How to not get splinters when working with plywood?

[dennis thompson]

I am making a shop stand out of plywood. I am also getting splinters by the ton:mad:. Is there any way to avoid getting splinters? Gloves?
If gloves, what kind? Any other suggestions?
Thanks

[Charles Lent]

I have been wearing leather palmed work gloves when handling/moving wood and plywood, but not when running machines. Gloves can be a safety hazard when running machines. These leather palmed work gloves usually cost me $1.00 to a $1.50 a pair and are readily available in Tractor Supply, Amazon, Lowes, and Home Depot. I just bought a pair of Kynar knitted gloves with a tuff rubber palm coating that I'm hoping will be even safer and last much longer, but of course, much more expensive at about $10/pair. They are Atlas KV300 gloves and I bought them through Amazon. Again, I don't wear gloves when I'm using woodworking tools because doing so is more dangerous than not wearing gloves, but these new gloves are supposed to be cut resistant, and I hope more splinter resistant. I like the rubber palm coating and think it will significantly prevent slipping. The cut resistant and slip resistant features were my main reasons for purchasing them.

Working with construction grade plywood is always a splintery situation. You might want to consider spending a little more for better quality plywood, like cabinet grade birch plywood for your projects. It's much nicer to work with, especially when you plan on making cabinets and shop furniture type projects with it. Construction grade plywood quality is awful to work with these days.

Charley

[Bryan Lisowski]

If your getting splinters after the cut you may need a sharper or better quality blade. You could use a sanding block and do a quick swipe before moving. I use mechanics gloves when moving wood and plywood.

[Brian Tymchak]

Assuming you are cutting on a table saw, using a zero clearance insert will help quite a bit with the quality of the down side of the cut. But even cutting cabinet grade plywood with a plywood blade, you can still have to deal with splinters on one side of the cut. I run a quick pass with a 120 grit sanding block over the cut corners of plywood to knock off splinters.

[Bruce King]

+1 on sanding the edge. Also have a pair of micro electronic cutters to pull out the ones barely visible.

[Robert Engel]

I use rubber coated grip gloves all the time when jointing but not with table saw.

That said, if I kept the jointer beds coated with wax that would eliminate, but I had a close call with a very slippery bed once.....

[Jim Becker]

The thinner veneer on so many plywood products these days is certainly contributing to the problem as it's easier to bugger edges and create those sharp, flesh-seeking spikes of pleasure. Plywood with thicker veneers is a better choice, but also adds cost and sourcing fun. I agree that a good, sharp blade, either scoring or a well fit ZCI and care will also help with this.

[Thomas McCurnin]

Ubiquitous blue painters tape pressed firmly onto the surface works too

[Bob Jones 5443]

I’m always looking for an excuse to double my workload. Just kidding.

In this case, you could run the cut over the tablesaw with the blade extended half a millimeter. That will score the outer veneer. Low likelihood of splinters. Then raise the blade and run the board. It’s two cuts, but it might leave you with a cleaner edge.

This does nothing to help you with the factory edge, however. Put it on the table with gloves on and then take the gloves off before the cut.

You’ll also need good tweezers and a magnifying light.

[Mike Kees]

Rubber grip gloves from horrible fright. I wear them when cutting melamine and plywood on my slider. As well as surfacing on my jointer and thicknessing with my planer. I have very dry skin ,especially in winter and like the extra "traction" I get with these gloves. The added bonus is splinter protection ,and less cuts from sharp edges on melamine.

[Brian Tymchak]

Rubber grip gloves from horrible fright. I wear them when cutting melamine and plywood on my slider. As well as surfacing on my jointer and thicknessing with my planer. I have very dry skin ,especially in winter and like the extra "traction" I get with these gloves. The added bonus is splinter protection ,and less cuts from sharp edges on melamine.

We all wear gloves where I volunteer as we are cutting melamine. I wear the Fastcap Skins. Thin enough to stay skin tight but grippy and tough enough to withstand sharp edges and most splinters.

[Ole Anderson]

I am putting down a ton of bamboo flooring which is notorious for tiny needle-like splinters. I wear a pair of stretchy fit rubber faced gloves from HD. Like wearing nothing (on your hands), but with the protection. They are labeled Westchester and are day-glo green. Gloves and a saw is not much of a risk, but working with a twist drill, particularly on a DP can be a real safety issue.

[Tom Bender]

A few years ago I got a splinter on a Sunday and was leaving for a golf trip the next morning. Splinter had to go that afternoon and I could not get it out, so off to the ER. They are surprisingly inept, but after a few hours, mostly waiting, it was done. The bill, $1,000. Insurance paid, but since then I'm a little extra careful.


I keep a block plane and an ROS handy and touch up all edges all the time. Also gloves when appropriate.

[Lee Schierer]

The suggestions regarding zero clearance and high tooth count blades are all good. Train yourself not to slide your hands along any piece of wood. YOu can even be cut by a freshly jointed edge of a board. It's hard to believe that a 90 degree cut can slice your hand, but it can.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Years of heavy use and abuse, aided by extreme hot and cold temps will give your hands a tough leathery armor that makes wearing gloves unnecessary. The ladies find them attractive too I hear :)

Mechanics gloves work ok if you want to go a different route.

[michael langman]

I got out my block plane and went over the edges of plywood I used for my tablesaw sled after removing a small dagger type splinter from my finger the other night.I used construction plywood being the cheapie I am.

[Roger Feeley]

There seem to be two threads here: Splinters in the hand, and tearout.
For splinter injuries, I just try not to slide my hands. I let go and grab somewhere else. I learned that working sheet metal. Gloves are a great idea around saws. I'm always careful to avoid getting gloves near any moving machine parts.

For tearout, there are great hints:
sharp blade
apply tape
You can score the material using a utility knife
zero clearance plate
I get great results with a High Alternate Top Bevel blade. Those things are scary and prone to chipping but they cut clean.

[fred everett]

The finger I'm clicking my mouse with right now hurts like crap due to a huge plywood splinter I removed two days ago. I usually wear Depot work gloves which pretty much eliminates splinters for me. Two days ago I was too lazy to find the gloves and I got bit. I was too lazy so I suffer in silence... I do not wear gloves when operating machines or even power tools.....when it comes to that I do not get lazy.

[Jim Fox]

I get little splinters every time I run Baltic Birch, even with a fresh sharpened Freud blade. If I don't have a new splinter or abrasion on at least one hand, my time in the shop isn't over yet.

[Joe Jensen]

I agree with Jim, I use really sharp blades on a sliding table saw with a scoring blade and the board clamped to the slider. The cut is fantastic, but if you accidentally run your hand along the edge you get a micro splinter and with hard wood it's easy to slice your finger open. I do both regularly. If I have a period where I'm in the hobby shop for a few weeks my hands toughen up. I do not wear gloves for anything other than moving material around. Never when running machines.

[fred everett]

Joe's post above made me realize I shouldn't take for granted folks know it's not a good idea to wear gloves running machines. I learned years ago even pwr hand drills pose risk when a bit slid on steel I was hand holding grabbed my glove. Had to cut the glove off and get stitches.....minor but an important warning for me.

[Jim Becker]

Of course, considering the KISS method...perhaps we should all stop running our hands and fingers along the board edges. LOL