Can baltic birch plywood be run through my Ridgid planer?

[dennis thompson]

Can baltic birch be run through my Ridgid planer to reduce its thickness from 1/2" to 3/8"?
Thanks

[George Bokros]

Not a good choice. You would plane off the top veneer for starters. Second the glue would be very hard on your planer knives.

It is never a good idea to plane ply.

[Lee Schierer]

Most likely no! When the knives hit the ply that is parallel to the blades they will tear up the grain accompanied by a lot of unpleasant noise resulting in a piece of scrap.

[Richard Shaefer]

I've done it.
it works.
just take small bites and you'l be fine.
it's just wood and glue.

[Marty Schlosser]

Dennis,

Of course you CAN run almost anything through a planer... but as has already been mentioned by George and Lee, it's certainly not recommended as you'll be:
- planing through glued sections and that's pretty tough on knives; and
- assuming you'll have to remove approximately 1/16" from each face, you'll be into cross-grain planing because you're going to remove all of the top and much of the second veneer layer.

What has also need to be considered is that the face veneer on most sheetgoods, baltic birch included, is usually a higher grade than the core veneer layers. That means the resultant face veneer on your "new" 3/8" thick sheet will not only be quite rough because of the cross grain planing, but it'll be a lower grade of veneer. Further, you will have the grain running perpendicular to what it'd originally been. Those two points along may make this a less than ideal arrangement.

Hope this explanation helps you appreciate the challenges such a decision would entail.

[Matthew Hills]

I'd be looking for other options. Where will the plywood be used, and why do you want 3/8" thickness?

Matt

[Randy Red Bemont]

Short answer is yes. I've run some across my jointer (drawer was too tight). Slow and easy and you will be OK. A better machine is a drum sander if you have access to one.

Red

[Pete Staehling]

I don't typically do it but few times have sanded off a ply or two on Baltic Birch with my thickness sander.

[Justin Ludwig]

I've done it, but with a spiral head. Small passes. The sound is ugly. You may need to rotate the piece when you to the next ply as its grain direction can differ.

[dennis thompson]

Thanks for the replies. I don't think I'll try it, I 'll seek other alternatives

[Prashun Patel]

I have done it. Small cuts . No issues except you have to cut fully below a veneer completely if u want a clean surface. This may take a couple passes.

I would not do it regularly but have no objections in a pinch.

[Jim Becker]

Can it go through? Yes. Is it a good idea...no. The adhesives are very abrasive to the knives. If you must do this as an alternative to sourcing BB in the thickness you actually need, be prepared to put new knives in for your regular work unless it's just one or two small pieces, etc., and even then the risk is great.

[Frank Pratt]

About a week ago I edge jointed some 1" BB ply. Just maybe 15 lineal feet, real light, less than 1/32". Seemed to work just fine. Then I face jointed a piece of fir & there was a 1" wide beaded strip down the length of the board. Running my fingernail along the knives I could feel the notches.

So no, I would not do it unless taking such a light pass that you know for sure it won't cut past the 1st layer of veneer. Unless you've got carbide cutters, then go for it.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Can baltic birch be run through my Ridgid planer to reduce its thickness from 1/2" to 3/8"?
Why?
Most, if not all, plywood in my parts is as close to 3/8" as it is to 1/2" anyhow.
I can buy true 1/2" MDF, but, the 1/2" plywood everyone carries is 23/64" most of the time.

[Frederick Skelly]

I would not do it unless taking such a light pass that you know for sure it won't cut past the 1st layer of veneer. Unless you've got carbide cutters, then go for it.

+1, no matter how fine the cut.

But maybe taking 1/16" off both the top and bottom faces might work for your application?

[Peter Quinn]

Very bad for HSS, I've wrecked both planer and jointer knives doing exactly that. They use very hard glue. I was told to do it by the owner, his knives, his expense. It didn't do anything wonderful for the plywood either. You can buy baltic birch in a 3/8" dimension, much better option.

[Martin Wasner]

I don't like running it through the widebelt even. That glue is nasty.

[Dave Zellers]

That glue is nasty.

BIG time! I edge jointed some BB I was using for drawers once. Never again. The glue lines cut perfectly spaced grooves in the knives.

Another reason I love my edge sander.