Tips for reducing tear out

[Mark Hennebury]

If i understand you correctly, you are trying to soften the sharp edges of the plywood. So in essence a small chamfer. Try using a small blockplane with a sharp blade. Hold the plane on the edge of the plywood, at 45° to the face and edge, and skew the plane 45° so that the face fibre's are cut before the edge fibre's, the blade will slice the fibre's by pushing them down and into the board. You will get a very clean cut with no tearout. You need only take a very fine shaving. You can take several passes and make adjustments to the plane angle to make a small roundover if you don't want a chamfer. You can then finish with 240 grit sandpaper if you wish.

[Rick Potter]

One other thing. I learned this one the hard way. You mentioned Baltic Birch ply. There is a big difference between Baltic Birch and 'looks like Baltic Birch' plywood.

Baltic lookalikes may have razer thin face layers that shatter when cut, and may also have interior layers of softwood, so your first indication is that the real stuff is much heavier than the phony. Both exterior and interior layers are hardwood, and the thickness of exterior faces are easy to gage thickness on the real stuff.

Another common problem with the Borg stuff is that layers might be overlapped on the inside, resulting in varying thickness. I once made some cabinet pieces with prefinished Borg plywood, and after dadoing, found that some shelves wouldn't fit and others did.

[Gordon Dale]

You mentioned Baltic Birch ply. There is a big difference between Baltic Birch and 'looks like Baltic Birch' plywood.

I agree with this 100%. Something I also learned the hard way.

[joe webb]

If i understand you correctly, you are trying to soften the sharp edges of the plywood. So in essence a small chamfer. Try using a small blockplane with a sharp blade. Hold the plane on the edge of the plywood, at 45° to the face and edge, and skew the plane 45° so that the face fibre's are cut before the edge fibre's, the blade will slice the fibre's by pushing them down and into the board. You will get a very clean cut with no tearout. You need only take a very fine shaving. You can take several passes and make adjustments to the plane angle to make a small roundover if you don't want a chamfer. You can then finish with 240 grit sandpaper if you wish.

I saw this technique in a Youtube video and tried to apply it. It didn't go well. It kinda catch in the wood when I glide and create a dent. I believe although it looks simple, using a plane needs more skills and touch. It's my plan to learn to dial and use the plane at some point. Get use to the motion.

[joe webb]

One other thing. I learned this one the hard way. You mentioned Baltic Birch ply. There is a big difference between Baltic Birch and 'looks like Baltic Birch' plywood.

Baltic lookalikes may have razer thin face layers that shatter when cut, and may also have interior layers of softwood, so your first indication is that the real stuff is much heavier than the phony. Both exterior and interior layers are hardwood, and the thickness of exterior faces are easy to gage thickness on the real stuff.

Another common problem with the Borg stuff is that layers might be overlapped on the inside, resulting in varying thickness. I once made some cabinet pieces with prefinished Borg plywood, and after dadoing, found that some shelves wouldn't fit and others did.

This is my first project w/ Baltic Birch thus I don't have other references. I ordered BB and I hope I got the real thing.
13ply on the 3/4 sheets and 5ply on the 1/4 sheets. They are 4x8 and not the standard 5x5 sheets though.

Both faces are the same quality and the outer layers are much thicker than the maple plywood I used from home depot. The outer layers are almost as thick as the inner ones. No void in the core.