 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsBoatsPaddle BoatsSailingCruisingBuildingElectronics Related Topics CarsMotorcyclesMore Topics ... |
Boat Forum / Building / April 2005Cutting ply
Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to cut marine ply (6, 9 and 12mm)? In particular I want to cut curved 8' boards for a dinghy. So I guessing that a band saw is a good bet but I don't have one. Are there any other methods that can produce good results? Thanks > Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to cut marine ply (6, 9 and > 12mm)? In particular I want to cut curved 8' boards for a dinghy. So I > guessing that a band saw is a good bet but I don't have one. Are there > any other methods that can produce good results? Pre-saw with an electrical jig saw, outside the lines. Nail a batten down on the lines and use a router with trimming bit, rolling along the batten. Makes a Perfect cut. You can also tack the batten down first and slide the jigsaw aloing it, with a block screwed under the sole in such a position that the blade cuts about 1/8 to 1/4" from the batten. See my website at http://www.customware.nl/boats/en/index.html, look in the diary at February 19 for pictures. Meindert Nice boat you are building! One day I would like to try something so elegant. The idea with the router is so obvious. I have used the same idea for straight edges with ply in the past and got great results. I don't know why I didn't think of using a batten and doing curves the same way. I also like the jigsaw jig idea. Thanks for this tips. >>Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to cut marine ply (6, 9 and >>12mm)? In particular I want to cut curved 8' boards for a dinghy. So I [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Meindert > Nice boat you are building! One day I would like to try something so > elegant. Thanks. Well, it wasn't too difficult. After all, it was our first boat we built. I need to update the site, she's already sailing for two years... :-) > The idea with the router is so obvious. I have used the same idea for > straight edges with ply in the past and got great results. I don't know > why I didn't think of using a batten and doing curves the same way. I > also like the jigsaw jig idea. The jigsaw jig made the job very easy. Once setup, it's just a matter of tacking the batten in the right shape, run the jigsaw, run the router and 10 minutes later you have perfectly cut strake which looks like it's been laser-cur. But indeed, the obvious solutions often aren't so obvious.. :-) > Thanks for this tips. My pleasure! Meindert I cut gentle curves by hand with a pullsaw.... cuts faster and smoother than a jigsaw.... but not round *tight* curves. > Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to cut marine ply (6, 9 and > 12mm)? In particular I want to cut curved 8' boards for a dinghy. So I > guessing that a band saw is a good bet but I don't have one. Are there any > other methods that can produce good results? > > Thanks I had not heard of a pullsaw but have read up on them and they sound worth looking into. The idea of a narrower cut due to narrower blade makes a lot of sense. I will keep my eyes open for one in the shops. Thanks for the info. > I cut gentle curves by hand with a pullsaw.... cuts faster and smoother than > a jigsaw.... but not round *tight* curves. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >> >>Thanks >Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to cut marine ply (6, 9 and >12mm)? In particular I want to cut curved 8' boards for a dinghy. So I >guessing that a band saw is a good bet but I don't have one. Are there >any other methods that can produce good results? > >Thanks A power jig-saw does good work, if equipped with the right blade. A fine metal blade might be better for thin sheets, which otherwise show one ragged edge unless backed. Brian Whatcott Altus, OK Today I have bought some fancy blades which I am told should do a better job than the standard blades that came with the jigsaw. They are bosch "clean for wood" - "clean cut" blades with 1.4mm pitch teeth. I will post an opinion when I try them out. Thanks for the reply >>Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to cut marine ply (6, 9 and >>12mm)? In particular I want to cut curved 8' boards for a dinghy. So I [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Brian Whatcott Altus, OK Depends on what kind of saw you happen to have. An electic circular saw can follow a curved line because the blade only has to be set very shallow. Use a thin kerf blade with lots of teeth. I've used a blade with 40 teeth. They make a special plywood blade with many more teeth but I haven't found it to be any better. The only problem with a circular saw is they tend to be heavy so the plywood should be well supported and you have to go slow. I've found the thin blade of a jig saw (sabre saw) can wander off the line pretty easy to you have to be careful. You can also try sawing through masking tape to reduce tearing along the edge. The jig saw and circular saw blades cut on the upstroke so the tape has to be on the top side. > Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to cut marine ply (6, 9 and > 12mm)? In particular I want to cut curved 8' boards for a dinghy. So I > guessing that a band saw is a good bet but I don't have one. Are there > any other methods that can produce good results? > > Thanks -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned You are right about the weight of the circular saw. I don't think the beast I have would work very well. Using masking tape is an interesting idea but it would of course require that the lines be drawn on the tape. I have been looking at circular saw blades but have not found anything specially of ply. I will look for something thin with lots of teeth though. Thanks > Depends on what kind of saw you happen to have. > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm > warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned One extra hint. When cutting splintery wood like meranti. Lay a batten along the finish cut line and score the top side with a crate knife before starting the cut with an up cutting saw like a circular or jigsaw. It prevents chipping of the face veneer so you will end up with a much cleaner edge. Not needed with a reasonably fine toothed a band saw. Saw outside the line and trim to it with a plane, router or belt sander. For long slow curves I use a circular saw set just deeper than the sheet. I do the gross trimming with a power plane and finish up with a low angle block plane.  SignatureGlenn Ashmore I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com > Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to cut marine ply (6, 9 and > 12mm)? In particular I want to cut curved 8' boards for a dinghy. So I > guessing that a band saw is a good bet but I don't have one. Are there any > other methods that can produce good results? > > Thanks On the first stitch and glue dinghy I built, I did it slow and carefully with a jigsaw, and a block plane to finish. The second I used just a jigsaw. The third I used a jigsaw and tried to go as fast as possible. Errors greater than 1/4" were trimmed with the jigsaw. But otherwise it all got hidden in the tape seam anyway. :) Very interesting idea. I was wondering how much could be covered by the taped seam. Also the fact that some overlap is built-in to the design to be trimmed later means that for at least half the cuts I don't need to be too accurate. Thanks > On the first stitch and glue dinghy I built, I did it slow and carefully > with a jigsaw, and a block plane to finish. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > greater than 1/4" were trimmed with the jigsaw. But otherwise it all > got hidden in the tape seam anyway. :) A handheld circular saw with the depth set to just cut through the ply does the fastest neatest job. You can make a half dozen or more 8' cuts in gthe time you'd make one with a jig saw and it would be a lot smoother. > On the first stitch and glue dinghy I built, I did it slow and > carefully with a jigsaw, and a block plane to finish. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > greater than 1/4" were trimmed with the jigsaw. But otherwise it all > got hidden in the tape seam anyway. :) I do like the idea of trimming with a router because my experience using jig saws is wavey. Thanks > One extra hint. When cutting splintery wood like meranti. Lay a batten > along the finish cut line and score the top side with a crate knife before [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > do the gross trimming with a power plane and finish up with a low angle > block plane. skil saw > Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to cut marine ply (6, 9 and > 12mm)? In particular I want to cut curved 8' boards for a dinghy. So I > guessing that a band saw is a good bet but I don't have one. Are there > any other methods that can produce good results? > > Thanks I built my first (and second) stich and glue dinghy with a POS black and decker jigsaw. Difficult to drive in a straight or curved line. Didn't matter, as the taped seams covered it all. It looked so good after covering with fiberglas that I could have just varnished it. Gaps in teh seams just couldn't be seen. If this is the type of boat you are building, then I think you are worrying a bit too much. A jig saw should do the job just fine. Tape the back of the seam with a thick piece of masking tape to help protect from splintering. Oh yeah, don't use a POS black and decker. I have a Bosch 1690EVSK now, and it cuts like a dream. It goes exactly where I want to drive it, no vibration, easy to cut straight (and curved) lines. Wish I had one of these 10 years ago (of couse $40 was all I could afford then). Band saw will probably be more difficult then a jig saw sue to the pain of handling sheet goods that large (although it produces a beautiful cut with no splintering, and you can very precisely cut just about any line you can draw.... an amazing tool). tim > skil saw > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > > > Thanks No matter the saw you use, it's kinda like driving a car around curves in the road. Be mindfull of the precise spot on the line you're cutting, but also let you hands guide the blade more in general motions and not so much "over-steer" it. Hope that makes sense. Take your time and let the saw teeth do the work. Don't force it. SignatureMatt Langenfeld JEM Watercraft http://www.jemwatercraft.com/ > Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to cut marine ply (6, 9 and > 12mm)? In particular I want to cut curved 8' boards for a dinghy. So I > guessing that a band saw is a good bet but I don't have one. Are there > any other methods that can produce good results? > > Thanks Well I have tried a lot of the advice given and have ended up just using a jigsaw with the bosch "clean cut for wood" blades with a 1.4mm tooth pitch. The results are very good. Well they are easily good enough for what I am building. There is very little splintering even without any tape on the 6mm and 12mm ply and the cut is good and straight (or curved in most cases) if I take my time. The pack of 5 blades cost more than the jigsaw but the jigsaw only cost $10. OK it was on special, it should have been $15. But it cuts very well. With a good saw I would expect even better results. The blades where $15. I have cut out 8 large panels twice (rough then accurate) for an 8' dinghy and the blade is still fine and looks as good as the 4 unused ones. I have tried a few other blades and not achieved anywhere near the same results. I would recommend them as a good buy. Thanks everyone for the help, Brian > Does anyone have any tips on the best ways to cut marine ply (6, 9 and > 12mm)? In particular I want to cut curved 8' boards for a dinghy. So I > guessing that a band saw is a good bet but I don't have one. Are there > any other methods that can produce good results? > > Thanks |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2009 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.