Steel impregnated plywood

[Ali]

@eLuSiVeMiTe et al...

Not the best photo, but there’s a 1mm x 10mm piece of steel between the laminations in this sheet of WBP, short of putting a metal detector to it I couldn’t have known before the sparks occurred. Need a new blade for the tracksaw now.

Cuts before sparks

Cuts after sparks

This was £40 + VAT per sheet! No choice as I can’t collect from cheaper places.

Is this complaint worthy or not unusual for builders yard ply?

 

[skotl]

That's unacceptable. I'd take it back and ask them to cover the cost of your blade, too.

 

[graffian]

Pity about the metal. It looks like a nice bit of ply.
When I was buying ply for patterns I had to buy baltic birch,
otherwise I got stuff like this:

 

[Turbo]

Probably cheap Chinese ply being sold at Scandinavian ply prices due to the current shortage!

Ply prices over here have got very silly in the past 6 months or so.

 

[frank horton]

nothing fancy plywise for something a little better than 18mm shuttering ply is over €60 plus tax per sheet....
construction timber cost more than steel......

 

[daleyd]

If they are a registered company then make your complaint in writing, if they buy a new blade and replace the timber they can put this through there books and cost them nothing.

How will it”cost them nothing” That makes no sense

 

[grim_d]

Probably cheap Chinese ply being sold at Scandinavian ply prices due to the current shortage!

Ply prices over here have got very silly in the past 6 months or so.

Some of that Chinese ply is awful. "Plytinum Plex" is particularly bad.

Massive voids, wonky layers and the thou thick veneer ply absolutely covered in filler....badly at that.

And that's supposed to be "finish" ply.

They've a damn cheek to charge what they do...the OSB is better quality.

Nobody local stocks birch...because it costs so much.

 

[8ob]

How will it”cost them nothing” That makes no sense

I think most decent retailers would honour the return and lay it off against the suppliers.

Bob

 

[daleyd]

I think most decent retailers would honour the return and lay it off against the suppliers.

Bob

Yes, of course, any decent retailer would do that but that’s obviously dependant on whoever supplied them taking responsibility and coughing up - I just don’t get any reference to “putting it through the books”? What does that even mean?

 

[cheb]

I'd expect pices of metal in chipboard but not in plywood.

 

[8ob]

Yes, of course, any decent retailer would do that but that’s obviously dependant on whoever supplied them taking responsibility and coughing up - I just don’t get any reference to “putting it through the books”? What does that even mean?

Possibly a reference to an internet sale via facebook,ebay ,gumtree or one of the many others vs a known and established company. I wouldnt hold out much hope for a refund on something like a sheet of ply bought off an internet supplier, if the same sheet was taken back to a retailer with the receipt they would definitely be taking it back or they would be wearing it for a hat.

Bob

 

[Shox Dr]

Try cutting a sheet of ply or even better chipboard, in the dark. The amount of sparks that come off is crazy

 

[daleyd]

Possibly a reference to an internet sale via facebook,ebay ,gumtree or one of the many others vs a known and established company. I wouldnt hold out much hope for a refund on something like a sheet of ply bought off an internet supplier, if the same sheet was taken back to a retailer with the receipt they would definitely be taking it back or they would be wearing it for a hat.

Bob

Fair point - though ironically you usually have more protection buying online than in a face to face transaction so I would hope it would be covered even if bought via the internet (obviously dependant on buying from a decent supplier in the first place).

 

[pedrobedro]

I bought some exterior grade ply for the trailer floor and it delaminated after a couple of years. I replaced it with OSB Sterling board and it's still good after another 4 years and it was cheaper. I wouldn't expect metal in anything to be cut with a wood saw blade and they would get some form of complaint at least.

 

[voipio]

Surely the tracksaw blade should cope with a tiny bit of steel, provided its mild steel, of course. OK, maybe a little bit of blunting, but not new blade time.

 

[mike os]

Surely the tracksaw blade should cope with a tiny bit of steel, provided its mild steel, of course. OK, maybe a little bit of blunting, but not new blade time.

they rely on being razor sharp to produce a finished edge, unfortunately any damage and they are useless

 

[mike os]

not unusual these days... most manufactured boards are full of carp

 

[Ali]

Thanks all, I’ll have a whinge. Unfortunately at this branch if you’re not a trade customer it’s not a priority to keep you happy.

 

[Newlands]

The last ply I bought was absolutely terrible - the fact that they called it plywood in the first place was a cheek - bits of 16mm ply about 100mm wide laid side by side and then covered in a 1mm outer veneer to make it up to 18mm. And where there were gaps it was filled with something that was uncannily similar to a sharp sand/cement mortar. I ruined an expensive carbide router cutter on it.
I phoned to complain and was told someone would ring me back but they never did. So I haven’t been back there since.

 

[Olderisbetter]

All my local DIY places stock overpriced rubbish ply but for 10% more a local merchant has great stuff