Wood chipping

[Mark Higginbotham]

New to scroll sawing using 1/4 birch plywood but is chipping out when sawing

[Dan]

Hi Mark. We've all seen this at one time or another. Some things to check: Is the blade installed correctly? Is the blade tensioned properly? Not all Baltic birch ply are equal. The ones from the big box stores are not great quality. Using reverse toothed blades help to reduce the chipping. If the chopping is on top of the board your blade could be upside down.

[rjR]

A clear tape on both sidles where the cut line is will eliminate 90+% of the chipping. Also finer tooth blades chip less.

 

I also do use candle wax on my blades as a lube which also helps, but, for some purposes can cause more sanding for finishing

[Mark Higginbotham]

Using a 5 spIral blade most chipping is on back side

[Sparkey]

You are going to get chipping on the back with a 5 spiral. They are pretty aggressive. I prefer the smaller spiral blades, FD new 3/0 spiral is what I use. Chipping on the back is not a problem. I sand to get rid of them and then burn the small fuzzies with a small torch.

[amazingkevin]

New to scroll sawing using 1/4 birch plywood but is chipping out when sawing

Tell us all you can about the wood your using,blades ,saw,speed , a scroll reverse blade stops a lot of this .

[Mark Higginbotham]

Thanks for all the info.& help glad I found this site everyone is always willing to help

[Jim Finn]

I do not cut plywood at all and do not do fretwork but I  have had good luck reducing chipping/tear-out in mahogany while carving the surface of it.  I applied one or two coats of lacquer before carving  and it works pretty good at avoiding splintering.  I guess it strengthens the surface of the wood.  This just may help on plywood also.

[Lucky2]

Mark, splintering or fuzzies on the back of a project cut with spiral blades, is a common occurrence. It's one of the characteristics of spiral blades that I don't care for, and I don't think it can be prevented. One way to not have as many issues with chipping, is to use a flat blade for most cuts, then use a spiral blade where there is no other option.

With you being new to scrolling, now is the time to learn to use both types of blades, spiral and flat. Don't only learn to use spirals, and don't only learn how to use flat blades either. Learn how to use both, you'll be a better scroller if you do so. By being familiar with using both types of blades, you will have a much greater selection of patterns to pick from. 

Len

[ike]

When cutting plywood I always stack 3 pieces some times it chips but with stacking you always have at least one piece being good. it it takes a hour to cut this project and you get 3 pieces it is oly 20 minutes per piece.

[Bill WIlson]

Chipping is a little different than the normal burrs/fuzzies left on the edges of the cut, on the back of the piece.  Those are pretty common, especially with spiral blades.  There are a number of techniques for dealing with them, but getting rid of them altogether is probably unlikely.  That said, chipping may be a horse of a different color.  If the surface layer of the veneer is lifting and breaking away, then it may be a problem with the veneer itself or with the blade.  Sometimes on some plywoods, the surface veneers aren't adhered properly and will tear out dramatically, even using proper blades and techniques.  Not much to be done about that, other than stack a sacrificial piece underneath it when cutting and let the tear out happen on it.  Too large and aggressive of a blade may also contribute to the problem, especially with no reverse teeth.  Try a test cut, with a reverse tooth, flat blade to see if the problem persists.  If the reverse tooth blade cuts cleanly, then your spirals may be the problem.  If the reverse tooth blades tear out, then it may be the plywood.

[Denny Knappen]

I also found that drilling with a dull bit and forcing will cause chipping.

[crupiea]

Keep in mind also that there is birch plywood and baltic birch plywood, two different things that will perform differently.

 

Baltic birch is much easier to work with and what most people use.

[LarryEA]

As Rusty said....

Too big of a blade causes chipping.

Teeth are too large, too agressive.

[NC Scroller]

I am guessing that 90% of your issue is the plywood. If I was a betting man I would say you got the plywood at Lowes or Home Depot. The quality of the plywood there, while good for some purposes, is not well suited for scrolling.  If there is a real lumber yard in your area see if they have or can get BALTIC birch plywood.  If no lumber yard try a place like Sloans Woodshop. There is a very big difference between cheap birch plywood and Baltic Birch plywood.  You want quality or grade of B/BB or BB/BB. See the link below.


http://www.woodworkerssource.com/blog/tips-tricks/your-ultimate-guide-to-baltic-birch-plywood-why-its-better-when-to-use-it/

[ubgoofy2003]

Mark, first of all the ply needs to be a layered ply & not just a filler in between the birch laminate. I have bought ply at Lowes & it is terrible plywood. The birch or oak laminate flakes off in splinters between cuts. The plywood needs to have 3 or 5 layers of wood in the thickness. Just look at the edge of the  ply when you purchase it & see what is in the center of it. Some are even filled with a foam like substance. I have had good luck with a couple pieces from Michael's craft store, if you have one in your town.  Good Luck