A few tips for better plywood cutting
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- Опубліковано 17 жов 2020
- Cutting plywood is a task that I have to do on most every project. After breaking down 1000s of sheets I have some techniques that help me get the job done, accurately, efficiently, and easily.
@ore
Parallel Guide System: @allel-guide-system/tpg-parallel-guide-system/
Premcore Plus Plywood : @e-plus-suppliers - Навчання та стиль
that was a good 10 min spent, thanks a lot learned something new today
Ron, I appreciate that you realize that your workbench has become popular among hobbyists and that you're providing information to people like me.
Ron, amazing tip with the back cutting! Thank you for this!
Ron,
This video is a big help. I just bought a Festool track saw and TSO parallel guides. I haven’t even used them yet. Can’t wait - will use your tricks from day one. Still making room to work. Will let you know how it goes. TY! Tim
Great to hear!
This was a great video! Never thought about the back cutting.
I dont mean to be so off topic but does anybody know a method to log back into an Instagram account?
I stupidly forgot my password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me
@Messiah Wesley instablaster =)
@Wyatt Gibson I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm trying it out atm.
Takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.
@Wyatt Gibson It did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I'm so happy!
Thanks so much you saved my account!
@Messiah Wesley no problem xD
Ron, thank you for an excellent video. Am new to working with plywood and these points in cutting are very good.
How lucky are we to have someone like Ron sharing his tips with us...thank you Sir!
I have been a professional finish carpenter and then hobbyist for the last 30 years and almost skipped this one thinking “how could he really teach me a tip for cutting plywood.” The back cutting, small depth cut is an awesome tip for getting a really clean edge. Great tip.
Just fantastic Ron! Thanks for putting all these amazing videos out!
I really appreciate the tip about setting the saw shallow and doing a reverse cut before doing a forward cut at full depth. Mage a huge difference in the drawer faces I made for a shop cabinet last weekend!
I always enjoy and always learn. Thanks Ron!
Thanks Ron, this was great, really useful information in a concise and helpful video!
I am going to be making cabinets for my kitchen. New track saw is being delivered today.. Great video. Thanks for your time!!
Wow that back cutting is brilliant!! 👏🏼👏🏼
Great video again Ron. I love all the content you make, and ive purchased several plans already for future build that ive been getting ready to do.
Just got into woodworking and discovered your channel. This information is really needed. I am just making the little mistakes and the knowledge you give is really helping me up my game. I would like to get into custom cabinetry as a profession but at this time it is a hobby until I can get my skills up enough. Thank you so much for your information.
Thanks Ron very useful!
Thanks Ron. The backwards scoring cut is a new tip for me. I've been a track saw convert for almost 10 years and love how they make breaking down sheet goods easier on my back than wrestling them through the table saw. I've been taping and/or knife scoring my cut lines for a long time, but that takes time and extra effort. The next sheet I break down I'm going to be reverse scoring. Many thanks. You'd think by the time you've been working with wood for 50+ years you'd know all the tricks... just goes to prove otherwise.
Love the content and valuable tips
god damn jewels of wisdom dropped from your mouth. thanks for all the picky details and rational. my new favorite wood working channel.
Great video
Very informative Ron, picked up quite of few good tips.
Thanks for the tip!
Scoring cut is excellent as if you cross cut that top ply, it will splinter like crazy depending on the plywood. The Festool blades help prevent that. Thanks Ron
this is my favorite video on youtube!
i didnt even know that Robert Redford has woodworking as a hobby
Nice video Robert, cheers from Greece ;)
Lol
Great Job
Thanks for another great video! I always thought the plywood factory edges were square but will check from now on... I do like the idea of trimming off a small piece of the plywood and will do that from now on!
Factory edge is short for factory bump edge :)
I didn’t know the scoring trick, Thanks!
Thank you very much! I subscribed and look forward to learning more.
I back cut with a circ saw when scribing base or a countertop. I do a forward scoring cut when breaking down cabinet grade ply with a track saw. It never occurred to me to back cut the scoring cut with a track saw. Especially with oak ply on a cross cut and no matter how shallow the forward scoring cut there's blowout. It minimal and the average Joe might not notice in the finished product but it's still there. Back cutting the scoring cross cut on oak ply means a pristine edge. Thanks chief.
I should add that I have both the ts75 and the makita track saws. The makita has a scoring knob thingy but I always thought it went a bit too deep so I never used it. Not any more and I just might sell the ts75.
Nice 👍
thankyou for sharing
Amazing!
Buen video gracias...
I’m just waitin on this guy to drop a workout video lol
Thanks
1) You're looking jacked Ron! Way to go. and 2) I find that my track saw leaves a mighty clean edge without all the extra work. Maybe I'm not as much of a perfectionist? Just my experience.
With festool as long as you have a sharp blade and a clean splinter guard on the guide rail you will not get tear out from ply wood.
Makita track saws have a button to push in so you can make your scoring cut. After you make your cut you pull it back out so you don't have to change your cutting depth each time. It's a nice feature.
festool TSV60K is a track saw with an extra scoring blade
I use that feature on my Makita on almost every cut. Works great!
Im so jealous of the quality of plywood you get here in uk our birch ply is quite expensive even your standard ply looks good quality
Here in the US if you buy from the typical "big box" hardware/home supply stores you get nothing but junk. I don't think he shops at those places. So you are not seeing "standard ply."
@@mckenziekeith7434, I have never purchased lumber from any of the big box stores, it isn't their strong suit. I find the best selection at local lumberyards and pay less than the big chains to boot.
👍
Just curious about the benefit of back cutting on the scoring cut. I have the makita track saw with a dedicated 2mm stop for scoring, I've only ever used it cutting in a forward motion and have always gotten a pristine result. The stop on the makita is great because it is independent of the main depth gauge so you don't have to readjust.
Who knew Robert Redford was such a skilled carpenter!!? ;-) Ron, I've been using my railsaw for ten years and didn't know any of this... thank you! You had some cool toys... the squaring tool... it works? It seems like a tiny contact area on the rail in relation to the length of the cut? There's obviously zero skew on that? What is it? Many thanks from London.
Thanks Ron. A really informative video!
Two questions. Who makes the parallel guides for offsetting from your straight edge, please, and is the saw easy to control when back cutting. Obviously, the deeper you cut the more difficult becomes the control,
Anyway, great vid. Great learning curve!
Hey Ron, we really appreciate all your videos and insights!
On Premcore Plus (18mm and 12mm), have you found the factory edge reliably square/straight when building your workbenches/jigs, or do you recommend straighten/squaring two sides before laying out for tearing down the sheets? I know you have a background from everything from framing to fine finishing, but I haven't heard where you stand on trusting 'factory edges' for something that's meant to be as precise as the MFT system your benches, jigs and cradles rely on.
Bought the PSB total package plans and I'm really excited to get started!
Hi Ron love your videos and just got a track saw myself. When you crosscut the sheet your guide rail doesn't extend beyond the sheet much. How do you keep the bearing surfaces on the saw engagued with the track for the last couple cm of the cut?
👍.What blade do you find cut's your Birch plywood best ?
I think I pick up a clue on your sander choice. Lol
Do you have any “rules of thumb” for how much the rail should overhang the material being cut?
Great video. What version of Sketchup do you use? Thank you.
I subscribe so whatever is most current
Thank you. I didn’t know to use the scoring technique either. Useful. What parallel guides did you use and what was the straight edge attached to the TSO square?
All TSO
Why not use the Smart Cross Cut (SCC). I know where you can buy the plans for it. But you, Paul, can get this for free for sure ;-)
Hi Ron. Have you used the green splinter guards for your saw? I’ve used them with great success, the only downside is you have to change them if you change the depth of your saw.
I do use them but wanted to show a technique for those that don't have a FT track saw.😎🤙
Is he making back cuts in sandals? Brave man.
they are smart sandals. Never seen him without them on.
What is the brand of the parallel track guides you are using? Looking to build your assembly table after getting a new track saw soon. Love your videos!
He is using a Festool track and track saw - I have this setup and it is awesome. Plenty of power to make many long cuts.
He is using the TSO parallel guides. In the configuration he has in the video you’ll get a parallel cut to your reference edge, but you can also use it with the TSO rail squares and get parallel and square at the same time. The TSO is definitely the best system of it’s type because it goes beyond just a parallel reference. It is also the most expensive set up, but if you need production capability without the expense of a sliding table saw it’s worth the price.
How many teeth in the blade for finish carpentry
Question: How accurately could you rip 1" strips with this guide? I am just finishing a solid 4' X 8 table based on your design. I would like to start doing large patterned plywood projects.
It will, but I go to a table saw when I get down to 12" or smaller rips. I choose the right tool for the job. A table saw and track saw are different tools with completely different qualities. I would compare a track saw with a stroke saw.
There is an accessory that lets you set Anywhere from about a foot down to essentially zero.
@@fotopdo I can do just that with my Festool parallel guide set. I can cut accurate 2mm strips al day long because the guide on the blade side is calibrated at zero against the outside edge of the carbide blade tooth. Then I'm literally measuring my rip width stops directly off the cutting blade for any narrow width rip. The disadvantage of the Festool guides is they don't pack into a work truck easily, They excel at shop use though. Try doing an eight foot 2mm width rip for edge banding or lamination on a table saw.
At about 8:55 when you are making the forward cut, it appears the track shifts out of alignment a little bit. I looked at it a few times to see if it was just camera angle, but it seems like the track moved. I've had this problem with using a track on pre-finished baltic birch, the grippy stuff on the track just floats right off. I always have to clamp pre-finished sheets, which seems to defeat the purpose of using a quick track. Or, just train myself to measure and cut upside down!
I have never had a track move ever. I have tried to make my FT track move on scrap and it just doesn’t move.
@@TheSmartWoodshop I suspect my issue could simply be from sawdust. I'll bet even a thin layer on either the work piece or the grabby track material would be a problem, especially on the pre-finished stuff.
I think what is happening is the entire board is a bit uneven and rocks down when the weight of the saw gets to that far edge, giving the illusion that the track is moving. If you focus on the TSO guide on the long edge it doesn’t move whatsoever.
Watch the top right corner of the ply. The entire board is shifting from his weight pushing down and cutting. Everything is square just the piece is moving
I agree - either the track moves or the track and sheet moves, but it does move - great eye!
Dude you could be Robert Redford's twin brother.
Hey Ron
Why have gone with 3/4 ply on the new benches instead of 1/2?
I have made a few videos about that change, but in short, it was an error in ply weight that drove the change, but in hindsight, the advantages of 18mm over 12mm far outnumber the extra 4lbs.
3/4 plywood will flex a lot less than half inch. Ron originally thought the weight difference between the two thicknesses of plywood would be much more substantial which is why he chose to use 1/2in as much as possible. But now that he took the time to weigh the designs to compare, why not go with a thicker material that will undoubtedly be stronger and in actuality, doesn't weigh all that much more?
The slot cuts in my PTS for the extension wings have broken because they don't have enough meat on the underside to resist flexing and split all the way through. I still use it everyday and have since rigged some scraps in for reinforcement, but when it comes time to build a new one, for me and my workflow, I will try to use 3/4 for the entire project and double up the spreaders on the ends.
Hey Ron, what kind of blade are you using?
Festool Fine 42-Tooth Saw Blade (It came with the saw)
@@TheSmartWoodshop Thank you for the reply, Ron. I love your channel, by the way!
I've used the scoring technique for a few yrs. now on table saw and on track saw. I've never tried the climb cut/reverse cut. What purpose or results does that serve??
Stops tear out, as on the back pass the blade cutting edge comes down on the face as opposed to up through the face, thus no tear out.
Where back scoring really shines is when working with Melamine and phenolic faced plywood. I build tradeshow displays and back scoring is standard procedure in my shop.
Our Altendorf sliding table saw is also equipped with a back score blade .
Makita, and I believe Festool, too, has a scoring cut setting. Can you skip the revese cut using the scoring setting? Thanks!
@@misterm7086 The scoring setting (at least) on the Makita is for the reverse scoring cut. If tear out is not a concern in the top face then scoring isn't necessary.
How do you keep your sheet goods from warping?
Luck I guess😎
The way I do it is that I only buy what I am going to use for the current project so it doesn't have enough time to warp. When I know the sheets will absolutely need to be stored on edge for a bit, I clamp them against a couple of straight 2x4s on edge for a margin of safety. Worst case scenario, warped plywood straightens out pretty fast once you fasten it to a square, rigid frame or panel.
How can I set my edge GUIDES {TSO} accurately?
How do I set the TSO parallel guides accurately?
Search "TSO calibration" on UA-cam and TSO has a video showing you how
You can also get a T-track with a stop as a story stick, I use an Incra T-Track with a stop set the length, for one, copy to the story stick and move down, and set the other. Or you can set your width, with one, and have the second one next to it and then set the second one before moving it down the track. I've been using the Seneca parallel guides for years. I only check the calibration before starting a major project, then I use a story stick to get the right width if needed. For crosscuts, I use my TSO GS-16 90 adapter. Bang on cuts without having to manhandle sheets of plywood onto a table saw. Much better for my older back and smallish shop these days.
I guess I’m confused. A video just a few days old. You are using a saw that is unavailable. TSO parallels that are unavailable. What are you selling? It is early morning here and I will try on the computer. I would to follow your links to help you but they don’t work.
I just bought two system and my Tsc 55 cordless..... what are talking about?
You score the good side first (facing up), then cut through.
Why not do it the other way , with the good side down? Score the bad side facing up, the cut through? Saves you having to flip the sheet.
I thought the same
Ron what do you do for diet and activity? You look mega fit .
He is using quirk connect TPG adapters that are not even available to the public yet is seems.
Can I get the same level of accuracy with a shooter board? I don't have a track saw yet.
A shooting board can be very accurate. Use a 120-140 tooth plywood blade for a nice clean cut.
Easier, quieter, better
Open toe sandles in the shop?..
Its a Pacific Northwest thing lol
Actually, I reckon it’s an Aussie thing! Lol 😂
And for reasons which have long been forgotten... We call them Chinese Safety Boots. Doh 🙄
@@LiveLaughLoveLift Pacific Northwest? That would be Russia. The USA is Pacific Northeast.
Why aren't you doing this on your table saw, instead of your track saw?
I have covered this topic many times, but in short, a track saw gives a better cut. A track saw works like an inverted sliding table saw. On a standard table saw the wood is moved past the blade on a fixed top and impossible to push a full sheet of plywood past a blade and keep it straight along the entire 8'. Cross-cutting a 4x8 sheet on a table saw isn't going to work without a large crosscut table. Summary, cutting straight and square edges are what a track saw was designed to do. It works as well as a $12K sliding table saw with 10' stroke for a fraction of the price and the added benefit of being portable. Standard table saws: portable, contractor, or cabinet are not designed to do what a track saw does.😎🤙
@@TheSmartWoodshop I am a newbie. But I have recently tried to make very straight cuts on full sheets with the tablesaw and I am not able to do it. It is very difficult to keep the wood firmly against the fence along its whole length. I set up rollers for infeed support and had an 8 foot table for outfeed and a long fence, and a featherboard. But even so the cut was not as good as I wanted it to be. I will probably invest either in a tracksaw or use some kind of straight steel piece as a cutting guide for my skilsaw. Trying to avoid buying another tool, but I might have to to get the results.
@@TheSmartWoodshop Hey, thanks Ron. I'm new (not young, just recently retired) so I haven't seen the other times you've covered this. I really appreciate you going over it. I'm going to go look through your back pages.
@@mckenziekeith7434 In my opinion you would get much better results even with a home made cutting guide for a circular saw than trying to cut a full sheet on a table saw. a DIY solution will give you straight line accuracy, but not as much improvement in cut quality. A track saw has a ton of advantages, such as the ability to plunge into the work, dust collection [very key for quality of life and avoiding cleanup afterwards], exact depth of cut settings and the tracks have replaceable splinter guard edges and non-slip surfaces.
Accuracy comes down to how large of a reference surface you have between the tool and the workpiece... with a track saw your reference surface is the track which is longer than the cut itself, but with a table saw your reference is only the length of the fence before the blade so maybe around 18". You could increase the reference surface with a large indeed table and a dead straight beam clamped to the fence. It is not impossible to rip full ply on a table saw, and depending on the type of project it may be fine, but for cabinet grade work you would need to break it down roughly and then square up each piece as opposed to the method show in the video.
@@fotopdo What I am learning as time goes by agrees 100% with everything you are saying. I have a unifence with a pretty long fence, so I have more than 18" of reference surface, but still not as good as a track saw. I am going to try using a track with my skilsaw. Just ordered one. If I were making cabinets, I would just get a real track saw. But I only need to do precise cuts occasionally. So I am trying to make due mostly with what I have already on hand.
He says he wants the left and forward edges squared. Couldn't that also be accomplished by rotating the plywood? Why does he need to flip it?
If I understood correctly, he flips it to get the finish side on the bottom to reduce the possibility of tear out.
@@dougadkins4144 blue tape is easier for me to lift.
Seems like a lot of work. Maybe I am missing something. Why not break your sheet goods down on a table saw?
I have answered that question about 100 times. You will have to do some searching. 😎🤙
safety, accuracy, portability, workspace size, etc,etc,etc. If you have a track saw, use it. It's superior to all job site table saws for breaking down sheet goods.
@@chrisE815 Yeah! I have a festool track saw. It’s great for cross cutting wide boards but I usually rip my sheets down on the table saw first. I haven’t invested in the parallel guides yet.
@@markevans4133 build an mft top instead. That's what I'll be doing. Something similar to Ron's cross cut top but with the ability to rip cut a full sheet too.
workshop not big enough for 8 x 4 boards, 8 x 4 boards on a table saw are a nightmare, unless it is a sliding sledge board handling saw, very cumbersome, needs plenty of support rollers. better to be safe with 8 x 4 sheet supported on big flat surface, i.e. a big bench top
I enjoyed the video, but honestly I couldn't see how any of it would be useful unless I have several thousand dollars of price equipment.
For example. You can square up sheet goods using that 3-4-5 triangle you learned in school. This is not to say I wouldn't love to have all the gadgets.
Honestly, I think experienced woodworkers can square up their nice plywood employing practiced skills using regular tools. But I did enjoy dreaming about all the kool stuff. Thanks.
This man roided up giving 10/10 woodworking tips
There’s virtually no tear out with that saw, not necessary to cut from back, scoring cut is redundant, plus he can add a splinter guard.
Sheet of rigid foam won’t scratch sheets if finished surface us down.
My FT Track Saw does a good job without scoring and I use splinter guard, but this video was not about the FT saw. I removed the splinter guard and specifically said no matter what brand saw used the cut direction when using a circular saw that the top was most affected by tear out. Not all of my subscribers have Festool and many use shooter boards and don't even have track saws. This video was about useful techniques for all. Also I have never needed rigid foam for any plywood cutting. Maybe you should watch the video again and learn or if you know so much, then start you own YT channel. At least don't confuse the issue on my channel.
@@TheSmartWoodshop Sorry you were demonstrating with a track saw so guess I missed something looked redundant ergo my comment. Wow, I’ll consider myself cancelled Mr Paulk.
Anyway notice a shirt looks like static
I suffered through this whole video and the only thing I got out of this video is he has very clean expensive tools. He over explains everything. You dont stand plywood up. If that's all the room hes got he needs a bigger place.
Sound a little jelly.
I'm sure his skill level far exceeds yours.
Now that you showed us Accurately, Cleanly and Efficiently in your way, can you show us using equipment the EVERY DAY Person uses? Such as just a circular saw without using all the high dollar gadgets.
Ron did a video on making your own track saw a few years back which covers this: ua-cam.com/video/8v1hN-YwwY0/v-deo.html
Im an every day guy and bought a WEN track saw for less than $100 and use this technique, except the wen has a "score feature" so I don't have to go backwards risking a kickback
Just get a CNC machine....😉
be cheaper
Come on man ! It’s not rocket science, it’s plywood. For all that money you spent on Festool you could’ve bought a panel saw
I suffered through the first 8 minutes of this video, but couldn't force myself to watch the rest. You really need to forget about the camera and talk to it like it's a person. Or, learn to edit out the parts where you're trying to remember your lines.
Or you could accept that Ron is imparting knowledge rather than trying to win an Oscar for video quality. If the wisdom that he was imparting is of no interest to you, then why watch it anyway?
@@jonathandavies3288 The knowledge was interesting to me. But, if it's so poorly edited that you can barely stand to watch it, it's useless. It's much too easy to make a few cuts in a video to listen to dead air and "uhhs and uhmmms" in 2020.
@@dgoddard ...or you could get a life!
@@jonathandavies3288 Well, you obviously win with that statement. I can't even think of a reply. Good argument, sir... good argument.