Splintery plywood

[Jakester]

Not specifically bass-build related, but I am building a 19" rack unit so close enough I hope not to offend? I hoped to take advantage of the collective wood-whisperer knowledge!

 

Anyway, I've got some 18mm plywood that I'm going to use to build some "studio" furniture for a rack etc. It's not the greatest quality wood - lots of knot voids etc. 

 

However, in some parts the outer ply is quite 'splintery' - some of the fibres are coming loose, on the edges particularly. The very edges don't bother me as the sheets are going to be cut down anyway, but where the fibres are lifting in the sheet, is the best way of dealing just to use some epoxy filler, like you would a grain filler? 

 

I'm going to have to use some anyway to fill some of the knot holes, so would skimming some over the worst of the splintery bits work? 

[Phil Starr]

Plywood isn't a nice material to work with a lot of the time unless it is really good quality, you have my sympathy.

 

The first question is how are you intending to finish this? If you are sanding and painting then fairly ordinary fillers will work well. I use Toupret from screwfix and mix it up with a little white glue added to the water, about 1:5.

 

To stop the edges splintering I score the cut first, Easy if you have machine tools or a plunge saw. You can also apply tape along the cutting line which reduces lifting. Using really sharp blades helps a lot, worn teeth which are all slightly different thicknesses will guarantee splintering

 

If you check most ply has a good side and a poor side, make sure the good veneer is on the outside.

[Jakester]

41 minutes ago, Phil Starr said:

The first question is how are you intending to finish this? If you are sanding and painting then fairly ordinary fillers will work well. I use Toupret from screwfix and mix it up with a little white glue added to the water, about 1:5.

 

TBH I wasn't planning on anything extensive. I had hoped it would be of decent enough quality just to oil, but I think that's out. The boards themselves will be fine for what I was planning, just not very attractive! A bit disappointing - a job lot of offcuts so not much money, but of variable quality!

 

Yep, have plunge saw so will be using that.

[Phil Starr]

25 minutes ago, Jakester said:

 

Yep, have plunge saw so will be using that

I've been really happy with mine, I can get the same accuracy as I do on my table saw and sizing large sheets is a whole lot easier. Scoring first is just so easy and makes the finished edge much cleaner.

[3below]

Tuff cab is your finishing friend here. For any edges that might take abuse, epoxy car fillers would be my choice. Just love it when a void emerges in rounding over an edge.  Also plywood with a super thin weakly glued best face, what joy when your joints fail with the ply delaminating - never again purchased. 

 

Plunge saw and guide rails are a great thing for dealing with sheet material. Before I made myself redundant / early retirement I got myself on a woodworking  machine tool course. Even with the training, table saws are not friendly machines and large sheets necessitate more faff with infeed and outfeed support. 

[Phil Starr]

7 hours ago, 3below said:

Tuff cab is your finishing friend here. For any edges that might take abuse, epoxy car fillers would be my choice. Just love it when a void emerges in rounding over an edge.  Also plywood with a super thin weakly glued best face, what joy when your joints fail with the ply delaminating - never again purchased. 

 

Plunge saw and guide rails are a great thing for dealing with sheet material. Before I made myself redundant / early retirement I got myself on a woodworking  machine tool course. Even with the training, table saws are not friendly machines and large sheets necessitate more faff with infeed and outfeed support. 

This

 

[Jakester]

Thanks both!