Cutting Plywood

[Danielb]

What is the best tool to use to cut plywood without getting splinters?
Looking for something fast and easy.

 

[Steve Maskery]

A track saw with zero clearance and a triple-chip blade.
Fast and easy. But not, unfortunately, cheap. But probably the best.

A fine hardpoint saw and a big roll of masking tape. Cheap, easy, good (but not best) and it's as fast as you can saw.
S

 

[Danielb]

Is the Bosch Plunge Saw a Track Saw? Would that be okay?

 

[Argus]

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As Steve said, but lacking the expensive kit and assuming that you are contemplating a power saw (jig saw or circular saw) select the finest blade you can.

These saws cut on an upward stroke; this means break-out on the exit or top side. Whilst you are less likely to raise splinters or break-out going with the grain, you certainly will going at right angles or diagonally.

On small pieces you can pre-score tram lines with a sharp knife along the cut the width of the kerf (only works on small and straight pieces, fiddly, but effective).

For larger cuts I find that sticky tape is effective in holding down the grain and at least minimising break-out. Try a heavy duty gaffer tape then mark it and saw through it.

Try it out on a spare bit of ply, first.

Hope this helps.


.

 

[Vyvsdad]

A panel saw with a scribing blade.
Definitely not the cheapest. Nor the most convenient. And you do need a decent size workshop to accommodate it.
This probably doesn't help.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Is the Bosch Plunge Saw a Track Saw? Would that be okay?

It could be, if it's got the track to go with it!

Also Festool TS55 and friends, Makita SP6000k (wot I 'ave), and similar from Mafell, etc. Mafell even make one that chugs along the board all by itself (but it's not cheap!).

Steve's right about tracck saws in my experience - with a good, sharp blade, and properly set up the results are very good indeed for a portable saw.

Thinking laterally, there's always the big vertical panel saws in the sheds. The big advantage is (presumably) if they mess it up they have to replace your sheet of ply!

Cheers,

E.

 

[mickthetree]

sacrifical boards? You could sandwich the plywood between some sacrificial boards above and below. These will splinter but the central piece will not.

Bit fidly, but you could make up a jig. Probably one of the cheapest options.

 

[Shultzy]

I'm cutting veneered mdf and use a home made saw board. After positioning the saw board, score the ply/veneer against the board producing next to no breakout

 

[vally bar]

The fastest and easyest is by the boards from a merchant with a cutting service.

 

[Benchwayze]

The fastest and easyest is by the boards from a merchant with a cutting service.

This is true. For carting the stuff home, I'm lucky enough to have a firm nearby who cuts the stuff for free, to manageable sizes. But I still like to make 'my own mistakes' when I use sheet stuff for carcasses.

(Although, of late I've used a lot of floorboards to make my own pine sheets. ) Seems to work okay.