don watson Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 Hi All, I am having a fine time testing out my new Parkside scroll saw. One problem that has appeared is that the top layer of ply seems to break off quite easily, and I wondered if it was the quality of the plywood ? The saw is working very well and I am trying quite a few different (Olson) blades. I am cutting 1/4" (5mm) ply that I originally purchased for Pyrography and I am using a Crown tooth blade which cuts in both directions ooops I think I have just answered my question ? ?? Anyone any ideas ? take care Don W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denny Knappen Posted May 3, 2016 Report Share Posted May 3, 2016 As for plywood, I only use Baltic Birch plywood. For blades I use FD Ultra Reverse or New Spiral. ronniedev, don watson and Scrolling Steve 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kywoodmaster Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 Don't have a lot of experience with plywood but what I have tried is a sacrificial piece front and back helps stop the tear out. Most bundles of ply have a protective sheet of 1/8" or thinner on the top and bottom of the bundle. If you talk to the stores you can usually pick this up for cheap or even free sometimes. don watson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky2 Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 Don, are you sure you don't have the blade in upside-down? Your problem could be many things, cheap plywood, upside-down blade, dull blade and sometimes I think that even the way you look at the wood can screw things up. Len don watson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry1939 Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 Don, I would echo "kywoodmaster." For the amount of time spent on a piece, I consider it cheap insurance. When "your piece" is sandwiched between 2 others, there is no place for it to go. On less complex pieces, my "go to method" is blue painters tape on top & bottom. That also works quite well. jerry don watson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don watson Posted May 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 Thanks for that Guys. It is a very cheap piece of ply and I will get some proper ply when I can. I have some Asiatic ply and it is a bit harder than the stuff I am trying at the moment so I will give it a go later. I will also try the reverse tooth blades I have to see how they perform but will make a sandwich using this cheap ply as well. Thanks for all this advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don watson Posted May 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 Hi Guys, I have managed a couple of pics. pic_1b shows the pattern by Christina Ellenburg I am using. pic_2b shows the piece in the middle of the wing that has broken off. pic_3 shows the parcel tape I have applied to both sides of the ply. I hope this explains a bit more clearly. take care Don W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryEA Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 Blade too large and agressive for the wood... Blade in upside down. It is a blade problem!!!!!! don watson and danny 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill WIlson Posted May 4, 2016 Report Share Posted May 4, 2016 What is the center of your plywood made of? Can't tell from the pictures. Is it multilayered plys or some sort of solid/foam core with veneer top layers? Reason I ask is that sometimes the solid/foam core types are more prone to breakage than true multi-layered plywood. Baltic birch ply is your best bet. You didn't say what size blades you were using. If you were using Crown Tooth, then theoretically they couldn't be installed upside down, because the teeth cut both ways, but if they were too large, then that would definitely contribute to your problem. For a single layer cutting like that, I wouldn't hesitate to use a #2/0 blade. don watson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don watson Posted May 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Hi I'm back, I made a zero clearance piece for my saw table today, fitted an Olson No 5 reverse tooth blade and had a great day. I think the project is a bit too advanced for me but it was fun trying, I will leave it for later. I have purchased a couple of books and will work my way through them, hopefully learning what I need as I go. I have received a great deal of help and advice from this forum and I would like to thank you all, no doubt I will be back with some more stupid questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryEA Posted May 5, 2016 Report Share Posted May 5, 2016 Hi Don, glad your're back danny and don watson 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC Scroller Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 Don when you go back to it downsize to a #1 blade revere or a #1 or #2/0 spiral. IMHO a #5 is a bit too much for that design. don watson and LarryEA 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike Posted May 6, 2016 Report Share Posted May 6, 2016 (edited) I use olsons blades and have no problems I stack my plywood 3 pieces very seldom do i loose a piece. but for some reason I am cutting a single piece of plywood I use a # 3 reverse blade. run the saw at a slow speed and let the blade the cutting.. On my Dewalt 788 when cutting i piece i run it at 3 to 4 speed.. I have used an under lament plywood for some projects and that is cheep 4X8 sheet about $13 Edited May 6, 2016 by ike don watson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don watson Posted May 7, 2016 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2016 Thanks again you guys, more great advice. I shall be some time in putting this all into practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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