Scroll sawing ornaments

[Louie]

Hi so I started making these Christmas ornaments out of 1/4 Baltic birch plywood.am I doing something wrong or how do I fix the backside of these.it seem the plywood peels on certain parts on backside. Wood foil maybe?

[dgman]

What brand, type and size blade are you using? Are you using true Baltic Birch plywood or birch plywood you got at the big box store?

[Foxfold]

I would suggest that you put 'tape' on the backside to help with tearout.  Also perhaps you're using too 'big' a blade. ?   I generally use a #3 ultra reverse for mine.   I once got a 'bad' batch of B/B and it came out similar to yours. Vendors were good and replaced.

[Louie]

I bought my wood at home depot .maybe I got a bad piece  . 

[Louie]

Just now, Louie said:

I bought my wood at home depot .maybe I got a bad piece  . 

It's just on the backside of projects.

[kmmcrafts]

Pushing a dull drill bit for your pilot holes to fast / to hard can do this on plywood... maybe not be a blade or saw issue.. could be drilling issue..

[dgman]

What you bought at HD is NOT Baltic Birch plywood. It may be birch, but there is a difference between it and true B B. Also, what Brenda suggested above, you may need to use a smaller blade. I don’t think you can repair the back side of the ornaments. If you are concerned about the appearance of the back side, you will have to recut them. You may want to layer a sacrificial board under the blank. This will eliminate the tear out and will give you better control of the cutting. 
again, what blade did you use?

[Dan]

Someone once mentioned using lacquer sanding sealer on plywood before cutting it. The lacquer helps bind the wood fibers and may reduce the tearout. I haven't tried this trick but it seems like it may work. I do think using quality plywood is a wise choice, and the box stores don't always carry the good stuff.

[kmmcrafts]

To save from tossing those you make out.. you could cut out a thin backer to glue on the back.. 

[Dak0ta52]

I use self adhesive shelf liner and have found putting it on the back of the piece does help. Just remember to put the liner on the back before you drill you pilot holes.

[Norm Fengstad]

I use baltic birch lots, sometimes a piece will chip out like that for no apparent reason, tape, shelf liner helps  and sometimes compost just happens 

[Louie]

Thanks for all the responses i really do appreciate it. I have been scrolling for awhile but still learning fundamentals on small pieces of work . Ive been using the finest blade i could fined in store until now someone mentioned the reverse toothed blade which i should receive today plus ill try that shelf liner on the back as well. Again thanks . I’m sure i will ask more questions as i move forward.

[crupiea]

Tape two pieces of wood together on on top of the other, I use blue painters tape.  

Now cut it out like normal.  The blowouts will be on the bottom piece leaving the top piece nice and clean.  

Worst case- you use a bot of extra wood, best case- you have two that are nice. 

[OCtoolguy]

Louie, we all ask lots of questions. Keep em comin'!

[rash_powder]

Maybe try a zero clearance table.  The near 0 opening for the blade will offer much more support for the material being cut.  

I made one from 1/8" hard board and carpet taped it to my saws table.  Make as small a hole as you can for the blade.  I had to cut the table, measure and make the hole, install a blade through the table and the new table for alignment, tape new table down.  I hope that makes sense.