maximum thickness of solid wood on ply?

I'm working on my sofa tables, getting down to the bottom of my mahogany pile and don't want to buy more at the moment.

I need two center supports, each 14 1/2 wide by 20" tall x 2 1/2"+- thick. I had planned to attach solid mahogany strips, 3/4" thick to a poplar frame but don't think I have enough mahogany stock for that. However, I have some

12/4 offcuts that I could resaw and glue those to 1/2 or 3/4 ply, attaching the ply to the frame. The resaw pieces woild be a maximum of 1/4" thick, quarter sawn.but I could make them thinner, no thinner than 1/8".

My question is, what is the maximum thickness I could use for the resawn pieces?

Reply to
dadiOH
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Don't guess I get the gist of the reason for the question...they're not going to be of significance structurally so make the veneer as thin as can to save the material for other uses.

Reply to
dpb

Are you going to "wrap" the plywood to keep it looking good?

Reply to
OFWW

None of the ply would show as the center is between two horizontal pieces of

3/4 ply that comprise the substrates for the tables' tops and bottom shelves. There will be a 3/4 piece of mahogany at each end.of the center supports to cover the ply there and I need to attach those end caps to the mahogany on the sides so that they will move along with any seasonal movement. And therein lies the rub...I need some thickness in the "veneer" to attach the end caps but the thicker the "veneer" is the greater the possibility of failure between them and the faces of the ply; however, there are ways I could handle the attachment of the end caps if I wind up with thin veneer.
Reply to
dadiOH

1/8 would be fine, but what you'll need to do is find in the lumber charts a comparable wood that expands and contracts similarly and attach it to the other side of the ply. That will balance the piece and prevent warping.
Reply to
woodchucker

I'm thinking that will not matter. A LOT of upper end cabinet quality plywood has a good side and Luan for the back.

Reply to
Leon

...

+1

If he's really concerned, since it's going to be on a support leg pretty much (as I understand it, anyway) out of direct sight, don't glue it solid to the entire substrate but only the seam areas to keep them tight. A pin or two in the middle will allow a little movement if it turns out it needs a little room to "grow" in humid weather...

Reply to
dpb

why not. Ply is always in odd number of layers to prevent warping. your luan example creates a balance.

I think it does matter having balance. Always odd number of plys..

Reply to
woodchucker

Alternating layers, not all grain running in the same direction.

Reply to
OFWW

yes, but you need an odd number of layers. It's never even. If it were, it would pull in one direction.

Reply to
woodchucker

You said nothing about the number of plies, you mentioned the need to find a wood that contracts and expands similarly. No need for that.

Reply to
Leon

By that logic plywood should "pull in one direction"?, there are more plies pulling in one direction than the other.

Alternating grain with each layer is important to introduce stability, especially during manufacture when the surfaces are damp with adhesive. And this adds strength from multiple layers of thin veneer. You see odd plies so that the outer pieces run in the same direction, very important when both sides of the panel will show.

FWIW I have thinned plywood on my drum sander with no change in flatness. AND I have counted countless groves and dado's in plywood that would certainly cause issues if this were a serious factor.

I can assure you that plywood does warp even with alternating plies and outer plies running the same direction.

Reply to
Leon

agreed, that it does warp, I have a bunch of maple ply that's a pretzel.

Reply to
woodchucker

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