Dented groove in veneeered plywood: Advice Needed for repair

[Chris Yarish]

I have some 3/4" walnut veneered plywood. Store bought, not self-veneered. It's a layered x-section type substrate, with no MDF in the core at all.


I was making a 1/8 groove in it with my circular saw and noticed afterward that there was a small burr on the saw's face that laid a long dent down accross the veneer surface.

It never broke through to the substrate, but is long, and deep enough to be impossible to just sand down.

Any advice for reviving this dent and bringing it back up to the level surface?


Thanks

[Josiah Bartlett]

You could try steaming it back up by laying a damp rag over it and applying heat, like this:
http://guitargarage.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-steaming-out-dents-in-guitar.html

[Brett Robson]

I can't offer any further advice aside from steaming, but I can relate to your problem.

I recently used a flush trim bit on a project of mine only to notice that the bit had cut a line all the way around my chest. The guide bearing on the bit had a washer under the head of the small bolt, which had shifted to the side allowing the washer to slice into the wood as the bit spun!

[Chris Padilla]

Practice on some scrap walnut plywood before attempting the steam trick on your working piece.

[Jim Summers]

You might run blue tape on each side of the dent. That will help contain the water. You might even be able to carefully put water just in that "trough" and it may raise up without the heat. But some heat may be needed. I have used an old clothes iron before. It did work. I have never tried it on plywood though.

Definitely take Chris's advice and test on some scrap.


HTH