It is believed that without a professional tool, high-quality wood cutting or sheet materials do not fulfill. Today we will talk about ways to perform a clean smooth cut without chips, on your own and without using expensive equipment and consumables.
Cutting tools and the mechanics of their work
If you do not take into account stationary sawing machines, alternatives for self made not so much. Among the available tools, we can offer circular and pendulum saws, commonly referred to as miter saws and jigsaws. It is also possible to perform a fairly high-quality cut using an angle grinder, on which a wood saw blade with pobedite teeth is installed. But this is not the most effective and, moreover, far from safe option.
In the process of cutting with any type of power tool, the working parts move at a very high speed, and therefore the mechanics of processing remain behind the scenes. However, understanding it is the key to getting a clean, chip-free edge. The simplest principle underlies the operation of pendulum saws. The cut is carried out with direct movement of the saw blade, and the size of the removed fragments completely depends on the size of the tooth and its setting.
Chips appear due to the heterogeneity of the processed material, in particular due to the hard crust of laminated sheet materials or because the fibers of solid wood have different densities. Chips can form on different sides of the product depending on the shape of the tooth, the feed force and the speed of movement of the working element. When working with a jigsaw, the appearance of chips is caused either by the fact that the teeth tear out large fragments from the reverse side, or by pushing through the top layer, during which it is not cut off, but breaks out in large fragments.
Working teeth circular disk in many ways similar to a jigsaw, with the only exception that their movement is directed strictly in one direction, and they move at a very high speed. Also a significant factor is the direction (angle) of the applied force: if the jigsaw blade moves strictly perpendicular to the surface, then the circular saw cuts at an arbitrary angle, depending on both the diameter of the disk and the thickness of the part. This can work to your advantage: the oblique immersion of the tooth contributes to more accurate cutting of chips, but on the reverse side, due to the tangential movement of the cutting edges, quite large fragments can be torn out. Of course, you can only make a straight cut with a circular saw.
Selection of saw blades and blades
When cutting, cleanliness and processing speed are inversely dependent quantities. It is worth noting that chips on the cut will appear in any case, so the main task is to reduce their size to such a value that they can be easily eliminated by subsequent processing. The smaller the size of the tooth and the closer to right angle, under which the cutting edge touches the surface of the material. To select a circular saw blade, these are the two most important factors out of three.
The third can be called the amount of setting - the displacement of adjacent teeth, which can be easily determined by applying a ruler to them. To ensure a clean cut, the routing should be minimal, but do not forget that in this case, when trying to cut a thick board or sheet of plywood, the disk may simply jam or the end will burn from strong friction.
Jigsaw blades are more varied. For cutting without chipping, a series of clean-cutting saws are used, for example, BOSCH has a line of blades called CleanWood. Their main difference is their small size and lack of pronounced directionality of the teeth. They usually have the shape of an isosceles triangle and cut in both directions of movement.
Also, saws for clean cutting are distinguished by the almost complete absence of setting and the opposite direction of sharpening of adjacent teeth. In order to ensure the possibility of a figured cut with a small setting, the files have a very small width, which is why they become quite fragile.
For finishing cutting of sheet materials, blades designed to work with metal products. These files have smallest size teeth are from known ones, so the cut is performed slowly, but with the highest quality indicator. Due to the significant width of metal blades, finishing figured cut can only be carried out with a significant bending radius, on average about 60-80 cm.
Please also note that dull teeth, which is typical for low-quality saw blades with a “mileage” of 3-5 meters, also leads to the formation of chips. Therefore, do not skimp when purchasing consumables if the quality of processing is really important to you.
Zero gap technique
The principle of finishing the sole is most often used by carpentry craftsmen. cutting tool, which consists in reducing the gap between the working body and the pressure platform. This is almost guaranteed to eliminate the effect of “breaking” the crust in the top layer of the material.
Zero clearance is achieved by securing the cover plate to the tool base. The pad has only one narrow hole (or slot) that fits tightly to the cutting organ. Because of this, even with a high feed force, the teeth are guaranteed to cut off small chips and not turn out the chips in the upper layer of the part.
When using overlays, it is extremely important that they do not scratch or damage the surface of the part. Therefore, they are most often made from a material that is inferior in hardness to the material being processed, for example MDF or plasterboard. Unfortunately, such an overlay does not last long, which is why it has to be changed every 4-5 meters of the cut.
More durable linings can be made from sheet plastic (PVC, fluoroplastic), fiberglass or metal. In the latter case, the surface of the lining must be carefully polished and soft metals such as aluminum or duralumin must be used to reduce vibration.
Using adhesive tapes
Using the same principle, you can protect the back side of the material being cut. Tape should be placed along the cutting line to protect against large fragments being torn out. Pasting surfaces is one of the few ways to ensure the cleanliness of a curved cut with a jigsaw. Unfortunately, masking tape not suitable for this in the best possible way due to its low strength.
The best quality cut can be obtained by covering the part with aluminum or fiberglass-reinforced tape. It should be wide enough to cover 15-20 mm on each side of the cutting line. The density of the sticker is also important: the tape must be pressed down well with a dry cloth swab and the formation of folds must be prevented by any means.
You should avoid tapes with very tenacious adhesive. During the tearing process, they can carry along small fibers and fragments of the laminated surface, dissected by microcracks that form during cutting. Also pay attention to how easily traces of glue are removed and whether the adhesive adheres well enough to work with rough materials such as unsanded plywood or OSB.
Ensuring a perfectly clean cut
For most parts, it is enough to reduce the chip size to 0.2-0.5 mm. Such small irregularities in the cut edge are not noticeable; if desired, they can be easily eliminated by chamfering with an emery block or covering them with a wax corrector pencil. It is also possible to grind the end with sandpaper if a sufficient allowance was given during cutting.
However, even at home, it is possible to achieve cut quality comparable to the result of a cutting machine with two high-speed disks. This is only possible when the tool moves along a guide rail, or, in extreme cases, along a temporary stop bar.
First you need to make two cuts about 0.5 mm deep on both sides of the part to indicate the thickness of the cut. Along the edges of the cutting line, you need to scratch two grooves under an even ruler. This is done either with a segmented or oblique shoemaker's knife (for chipboard and uncoated wood), or with a sharply sharpened drill or pobedit cutter (for laminated materials).
The depth of the grooves should be at least half the thickness of the outer layer, which is non-uniform in relation to the main body of material. This method requires high precision matching the grooves and the cutting line, but this is the only way to really ensure a perfectly even cut end that does not require additional processing.
Plywood is one of the most popular finishing materials today. In this regard, many people have a question, how to cut plywood? To answer this, it is worth familiarizing yourself with some useful information.
"Golden" rules for cutting plywood
In order to cut plywood as efficiently as possible, you need to adhere to several simple rules. Firstly, you first need to cut across the grain, and then along it. This measure allows you to avoid splitting corners and other deformations of the material.
Secondly, depending on the side of the cut, you should use various instruments. So, if we are talking about inside, then the most optimal choice will be a hand saw or a band saw. If you need to cut the material from the reverse side, you should use a contour or circular saw.
Thirdly, you need to know that when cutting manually circular saw, the speed of revolutions should be maintained at high level. In this case, it is best to feed the material itself slowly and smoothly, since otherwise there is a high risk of damaging the material.
Fourthly, every person should know that regardless of the type of saw, its teeth should be fine. In this case, the risk of defects such as sheet bending is significantly reduced.
Finally, the fifth rule is to understand that when cutting you need to stick adhesive tape. This allows you to protect the surface of the sheet from chipping.
Is it possible to make a cut using a regular hacksaw?
The above information can help a person understand the question of how to cut plywood? Depending on the specific situation the optimal tool may vary. But what to do if you only have a hacksaw at hand? If everything is done correctly, you can even cut the material evenly using such a primitive tool.
So, if immediately after marking you take a hacksaw and start sawing, the edges will turn out terribly uneven. This is due to the characteristics of plywood, however, there is a way out. Before you start sawing, you need to pour boiling water over the material, let it soak in a little, and then remove excess liquid. This measure allows you to achieve an even and smooth cut.
There is another way - before cutting, make cuts using sharp knife. Moreover, they should be located at a distance of only 1-2 mm from each other (depending on the thickness of the tool). This measure allows you to avoid the hacksaw breaking and, as a result, an uneven cut.
Thus, it can be stated that any tool can produce a high-quality cut. The main thing is to follow simple rules for cutting. However, in order to guarantee desired result, it's better to buy professional tools or seek help from specialists.
Despite huge assortment power tools, new models are appearing that perform a certain job better. If, for example, you cut plywood, laminate or chipboard with a large circular saw, it is difficult due to the size of the saw, since Circular Saw, universal tool and it can cut workpieces up to 55mm thick.
A small circular saw is another matter, especially when you are sawing only plywood, which perfectly cuts laminated chipboard for furniture, and with excellent quality I drank it away.
Such a tool appeared in 2014, from the company BOSCH, circular saw PKS 16 Multi. In appearance, this tool looks more like a jigsaw, but it is a mini circular saw that can be used for cutting various materials, up to 16mm thick. This tool fits perfectly in one hand and weighs only 1.9 kg. With a power of 400 watts, the speed of the circular saw is 6400 rpm. For sawing various materials, the kit includes three saw blades with a diameter of 65 mm, one diamond and two with soldered teeth.
Of course, it cannot be said that this is the only tool of this type, since there are similar analogues, including the Chinese mini circular saw from Aliexpress, the universal circular saw Rhythm UPD-900 and many others. But such a mini circular saw is well suited for home repairs, carpentry, or practicing your favorite hobby.
With such a saw, you can in a matter of moments get a cut of any desired shape: straight, curved or angular, and with use, the accuracy of the seam improves.
Moreover, a diamond blade can cut hard materials. The cutting depth is adjustable, so you can start cutting in the middle of the sheet, which makes it possible to make cuts for kitchen sinks and other cuts in the middle of a sheet of plywood or chipboard.
Author RVT
Plywood is a convenient material for finishing a house and making furniture, built-in and cabinet. But when working with plywood, one problem arises: when sawing, the edge ends up with chips, especially if the bottom layer of veneer runs across the saw stroke. Usually acceptable quality is achieved using a special saw, for example for cutting laminate. But even in this case, the edge must be additionally trimmed using an electric jointer.
The same applies to cutting laminate and chipboard sheets. Since the 90s, laminate flooring has been cut by sticking adhesive tape or masking tape onto the marking line. This gives a certain effect, but still does not guarantee quality. I had to cut with a margin and then cut the edges to size. For some work, for example to make, small chips are not so important; the edges are hidden when assembled into the grooves of the strapping. But this doesn't always happen.
There is another way to saw using a regular circular saw. The saw is adjusted in height to half the thickness of the material, for laminate 8-9 mm. . We saw through the part along the guide, then turn it over and go through it on the other side. When using a good special saw, the quality is satisfactory.
On special cutting machines, this issue is solved by installing another scoring saw in front of the circular saw. The scoring saw rotates in the opposite direction from the main one, that is, in the direction of movement of the material. In addition, the scoring saw is set to a low height, about 1-3 mm. . In this case, the circular saw no longer chips the lower surface of the workpiece.
This professional way When cutting sheets of plywood or laminate, you can also use a regular circular saw with a variable saw height. The operating principle consists of two sequential operations:
1. We set the saw to a height of 1-1.5 mm. from table level. We pass the part from the back side of the circular. Using this technology, it is not possible to pass the part “by eye”; you need to use a guide ruler or a carriage with a stop.
2. In the same position, we saw through the part as expected, against the direction of the saw.
Before attempting to use this cutting method, you need to think about safety. . Sawing as you go can be risky, especially if you lift the saw high. Therefore, the depth of the first cut is only for the thickness of one layer of veneer.
In the photo you see the use of a movable platform on a circular machine. This carriage is homemade, on rollers. I use a similar attachment for trimming wide parts. You can trim at any angle, you just attach stop bars to the platform at 90*, 45*, or 30* and go through the workpieces. True, I have a site without rollers, I don’t have time to do everything, and maybe I’m a pity for time. We are used to dragging everything along the navel, and that’s how we live.
If anyone is interested in how to make this device, you can look at the website http://woodgears.ca/, where the Canadian master presents many of his interesting ideas and technology.
We cut plywood on a circular saw.
The video from YouTube clearly shows the principle of operation; all you have to do is use your wits and do something similar. The only drawback of this method is that it is difficult to work with large sheets, and it is quite possible to customize the details.
All photos from the article
Before you start cutting plywood to size, we recommend that you refer to the table that we have published below. It is quite possible that you will be able to reduce the number of fragments for a particular design. But, nevertheless, there is no way to completely avoid such actions.
Even if the structure is a subfloor or some kind of partition, there will still be a missing or extra fragment somewhere. We would like to invite you to consider this topic in more detail, and you will also find a video in this article.
Uncover
Note. By and large, a saw for plywood is either for metal, a manual or electric jigsaw, a circular saw (stationary or manual electric circular saw), as well as a multi-saw or laser machine with CNC (computer numerical control).
Common parameters
Note. The best way to cut plywood depends more on the type of sawing, that is, it can be regular fragmentation or the creation of some decorative patterns. In addition, much will depend on the thickness of the sheet.
For example, if this parameter reaches 30 mm, then a manual jigsaw is somehow completely inappropriate here, just like a saw blade for plywood when creating patterns. Below we would like to provide you with a table with the most common geometric parameters of panels.
| Thickness (mm) | Sheet area (mm) | |||||||||||
| 1525×1525 | 2500×1250 | 2440×1220 | 3050×1525 | |||||||||
| Pieces in a pack | Pack volume (m 3) | Area per pack (m2) | Pieces in a pack | Pack volume (m 3) | Area per pack (m2) | Pieces in a pack | Pack volume (m 3) | Area per pack (m2) | Pieces in a pack | Pack volume (m 3) | Area per pack (m2) | |
| 3 | 130 | 0,907 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 130 | 1,814 | 504,662 |
| 4 | 100 | 0,93 | 232,563 | 100 | 1,25 | 312,5 | 100 | 1,191 | 297,68 | 100 | 1,861 | 485,126 |
| 5 | 80 | 0,93 | 186,05 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 80 | 1,861 | 312,1 |
| 6 | 65 | 0,907 | 151,565 | 65 | 1,219 | 203,135 | 65 | 1,161 | 193,493 | 65 | 1,814 | 303,13 |
| 8 | 50 | 0,93 | 116,281 | 50 | 1,25 | 156,25 | 50 | 1,191 | 148,84 | 50 | 1,861 | 232,562 |
| 9 | 44 | 0,921 | 102,328 | 44 | 1,238 | 137,5 | 44 | 1,179 | 130,979 | 44 | 1,842 | 204,656 |
| 10 | 40 | 0,93 | 93,025 | 40 | 1,25 | 125 | 40 | 1,191 | 119,072 | 40 | 1,861 | 232,582 |
| 12 | 33 | 0,921 | 76,748 | 33 | 1,238 | 103,125 | 33 | 1,179 | 98,234 | 33 | 1,842 | 204,656 |
| 15 | 26 | 0,907 | 60,456 | 26 | 1,219 | 81,25 | 28 | 1,161 | 77,397 | 26 | 1,861 | 186,05 |
| 18 | 22 | 0,921 | 51,164 | 22 | 1,238 | 88,75 | 22 | 1,179 | 65,49 | 22 | 1,842 | 102,326 |
| 21 | 19 | 0,928 | 44,187 | 19 | 1,247 | 59,375 | 19 | 1,189 | 56.58 | 19 | 1,856 | 88,374 |
| 24 | 16 | 0,893 | 37,21 | 16 | 1,2 | 50 | 16 | 1,143 | 47,629 | 15 | 1,766 | 76,42 |
| 27 | 14 | 0,879 | 32,559 | 14 | 1,181 | 46,875 | 14 | 1,126 | 44,562 | 14 | 1,758 | 65,118 |
| 30 | 13 | 0,907 | 30,233 | 12 | 1,125 | 40,625 | 12 | 1,072 | 38,698 | 12 | 1,954 | 65,118 |
Table of the most popular geometric parameters of plywood in Russia
Proper cutting and tool selection may depend on:
- fiber directions upper layers veneer on the panel - they can be either longitudinal or transverse, which is very important in cases where such material serves as a front finish. This parameter is reflected when recording the sheet area - if first of all a larger value is set, for example, 2500 × 1250 mm, then the direction of the fibers will be longitudinal, and if a smaller value is 1250 × 2500 mm, then it will be transverse;
- In addition, cutting plywood with a circular saw is the smoothest, compared to electric jigsaw or any hacksaw (not counting CNC machines);
- When working with an electric jigsaw, if you need to make rounded cuts, a lot will depend on the choice of blade, more precisely, on its width. That is, if the line is straight, then you will, without a doubt, use a wood blade, but it will not be suitable for creating a sharp bend, as it will make an unclear line and tear the edge - it is too wide. In such cases, it is much more convenient to use a narrower metal blade.
What it looks like in practice
In most cases, woodworking enterprises use laser and/or multi-saw machines for cutting slab lumber, which are capable of fragmenting sheets at a fairly high speed.
Of course, the price of such equipment is quite high (depending on the power and size of the desktop), but with continuous production such costs are quite justified - they pay for themselves very quickly. The advantage of such units is also the ability to produce windows and doors, parquet and laminate flooring, not to mention other molded wood products.
| Parameter name | Meaning |
| Maximum panel width | 1350-1550 mm |
| Minimum length | 500 mm |
| Maximum thickness | 60 mm |
| Saw shaft | 80×1320 mm |
| Shaft speed | 3000rpm |
| Shaft motor power | 22.37 kW |
| Workpiece feed speed | 0-24m/min |
| Feed motor power | 2.2kW |
| Desk height | 1000 mm |
| Machine length/width/height | 2350x2100x13450 mm |
| Weight | 2400kg |
Technical characteristics of MSP-1300
Note. For example, we give you specifications multi-saw machine MSP-1300 - this is an instruction in the form of a table, thanks to which you can imagine its capabilities.
BOCH blade set for electric jigsaw
But how can you cut plywood without chipping, so that the cutting edge is as smooth as possible, because the sheets are made of veneer and the teeth of the blade or disk will in any case break the top layer?
There are several nuances here that allow you to minimize such a forced defect:
- Firstly, you should have a sharp tool, that is, the disk should be new or well sharpened, and the blade should be new.
- Secondly, if a circular saw is used for cutting, then the lower part will be cut without chipping, that is, the side on which the impact of the disk teeth falls.
But there is a third option for sawing plywood without chipping at all - this is cutting through the top layer of veneer on one or both sides (as necessary). Here you will need a router, but as an option, you can use a well-sharpened shoe knife, which will need to cut the veneer in two places to the width of the blade or disk.
To do this, draw lines under the ruler (level, rule) in the right places just to mark the direction. Then, without a ruler, you follow the marked line, pressing hard on the knife - you will not be able to cut the veneer layer in one pass.
Therefore, you will have to repeat this procedure one or two more times. But here it is very important when using a jigsaw or circular saw to go exactly between the lines, otherwise all the preparation will be meaningless!
Conclusion
So, how to cut plywood at home - you already have an idea, and the cleanliness of the edge will depend on your efforts and necessity. But if you still have questions, you can contact our specialists in the comments section.
