Cutting Plywood

[Steve Friedman]

I am looking to buy a handsaw to use to cut 3/4" plywood. I am not talking about long straight cuts (I use a track saw for that), but just notching out corners and the like. I have some really nice saws, but none that I want to dull by using them to cut plywood.

I was going to try Lee Valley's Japanese plywood saw, which apparently has hardened teeth, but wondered if anyone had come across a similar western saw or something else they particularly liked for plywood.

Thanks

Steve

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I've had good luck using cheaper impulse-hardened, replaceable blade pullsaws from the local contractors supply shop for cutting plywood, MDF, hardboard, etc. I actually probably cut too much with them, well past the point it'd probably be worth digging out the circular saw.

If you're just notching corners and such, do really need such a large bladed saw? I thought the LV plywood saw was a bit large for what I'm imagining you're doing. Seems like maybe a smaller one, perhaps with a bit more of back would be ideal. I'm imagining those cheap little pullsaws about the size of a straight-handled dovetail saw.

[Pam Niedermayer]

I've had great success with that LV plywood saw, even cutting down full 4X8 panels. It was easier to use than a cheap circular saw Jack bought us, which was huffing and puffing and smoking the whole way.

Pam

[Ron Conlon]

I use a Stanley "Short Cut" toolbox saw for those types of tasks. It was cheap, cuts fast and I don't care if it gets beat up.

[Jim Matthews]

It's a good saw, at a reasonable price.

FYI - I use a Ryoba for the same purpose, and pull the saw from UNDER the board to be cut.
(I prop up the board on sawhorses and kneel to reach beneath the board.)

[Steve Friedman]

FYI - I use a Ryoba for the same purpose, and pull the saw from UNDER the board to be cut.
(I prop up the board on sawhorses and kneel to reach beneath the board.)

Maybe a stupid question, but why?

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Maybe a stupid question, but why?

I'm sure Jim will chime in with his reasons, but I do the same frequently. Mostly because with the pullsaw, this works with the cutting action to pull the work into bench or sawhorses or whatever, negating the need to workholding measures which might need to be relocated several times if making a long cut. Makes the cut easier when things aren't trying to lift up or move around. Also, the dust falls away from the line this way, rather than obscuring it, and I know I'm not going to bone-headidly hit something on the other side of the cut with the saw.

I'm sure the more traditional way would be to situate yourself on top of the work, holding the work down with your weight but hey, we're already working with plywood, so what that already negates "tradition", right? (Also, for me, my jury-rigged workspace [read: porch] often prevents me from placing large panels low enough to place myself over the work.)