From the top down: All Shina and 5-Ply. The 5-Ply has the darker seraya core.
Shina Plywood
Tilia japonica, a member of the Linden family
This fine-grained plywood from Hokkaido, the northern-most island of Japan, is a favorite among Japanese printmakers. Shina is harvested selectively and sustainably. The plywood is of the very highest quality, free of voids, knots or blemishes. It is already sanded smooth to an even thickness, ready for immediate cutting and printing.
Basswood and Shina are both members of the Linden family. Like basswood, Shina feels virtually grainless as you carve it and it is soft enough to carve very easily. However, unlike basswood, it is dense enough to hold a sharp edge through multiple printings.
Japan has very strict environmental laws about the amount of formaldehyde added to the glue used to make plywood. Most plywood made in the U.S. contains 5mg of formaldehyde per liter of glue, while in Japan the amount of formaldehyde averages only 0.3mg/liter - with 0.4mg/liter the maximum amount allowed. So Shina plywood is much safer for you and for the environment. The glue holding the plies together is so thin that it is barely perceptible as you are cutting, making this a truly exceptional product for woodblock printmaking.
There is significantly less swelling, shrinking or warping with this plywood compared to solid planks.
If you have not tried this wood before, we will be happy to send you free samples.
To prevent warping, store blocks flat in a dry place. Keep them away from excessive heat.
If you plan to carve both sides of a block, tape a heavy sheet of paper on the side not being cut. This will protect the surface from dents or scrapes.
Grain
On standard sizes, the wood grain runs parallel with the longest dimension.
Custom blocks can be cut with the grain running parallel with the short dimension.
Sizes and Availability
To maximize the number of blocks from a sheet, reduce waste and keep prices
as low as possible, we may lose up to the width of the saw blade (about 1/8")
from the dimensions of a block. Exact and custom sizes can be cut for a small additional charge.
Please allow one week for cutting custom blocks, blocks larger than 18 x 24, and large orders.
Volume Discount
Receive a 5% discount on orders of 12 or more of the same size and kind of Shina
Plywood. Different sizes and kinds cannot be combined for this discount.
There are no discounts on custom orders.
Please Note:
Actual shipping for oversize pieces (24" x 32" and larger) will be higher than the estimate shown in your shopping cart.
UPS has additional shipping charges for large items. This additional amount will be added to your order in our office and it will not appear on your shopping cart or on your online order. If you wish to know what the actual shipping charge will be, please add a note in the "Special Instructions" box in the shopping cart, email us or call 800-832-4264. We will not contact you with this information unless you ask us to do so.