face planing plywood

[NickUrquhart]

I'm restoring 4 Oak Edwardian dining chairs which have pad seats that are sadly no longer of this world. The originals were standard dowelled Beech and Oak scrap for the frames, with a bit of 1/8" ply tacked on top. I've just ran out of 3.7mm ply, but have a sheet of 9mm.
My question is, being a tight wad, can you hand plane one face to get the thickness you need, without exposing a softer/unstable inner core. Stupid question probably, but i was wondering if they just use pretty stuff on the outside and then a material which won't hold up on the inside if it is exposed. Normally i'd go ahead with the no.5 and make expensive shavings, but thought chances are someone will have done it before. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
all the best, Nick.

 

[Chems]

It all the same stuff underneath pretty much just glued up. I don't think it would really work to be honest!

Glad to see another Northamptoner to add to the collective!

 

[JoinerySolutions]

Would it not be quicker to rebate the frames for the 9mm ply?
Having had occasion to plane down ply for packers in the past I know it tends to curl quite quickly and the cores often have voids (unless it is marine ply) and just the other day I found a piece of steel mesh embedded in some 18mm WBP ply, or rather my disston saw did :evil:

Rob.

 

[NickUrquhart]

thanks for the reply, yeah there seems to be load of us, must be all those trees. Out of interest, i'd be interested to know your thoughts on why handplaning it probably wouldn't work?
cheers, Nick.

 

[NickUrquhart]

Steel mesh, blimey, bet that was a shock. Re the rebating, yeap that was one thought, but i'm plagued with that old disease where i can't sleep if i change anything on a restoration. I know it would be under leather and worsted wool, but it would bother me, like i'd swindled the chair, crazy i know. Also the Beech frame is all glued up and trimmed on the 3rd chair, so it would mean chopping out a rebate with a mortice chisel. I think the 9mm is marine exterior, it cost £15 a 2x4 ft sheet, so it might be good stuff. I'm going to take your advice though and just buy some i reckon. I can always use the remainder for the coldframe that's on the to do list. Many thanks for the tips.
cheers, Nick.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

How about rebateing the ply?


Pete

 

[NickUrquhart]

Now that's an idea that could work, rebate the ply edge and have the ply drop throught the middle hole. Thanks for the suggestion, much appreciated. I think that i'll bite the bullet and just buy some 3.7mm for the last two chairs, but i'll definitely use that in the future on an Oak chair that i'm planning. Should be good and strong.
all the best, Nick.