Cut Out in middle of plywood

[Chris Padilla]

I'm hitting up the collective here on how to best cut out this opening within a plywood panel.

I attached the actual piece and the Sketch-Up rendering of the panel.

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My first thought was to jig-saw out most of the hole staying just off the line and then finish up with a router and then square up the corners.

I do need to apply edging to hide the plies.

Here is what I'm going for if you're wondering about what I'm doing:

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[Justin Ludwig]

I wouldn't over think it. Your method sounds like a good solution. If you have a chisel that's good and sharp, those corners will easily clean up. I'm a huge fan of Bosch's T308b jig saw blades for work that needs to be clean.

[Chris Padilla]

Ah, Justin, but over thinking and over engineering is a specialty of mine! :)

[Jaze Derr]

Jig saw and then a router sounds like a good plan!

[Steve Kohn]

You could also plunge cut on a table saw and then finish the corners with a hand saw.

[johnny means]

I often cut openings like this with my track saw. I cut right to the lines then use a hand saw to finish out the corners. Best part is that after edgebanding the opening and the cutout, I've got a perfectly matched and fitted door or front.

[Tom Ewell]

gotta track saw yet? ;)

[johnny means]

BTW, I would advise against "plunge cutting" on a tablesaw. I've seen too many major injuries from that technique. One poor chap managed to sever both thumbs on two separate occasions.

[Chris Padilla]

Now plunging my F track saw sounds like a VERY interesting idea....

I really like that I'll have a nice 'door' leftover (although I don't need it here but could come in handy later)!

It is also a step less and faster setup than my original jigsaw/router thought pattern.

[Tom Ewell]

Just remember those stops that come in the kit.
I usually put a hack mark on the saw body to indicate where the blade cuts fore and aft when full depth plunge is not used.

[Warren Lake]

Ive done tons of plunge cuts and would not recommend it anytime.

another way put your lines on and raise the blade up and continue close to the line knowing that it is cutting further under the table, the higher the blade the less cut under the table, do not pull the work back to you in any case that will be a kick back for sure very dangerous if your saw has any power. lower the blade under the table again if you are short then move the material back if you are short then raise the blade, Still what ive done over 35 years I would not recommend this no idea what your experience is and its not even safe stuff for experienced guys. I have no issues with it for me but would never be comfortable to recommend that. I was brought up on it.

Another way if you have a quantity I used to do this is a ply jig and a plunge router, drop in buzz around drop in again and do that several times and you are cut out file your corners square if need be. overall the blade raise up will be straighter than a router would be so better for your banding wether solid or veneer. Router you could get sloppy and tilt as well unless very careful.

I dont have a track say but have a straight edge and done the same thing not to the same level I dont think as your Mercedes stuff but that sounds best, plus with the radius business you see your blade from the top where it is cutting more only thing you are cutting up on your veneer where as the evil table saw way the blade will mostly be cutting into or down once you raise it through, Best for me to say I dont recommend that even though ive done it many 100's of times,

recommend your track saw of all the suggestions so far, not sure how you support it on the little outside edge, maybe butt two panels together but then maybe you put in inside and use it reverse have support from the material that is there then those cuts come after. On my jig the cut side is always on the line but it would work reverse as well.

[Martin Wasner]

Saw, cuss, caulk, chill....


I'd use the panel saw and just finish the corners with a hand saw.
Track saw would be my next choice.
Tablesaw and raising the blade through, my third choice.

Jigsaw, then a router is way down the list for me.

[Matt Schroeder]

What about cutting a piece the size of the opening minus a router bit and collar, double stick tape it to the blank in the right place, and rout around it with the collar against the template? It seems a spiral down bit would keep the outside edge clean and the inside edge, if any tear out, would be covered by whatever you use to cover the edges. It still needs some chisel work at the corners to square them up, and would likely require a couple passes around the template at successively greater depth with the router. Rout the long edge near the back of the cabinet first to minimize stress on that thin piece, and if you could do it on top of a piece of foam insulation or other material that can support the whole piece it seems it should come out pretty clean.

[glenn bradley]

One poor chap managed to sever both thumbs on two separate occasions.

Slow learner?

[Ole Anderson]

Helping my son do a sink cutout. He was using my jigsaw, and for whatever reason it didn't want to follow the line, so we pulled out my track saw to do the job right. Used a hole saw to round the corners first. So many uses.

[Jim Becker]

If the piece is large enough, then the plunge cut with the guided saw is the ticket for a clean edge. If you do need to go the jigsaw route, I'd still do it guided, either with a plank or if you have it, the Festool jugsaw and track. Cutting "straight" with a hand-held jigsaw isn't an easy thing to do... ;)

One other option...rough cut proud with the jigsaw and then use a pattern bit in a route with a guide to clean up the edge.

[Glenn de Souza]

What about cutting a piece the size of the opening minus a router bit and collar, double stick tape it to the blank in the right place, and rout around it with the collar against the template? It seems a spiral down bit would keep the outside edge clean and the inside edge, if any tear out, would be covered by whatever you use to cover the edges. It still needs some chisel work at the corners to square them up, and would likely require a couple passes around the template at successively greater depth with the router. Rout the long edge near the back of the cabinet first to minimize stress on that thin piece, and if you could do it on top of a piece of foam insulation or other material that can support the whole piece it seems it should come out pretty clean.

This is exactly how I would do it. You can make the template so you are routing inside, or cut a rectangle the size you need plus the bit/bushing and rout around the outside of it, securing it temporarily with double stick tape. I lay a piece of sacrificial 1/4" mdf under the cut area to protect the work table. A small hand saw and file will square up the corners. If you like using a chisel for this then use a chisel.

[Chris Padilla]

Man I love this place!! :D

Lots of wonderful ideas that I hadn't thought of. I'm going to go with the track saw tonight after work. I'll post pics of the results. :)

[lowell holmes]

A plywood blade in my Porter Cable 314 trim saw with a straight edge is how I would do it. There is one that lives in one of my closets.

[John Blazy]

Great responses - I agree with NOT doing the drop-over-blade-plunge trick on the T-saw, even though I have this tens of thousands of times over the past 30 years (I used to make a lot of picture frames from plywood and MDF). The T-saw plunge trick is so fast and easy, leaving a nearly perfect edge, so if anyone is ever tempted to do this, do as was suggested by simply raising the blade through the panel while holding it down tight, then push, then lower blade. I have often switched out the 10" blade for a sharp 7-1/4" blade in order to get a closer corner cut, and it is slightly safer. Then simply jig-saw out the panel, and chisel the corners.

[Bob Michaels]

Plunge cut track saws are perfect for this cutout. I've done it many times with ease and precision. Finish up with hand saw.

[Chris Padilla]

Wow...this went extremely well and was pretty fast and I'm quite pleased with the results. Only on one corner did I get a bit overzealous with pushing the saw just a tad far.

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Gluing up the first piece of edging.
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[Jim Becker]

Beautiful job, Chris!

[Bruce Page]

What is the purpose of the side opening? :confused:

[Chris Padilla]

Terlet* paper storage! :eek:

Next to the vanity is the terlet. :D

* - On the John Bridge Forum, the tile setters there use terlet in place of toilet. I always found that rather amusing.

[Bill McNiel]

Chris,
FWIW- when faced with internal cutouts or corners in plywood, I use my tracksaw and then finish the corner cut with a Japanese Plywood Pullsaw from Lee Valley. This saw is made for cutting ply and sells for about $40, well worth not dulling my other hand saws and it completes the cut leaving very little tuning.

[Chris Padilla]

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I used one of these to cut the panel out; worked quite well. I sharpened up my "all around" 3/4" chisel and it did make quick work of the corner cleaning them quite nicely if I do say so myself. :)

[al heitz]

Slow learner?

Nope. Just had to show his co-workers how it happened for the shop safety film.

[Steve Peterson]

You could also plunge cut on a table saw and then finish the corners with a hand saw.

I would prefer to plunge cut with a circular saw. Much less chance of a kickback.

Steve