maine schroller Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Hi guys, was wondering if anyone had some insight into a problem ive come across. I have cut some portraits from 1/8 inch bb plywood with #3 skip reverse blades and have been getting some tear out especially against the grain. I have a dewalt dw788 2nd version. Is there something im missing I have done others with no issues. Thanx for the help guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrolling Steve Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Donald, I have to stack 1/8 bb or i have problems.......Then thin stuff is just harder to keep together for me!.....Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dansnow Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Same here, I put a sacrificial sheet of 1/8" on the bottom, usually the cheapest 1/8" stock I can find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWSUDEKUM Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Use tape on the back. This will help eliminate any tearout. DW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryEA Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 How big is a #3 skip reverse blade? A wild guess is to try different blades and see if the problem persists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrappile Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 I've convinced myself that not all sheets of BB are the same and not all wood on a single sheet is the same. I been cutting off pieces from a 5' x 5' piece and on a couple piceces I got lots of tear our and some small pieces fell out. Use the same techque I used with the rest of the sheet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 (edited) I did a lords prayer hugh,in garbage cabinet backing board,not even a 1/8" thick,the wood was beautiful but worthless,I even had to hold down the wood with my fingers next to the blade to keep it from flopping up and down ,being so thin.After seeing the problem,i switched to a 2/0 blade minimized alot of tearing out but still because of the wood being to thin i still had problems.It's in my old gallery,i think "Grampa" designed it.I also had to use a playing card over the table saw blade hole to minimize flopping downward to which broke letters out ,just over 4 hours to cut .amazingkevin it's under the religious section in my old gallery.http://www.scrollsawvillage.com/oldgallery/displayimage.php?pid=4935 this last blue letters will give you an enlarged version of it Edited January 1, 2015 by amazingkevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 I always try and have 4 Teeth on the board at a time. with a 1/8 board that is a very small blade with 32 TPI. You stack 3 together tight and you could probably use a #3 blade, still a #2 would be better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 P.SD. I don't think I would use a skip tooth blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgman Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 I never cut anything thinner than 1/4". So, If I need an 1/8" piece, I will stack another layer of 1/8" material. Trying to cut thinner material is difficult as you don't have proper control of the piece and tear out can occur. Because I do two to four craft shows a year I always stack four layers of 1/8" BB plywood. I use a no. 1FD UR or a no. 3 FD UR blade with minimal tear out on the back which is easily sanded off. Before you start, sand your blanks to Finish grit, usually 220 grit. Then make your stack and cut. Then use some 220 grit sandpaper to lightly sand off the fuzzies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maine schroller Posted January 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 Thanx for all the input guys. I do stack cut 2 pieces of 1/8 bb plywood and havent had issues maybe it is just some sub par ply. Am going to go down to a 2/0 blade and see how that goes. Thanx guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted January 3, 2015 Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 I thought about the skip tooth blade later but forgot to post it and i agree with Ike thats a no no.too brutal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grosa Posted January 3, 2015 Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 Have you tried a metal cutting blade? I sometimes use a metal cutting blade on 1/8" or less because it leaves a much better finish on the wood than a wood blade. amazingkevin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heppnerguy Posted January 3, 2015 Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 Have you tried a metal cutting blade? I sometimes use a metal cutting blade on 1/8" or less because it leaves a much better finish on the wood than a wood blade. Interesting thought. I have never even owned a metal cutting blade. 1'8 inch wood does require as many teeth per inch as you can find, as far as I am concerned but I, personally, don't find the need to go to a #1 blade. Maybe I don't do tight enough fret work yet, not sure. i find the smaller blades to take too long to make a tight turn so I like a little heavier blade for stability. Dick heppnerguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarB Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Hi Guys, interesting views and the advice of using tape on the back is super! I don't want to get off topic here and if I ought to post this as a separate request - I apologise now and please let me know. I'm in a similar predicament with 5/32inch (not Birch!) plywood (top section of a cake-stand) with fretwork edges - am considering using a very low numbered FD spiral blade, may I be cheeky and get your thoughts please? Thanks in advance LarB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWSUDEKUM Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 LarB one of the other things you can do to help eliminate or at least reduce tearout on the thinner wood is use a zero clearance insert. What this does if help prevent the wild bending of the thinner stock as the blade passes through the wood. Another thing is - use a new blade a sharp blade cuts and does not tear as much. None of the suggestions are sacred and you might have to use more than one together to achieve success in your mission. no matter, having a sharp blade will most assuredly help using a fine tooth blade will as well. DW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarB Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 Many thanks DW, advice taken :-) will provide feedback too. I can't wait until tomorrow now teehee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldhudson Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 (edited) LarB one of the other things you can do to help eliminate or at least reduce tearout on the thinner wood is use a zero clearance insert. What this does if help prevent the wild bending of the thinner stock as the blade passes through the wood. Another thing is - use a new blade a sharp blade cuts and does not tear as much. None of the suggestions are sacred and you might have to use more than one together to achieve success in your mission. no matter, having a sharp blade will most assuredly help using a fine tooth blade will as well. DW I was going to mention a zero clearance insert too, but DW beat me to it. And while tape and different blades impact tear-out having a really good support where the cutting force is exerted does really help. (On a standard table saw a ZCI is indispensable.) These two pics are of my Delta with the standard insert and the hardboard insert I made. The one I'm using now is still a cheapo piece of hardboard. Instead of cutting to fit the insert I covered the whole surface with hardboard and taped to the regular table. I wax the top side to allow stock to slide easier on the hardboard. Edited January 5, 2015 by oldhudson DWSUDEKUM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryEA Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 To repeat, stack cut a couple or three. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWSUDEKUM Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 I was going to mention a zero clearance insert too, but DW beat me to it. And while tape and different blades impact tear-out having a really good support where the cutting force is exerted does really help. (On a standard table saw a ZCI is indispensable.) These two pics are of my Delta with the standard insert and the hardboard insert I made. IMG_2224.jpgIMG_2223.jpg The one I'm using now is still a cheapo piece of hardboard. Instead of cutting to fit the insert I covered the whole surface with hardboard and taped to the regular table. I wax the top side to allow stock to slide easier on the hardboard. KeyFob062.jpg I use an 8 x 10 sheet of plexiglass that I drilled 1/8 in holes and put rare earth magnets in for mine. DW oldhudson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldhudson Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 I use an 8 x 10 sheet of plexiglass that I drilled 1/8 in holes and put rare earth magnets in for mine. DW Very clever!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugene Posted January 5, 2015 Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 I have cut 1/8" BB plywood almost exclusively for years now and do not have any trouble with tear out. I cut just one sheet at a time using an Olson #2 crown tooth blade on my DeWalt with speed control at 2-1/2 to 3. The blade is not very aggressive which allows you to go slow. After cutting out a piece I just run a finishing sander over the front and back and I'm done. The only "trick" to cutting 1/8" BB plywood or1/8" doorskins is practice, practice, practice, and more practice. Lucky2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC Scroller Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 I think a #3 skip tooth is the wrong blade. I would use a #1 reserve tooth blade. My choice is the FD (Flying Dutchman Ultra Reserve) blades. I would also stack at least 2 if not 3 layers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarB Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 (edited) Hi Guys and thanks for all the great advice! Not having sufficient material to 'stack-cut' I covered the material (front and back) with tape, used what was available for the zero clearance insert - an old business card taped to the deck; went through 3 x #1 (FD) spiral blades gee sharp blades make a difference ;-) and had a very successful day. I also learnt that too finer sandpaper created more fuzzies so I used 120grit. So thank you all again - I still have about a day of sanding to do, so it's not finished yet!! Oh and heaps more practice!!! You guys are great Cheers! Lorie Edited January 6, 2015 by LarB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC Scroller Posted January 6, 2015 Report Share Posted January 6, 2015 LarB now you have to get a pencil torch and learn how to burn off the fuzzies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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