Planing Plywood (Edges)

[transatlantic]

I have to fit a piece of 18mm ply very snuggly (it's about 800mm square) and was wondering how to best get that tight fit. I was going to trim to rough size with my track saw, test for fit, and then make minor alterations with my (handheld) electric planer.

Is that a bad idea? ... considering the cross gain?

Cutting with the track saw, unclamping, testing for fit, reclamping, cutting more off, unclamping , testing for fit etc is going to be a real pain, and I doubt it'll be very easy to cut for thinner thimmers, so figured the planer would be much easier.

This would be much easier with a table saw!!!

..oh and this is edge cutting, not face cutting.

 

[sunnybob]

I'm a long way from being expert with a plane, but I have planed plywood quite successfully. But the cross grain does break away slightly on the alternate layers as the plane reaches the end of its travel. Rounding of the edges first should be good enough unless this is a real "in yer face" finished product.

A power sander would be the best tool though.

 

[transatlantic]

I'm a long way from being expert with a plane, but I have planed plywood quite successfully. But the cross grain does break away slightly on the alternate layers as the plane reaches the end of its travel. Rounding of the edges first should be good enough unless this is a real "in yer face" finished product.

A power sander would be the best tool though.

Thanks. I figured I would have more chance of keeping a straight edge with the planer?

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Hi - I must confess I smiled at the thought of a piece of "snuggly" plywood :lol:

For me, the perfect tool with this would be a freshly sharpened block plane (ideally low angle e.g. Stanley 60 1/2) - with scrap clamped strategically to minimise tear-out/splintering.

I've always found it heartbreakingly easy to overdo things with a powered planer.

Cheers, W2S

 

[ColeyS1]

Just use a sharp smoothing plane. You could clamp a straight piece on the side to help keep it square and straight

Coley

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[sunnybob]

Just realised you said "power planer". i use a hand plane and theres no real tear out.

 

[skipdiver]

Sharp smoothing plane is the best option in my opinion. Electric planers are too unforgiving for this situation.

 

[Dan j]

A low angle hand plane would be best if you have access to one, if not then a very sharp smoothing plane will do the job fine.

 

[custard]

A power plane wouldn't be my first choice, for one thing you're unlikely to get a true, 90 degree edge even if your planer is fitted with a fence.

Personally I keep a dedicated 05 jack plane with a Ray Iles D2 steel iron for truing up ply edges, the UF glue in ply risks chipping your plane iron. Not great big chips like when hitting a nail, but it can leave the edge ragged as well blunt. For the odd bit of ply absolutely nothing wrong with using your regular bench plane or block plane, just sharpen it afterwards. If you want to apply lipping or hit a precise dimension and get an invisible glue line, then a properly used hand plane is the best tool for the job.

Good luck!

 

[RobinBHM]

Router with bearing guided trimmer would be my choice.

I use these
http://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Onl ... m_269.html

Easy to trim a small amount and possible to take a tapered cut. Edges will stay square. Some risk of breakout at end of cut which csn be reduced by a marking knife