Putting a square hole with nicely smoothed edges in a plywood sheet?
Welcome! / Forums / General Woodworking Discussions / Wood and Wood Preparation / Putting a square hole with nicely smoothed edges in a plywood sheet?
- This topic has 5 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 10 months ago by winses2.
-
AuthorPosts
-
Building a cabinet with 3/4″ baltic birch plywood. Would like a square hole in one of the sheets. I’ve been practicing with some scraps. I drilled holes near the square’s corners and used a coping saw but couldn’t keep the cut edge perpendicular to the sheet surfaces. Switched to using a jigsaw with a clamped guide figuring the jigsaw blade would remain perpendicular to the sheet surfaces. That worked better at keeping the cut edge perpendicular between the sheet sides, but I had more tear out.
I haven’t tried clamping a second sheet on both sides of the main sheet to try to stop tear out. Guess I’ll try that next.
However, even with the jigsaw after cutting when I file and then sand the cut edge the finished product doesn’t look square enough to apply some solid wood as edge banding along the side’s holes.
Is there a better way to get this cut edge square so I can then glue on the solid wood edge banding? Or is the method I’m using correct, and it is simply lack of skill?
28 January 2015 at 6:07 am #123970I’m not sure about getting it square, but to reduce the tearout, put masking tape over the cut and cut through it. The masking tape support the veneer fibres.
Thanks fellows. The masking tape worked well. It also helped to learn that the jigsaw is more likely to tear when pulling than when plunging, so I cut from the other side? Also used backing sheet of plywood just in case. After that I used rough, then less rough sandpaper to get me to the knife wall. So far so good. Not square enough to put in solid wood edging, so I’ll have the drawer front overlap the hole rather than sit in it.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.