mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Jul 9, 2015 11:39:36 GMT -8
The last batch of birch paneling that I picked up at a price of $24 per sheet was inferior to all that I had previously bought. I figured they just got in a bad batch for some reason. These things happen. Sometimes something goes wrong with the machinery that makes things and by the time it's figured out and fixed, a whole car load of the product may have been produced, packed and ready for shipping. With good quality control, someone looks into how many units got through before they discovered the problem and they stop those units from going out to the wholesale and retail outlets.
However there is no such thing as quality control in China. Today I went to use a piece of scrap birch from the last batch I picked up and there on the back was a 4 inch square sticker that said,,,,,
MADE IN CHINA.
Now I know why that batch was so bad.
They only put a sticker on every 50 or every 100 units of paneling so unless you pick through 50 or 100 units you may not know that your birch is from China. I will be complaining AGAIN to my distributor about this but I doubt anything can or will be done about it.
When you hand pick your birch, make sure to check the seams where the veneer comes together on the panels to see if it is starting to peel up slightly. it will peel up even more when you go to shellac it. And sanding makes it worse.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jul 9, 2015 12:09:48 GMT -8
Good to know.
If you have a photo of the messed-up ends, that would be great. When you shellac the layers separate? Wow!
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Jul 9, 2015 14:03:13 GMT -8
Good to know. If you have a photo of the messed-up ends, that would be great. When you shellac the layers separate? Wow! I'll try to take a photo of the one piece I have left. It's just the veneer that comes up. Right at the seam. The more seams you have the more problem areas. Problem is you won't know it till you get some coats of shellac on it. This is a huge problem! I found this out while doing the Aljoa and had to return two of the panels. One was already up in the middle of the trailer on the ceiling. I sanded it and it looks terrible as it leaves a light colored void. I'm not sure you can tell before you shellac it. Going to have a talk with the people at Ganahl Lumber where I get my birch from. It's probably ALL coming from China now so it may be a huge problem for everyone. |
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jul 9, 2015 15:39:44 GMT -8
Speaking for everyone on the East coast, we have never seen a bad piece of 1/8" birch. In fact, we have never seen a single piece for sale in NC.
Which may be better than the stuff you're working with now. All that labor wasted is heartbreaking.
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Ten
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Post by Ten on Jul 9, 2015 16:49:38 GMT -8
Speaking for everyone on the East coast, we have never seen a bad piece of 1/8" birch. In fact, we have never seen a single piece for sale .... Amen! |
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Jul 9, 2015 18:06:13 GMT -8
OK I had a half of panel left over that hasn't been shellacked and a piece that has. The piece that has been shellacked is a little dirty because it has been living outside but it shows the bad seam. You can also see it on the fresh piece which is shown below with two different angles. You will want to watch out for pieces that look as though they may have this problem. Ask your dealer where the stuff is made too. Probably all made in China now.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jul 9, 2015 19:24:27 GMT -8
Thanks for the photos. The shellac really brought the problems to the surface.
If nothing else, I'd stay clear of Taraca Pacific, Inc birch.
If a lumberyard on the east coast were smart, they'd carry good quality birch and charge $50 a piece. Word would get out and people would be coming from 200 miles away to get it. I'd be one of them.
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theresa
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Post by theresa on Jul 9, 2015 19:49:52 GMT -8
I'd be ecstatic to find birch 200 miles away. Right now, according to the list in the other thread, my closest option is in Somerville, MA, 380+ miles, one way. I plan on making that trip very soon. The upside, I enjoy Boston and if I time it right I can take in a Sox game while I'm there. The downside is that we'll have to take the pickup to be able to haul the birch home, and my husband's F-250 gets approximately 12 - 15 MPG, in comparison to the 29+ I get with my Nissan Altima.
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mobiltec
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Post by mobiltec on Jul 9, 2015 20:00:37 GMT -8
Any lumber yard can order Birch. What you may want to try is to find enough people in a circle of interest to make up a 100 sheet order. That's the normal size lot and the reason most lumber yards don't carry it. They don't think they will sell enough of it and it does have a shelf life. Some places I've heard can order 50 unit lots but most have to order 100 units.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Jul 10, 2015 4:54:10 GMT -8
Any lumber yard can order Birch. What you may want to try is to find enough people in a circle of interest to make up a 100 sheet order. That's the normal size lot and the reason most lumber yards don't carry it. They don't think they will sell enough of it and it does have a shelf life. Some places I've heard can order 50 unit lots but most have to order 100 units. Mobiltec is right. Although on the east coast most lumber yards can do it, but won't. I found one lumber yard that will order 50 sheets. The catch is that you can't pick through it. You have to take all 50 no matter the condition or where it's from. Based on what we see in the photos above, a big risk with $1250 worth of birch. Know what I mean? |
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ladywendolyn
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Post by ladywendolyn on Jul 12, 2015 20:13:10 GMT -8
Interesting... I'm going to ask my lumber place where they get it. We don't have it at at Home Depot, just one specialty lumber store...
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RinTin
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Post by RinTin on Jul 13, 2015 9:46:08 GMT -8
Interesting... I'm going to ask my lumber place where they get it. We don't have it at at Home Depot, just one specialty lumber store... The best birch plywood used to be Canadian Birch. Maybe you can still get it, Eh? |
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Post by vikx on Jul 13, 2015 22:20:12 GMT -8
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