250-300 for drawers - too much. I can get good 3/4" cab grade ply for about $26/sheet, but the large drawers would end up weighing about 40 lbs. I read on the New yankee shop note page that 1/2" cab grade ply is actually 3/4" - what gives? I don't think 1/2" AC ply has enough laminations to be able to do dovetails or lock rabbit joints. Any recommendations? Thanks.

That plywood is probably so expensive because of its odd size (5' x 5'). Standard sheet good size is 4' x 8' (which is 7 square feet more, anyway). If I recall correctly I think I pay abour $45 also for 1/2" 'baltic birch' at Menard's.

You can certainly use a rabbeted drawer lock joint with 1/2" ply. Also, you *could* dovetail it. But be meticulous and use a backer board for every single dovetail cut (I assume you'd use a dovetail template & router).

[Craig Betz]

Sounds to me that if it is a 5 by 5 sheet you want to get 1/2 inch BALTIC BIRCH. It comes from Russia and is VERY nice for building drawers, jigs, etc. It is very strong and stable. Hope this helps.

[The Wood Meister]

Since most of the plywood is now made way west of Los Angeles, finding true 1/2" or 3/4" plywood is tough. As mentioned, the 5x5 Baltic birch is very nice and is very very close to 1/2" in thickness. Personally, I use what ever i'm building my cabinets out of. Right now it's 3/4 Birch VC ply. It's about 1/32 less than 3/4" but I take that into consideration when building my drawers. It's not a big issue since the guides allow for some variation in their min/max deminsions.

Mark