@Merlin posted:

Hello Everyone, Does anybody know of a company that makes custom size wood? I am looking for a 9x5 1/2. I could build it in pieces but I am using a old air hockey table as my base and would like the piece to be solid and not in pieces. I tried several places in my area and nobody would do it. I would also pay for shipping. Any help would be helpful. I was going to do this last spring but got pushed back until the fall. Thanks

A few questions:

1) Your subject title states "a solid piece of 3/4 wood", which doesn't make much sense. Do you mean 3/4" THICK solid wood, i.e. NOT plywood?

2) What do you mean by "9X5 1/2"? Do you mean 9" by 5 1/2"? Or maybe 9 feet by 5 1/2 feet?

That's a hard order to fill. I would think tooling for plywood is already set at 4 x ? so making it 5' would not work out. You mention 3/4" in the title but 1/2" in the body. Maybe laminating two 3/8'' pieces would give you what you want in stiffness.

Specialty plywood shops have 5 x 10 panels of plywood.

I found one at Menard's here: https://www.menards.com/main/b.../p-1444452505105.htm

GRJ -  you are correct. I just googled specialty plywood and found 5' x 9' ,10' or 12'

Never thought of that.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Specialty plywood shops have 5 x 10 panels of plywood.

I found one at Menard's here: https://www.menards.com/main/b.../p-1444452505105.htm

Good find.  However, it's $175, and that assumes that one has a way to get it home, otherwise... shipping.  Yikes.

When I was at Russell Plywood picking up my 5x5 Baltic Birch multiply for my benchwork, I saw a number of different pallets of 5x10 plywood, so I knew it existed.

@Mallard4468 posted:

Good find.  However, it's $175, and that assumes that one has a way to get it home, otherwise... shipping.  Yikes.

Well, if he want's it home, he has to get there.  I'm afraid I can't comment on how you get big lumber home, I had to figure that out for myself when I got mine.

I’m sorry, let me clarify. The thickness would be 3/4 and the size I need is 9 feet by 5 1/2 feet to handle O72 track curve for some of my engines.

I don’t believe I can clear O72 curve with only 5 feet.

I have the plans here to build it. But would prefer a solid piece

You can't.  You will need at least 2 pieces.  Not sure what precludes you from joining 2 pieces of 5' x 9' or 10' cut down to 5' x 5 1/2'   If you don't plan on playing hockey, there is really no reason to worry about how many pieces you use.

Brendan

umm, how are you going to get 072 (6 feet) onto 5 1/2 feet??

@beardog49 posted:

umm, how are you going to get 072 (6 feet) onto 5 1/2 feet??

And that is center to center. Also, how much of the plywood will overhang the table? Even 3/4" needs support.

I currently buy 5' x 5' arctic birch for $70/sheet and I know it is crosscut from 10' sheets so $140 seems about right for 10' furniture grade plywood. No sales tax around here either.

There are a number of methods of joining multiple sheets of plywood for a very strong joint, I can't imagine why you have to attempt to do this in one sheet.  Also, as previously stated, O72 curves require MORE than six feet of table space.

Here's a couple different joint types that I have on my layout, and I've walked all over this working on it.  This is only 1/2" Baltic Birch multi-ply.  These are glued with Tightbond III and screwed.  That will be as strong as the plywood around them.

IMO you're overthinking this trying to do it with one sheet of plywood.  Anything the size you're discussing now, over 6 feet wide by 10 feet long is either unobtainium or so expensive that it's not in consideration!

Finger joints

Lap Joints

I think 1/2" thickness is strong enough.  I used 3/4" when I made my Standard Gauge layout and it was overkill.  Trying to get 3/4" 4'x8' sheets down to my basement was a pain.  They don't flex much and are rather heavy.

I went through this same issue several years ago.  I was making changes on my barn and wanted to replace the original 4'x10' sheets of T1-11.  I know they are produced but I just couldn't find a place that had them.  I was willing to travel too.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

There are a number of methods of joining multiple sheets of plywood for a very strong joint, I can't imagine why you have to attempt to do this in one sheet.  Also, as previously stated, O72 curves require MORE than six feet of table space.

Here's a couple different joint types that I have on my layout, and I've walked all over this working on it.  This is only 1/2" Baltic Birch multi-ply.  These are glued with Tightbond III and screwed.  That will be as strong as the plywood around them.

IMO you're overthinking this trying to do it with one sheet of plywood.  Anything the size you're discussing now, over 6 feet wide by 10 feet long is either unobtainium or so expensive that it's not in consideration!

Finger joints

Lap Joints

 

Can also use splines, biscuits, loose tenon, etc.

@third rail posted:

Can also use splines, biscuits, loose tenon, etc.

Biscuit joints wouldn't be close to the same strength as either of the ones I posted!

I'm walking around on a 1/4 inch carpet over 1/4 inch pegboard over Sievers Benchwork with mostly 2 foot centers. I kind of got into that because it was available, flat, and had holes on a 1 inch grid for wire anywhere I wanted to put it. Just poke a hole thru the carpet. I think most folks over build the plywood...I would otherwise go one half inch, which is probably just fine.

I doubt the air hockey table is going to support a sheet of plywood by itself. Unless it is a really, huge air hockey table. The plywood should be on a frame, on top of the table.

9 ft x 5 ft used to be a common size and is used for Ping Pong tables.  That was the size of my childhood train table.  You should be able to find it buy may special order it.  Get on the phone or internet and find out who will order it for you.

Charlie