Stack cutting help

[OzarkSawdust]

I'm trying to do some other types of cutting, and I'm using 1/8" . I've tried stacking 3 together and taping the edges with blue painter's tape. I can cut the tight stuff fairly close to the edges ok...but when I cut in the middle it vibrates and breaks off. I can cut a single 1/4" without a problem, never tried stacking 2 pieces of 1/4" though. Do you guys that stack cut a lot use 1/8" or 1/4"? 

OK...some of you "prolific stack cutters" please give me a step by step setting up to cut and taking it apart. 

[scrollerpete]

I have cut 1/8” stacked 3 pieces with no problem, maybe your blade is too aggressive, I would use a #3 or even a #1 blade. Hope this help

[WayneMahler]

Hi Gary

I do a lot of stack cutting. Up to 6- 1/8 inch pieces and 3- 1/4 inch.  From what your describing that the outside cuts great but a lot of vibration towards the middle ? Sounds like your wood is not tight together in the stack. When you tape it up do you push down on the stack while applying the tape ? I use regular tan masking tape and don't have issues . I do keep my stacks tight though. I use either a #3 reverse or #5 reverse blade to cut. I also sand the surfaces of the wood before assembling the stack, making sure they are level and clean. If they are warped they can leaves gaps and that causes vibration. Keep us posted on your progress. I'm sure you will get it worked out.

[Ctutor]

'When I stack cut I realize it will be slower than the same stuff individually.  When I put the stack together I make certain there is no bow in the wood and sometimes sand a piece flat.  I also use a handy handy quick clamp to hold the stack together when I apply hot melt of tape depenidng on how I feel at the time. I have stack cut a munch of woods of different thickness.  By the way ply will dull the blades rapidly. 

[jerry1939]

Make sure that you start cutting in the center, & keep working your way to the outer edges.  

If you start on the outside (or even one side), you weaken the area supporting the center.

jerry

[OzarkSawdust]

1 hour ago, WayneMahler said:

Hi Gary

I do a lot of stack cutting. Up to 6- 1/8 inch pieces and 3- 1/4 inch.  From what your describing that the outside cuts great but a lot of vibration towards the middle ? Sounds like your wood is not tight together in the stack. When you tape it up do you push down on the stack while applying the tape ? I use regular tan masking tape and don't have issues . I do keep my stacks tight though. I use either a #3 reverse or #5 reverse blade to cut. I also sand the surfaces of the wood before assembling the stack, making sure they are level and clean. If they are warped they can leaves gaps and that causes vibration. Keep us posted on your progress. I'm sure you will get it worked out.

Do you wrap the whole stack...or just the edges? I may have used a piece of BB with a bow in it...or maybe 2 pieces. 

[OzarkSawdust]

39 minutes ago, jerry1939 said:

Make sure that you start cutting in the center, & keep working your way to the outer edges.  

If you start on the outside (or even one side), you weaken the area supporting the center.

jerry

Good point Jerry, I've never tried cutting it that way.

[OzarkSawdust]

1 hour ago, Ctutor said:

'When I stack cut I realize it will be slower than the same stuff individually.  When I put the stack together I make certain there is no bow in the wood and sometimes sand a piece flat.  I also use a handy handy quick clamp to hold the stack together when I apply hot melt of tape depenidng on how I feel at the time. I have stack cut a munch of woods of different thickness.  By the way ply will dull the blades rapidly. 

When you use hot melt...do you put it all over...or around the edges? I thought about using some in the middle, but wouldn't it bust the tight stuff when you took it apart (I've never tried it) ? How do you separate it?

[kmmcrafts]

I use clear packing tape.. or masking tape.. I just tape around the edges.. I apply the shelf liner to the top piece then make the stack and tape the edges.. 

[Ctutor]

30 minutes ago, OzarkSawdust said:

When you use hot melt...do you put it all over...or around the edges? I thought about using some in the middle, but wouldn't it bust the tight stuff when you took it apart (I've never tried it) ? How do you separate it?

I clamp the center tight and smear the hot melt around the sides and spread it with the hot tip.  Make certain you cut the inside always.

[Dave Monk]

I stack cut 5 1/8" baltic birch. I make the pieces about 1" bigger than needed and use a 28 gauge pinner in the corners. I cut them to size at the end.

[OzarkSawdust]

1 hour ago, Dave Monk said:

I stack cut 5 1/8" baltic birch. I make the pieces about 1" bigger than needed and use a 28 gauge pinner in the corners. I cut them to size at the end.

Is that the same as a brad nail gun?

[NC Scroller]

All good suggestions.  I stack 4-6 pieces of 1/8 BB all the time.  I also use other woods to stack cut.  To make my stacks I use hot glue on all four corners. Clamp the pieces with spring clamps while appling the glue. If I have pieces with a slight bow I flip the pieces around, one up and one down, to eliminate the bow the best I can.

[Bill WIlson]

I often stack cut 4-5 layers of 1/8" thick ply.  The larger the blanks, the better chance of there being some gaps between the layers, in the middle.  Starting with good, flat stock is the first step.  If there is any warping in the pieces, then do as NC Scroller does and arrange the layers to minimize gaps.  You can arrange the outer layers, to form a concave bow such that when you clamp/tape/glue the outer edges, the center is forced together by flattening the bow.

I use hot melt glue around the edges.  I stack the pieces, holding them together with spring clamps, then run a bead of hot glue across the outer edges.  I don't put anything between the layers.  Driving a few brads (or pin nails) in the center waste areas will help.  Make sure you file them flat on the bottom, to prevent scratching your table.  I've stack cut my share  of plywood and I've never had to do this, but it will work. 

[ike]

I cut 6 18 BB ply and make the d1inch larger than the finish part. I use my nail gun to hold them in place useindg 5/8 brad nails also in the middle  in scrap pieces. cutting the middle first and the midle naileld down till last on large pieces. I have cut large shelves 11X15 " with no problem useing  a #3 or #5 blade.

IKE

[Dave Monk]

10 hours ago, OzarkSawdust said:

Is that the same as a brad nail gun?

Yes. It is a super thin nail with no head.  Any nail that is the right length will work. I usually put a nail from each side.

[OzarkSawdust]

I'm having the problem with a John Wayne portrait I'm working on. I'll see if there are any areas I can stick a couple of brads in  when I finish my coffee. If not I'll try that on the next one.  I may also try the hot melt instead of blue tape on the next one.

I've been doing hardwood or one off ply but want to start making copies of stuff to sell this winter. Making 3-4 at a time beats the heck out of making singles! That gets me to thinking...very dangerous...do any of you stack cut something like 1/8" or 1/4" hard Maple or Walnut? If so is there any difference in the procedure between that and 1/8" or 1/4" BB ply?

Great ideas guys! Thanks!

[Rolf]

I do lots of stack cutting. My ornaments are made with 1.5 mm Finish Birch ply (1/16) I stack 6 and use a pin nailer in the 4 corners. and some times in any large waste areas. 

When I use 1/8 BB I typically stack three or four. If it is a large project I definitely pin the waste areas in the inner areas.

The stack has to be tight for the best results. For my very detailed ornament(most of them) I use a high tooth count like a Olson 2/0 28 TPI for lesser detail and more speed I will use a Pegas 2/0 15.4 TPI. 

Lots of folks hold the stacks together in different ways, I find tape or hot glue too time consuming, especially when I am in production mode.  

Just a heads up when using pins or brads make sure that they do not protrude from the bottom, or they will drag and scratch up your table. I pin on an anvil,  then go back and if I feel anything on the bottom I tap it with a small hammer, again supported on an anvile.

[WayneMahler]

14 hours ago, OzarkSawdust said:

Do you wrap the whole stack...or just the edges? I may have used a piece of BB with a bow in it...or maybe 2 pieces. 

I wrap the outside. I tried the wrap it all around and didn't care for it. Something the top or bottom layer of veneer would separate a bit when taking the tape off. 

[NC Scroller]

3 hours ago, OzarkSawdust said:

I'm having the problem with a John Wayne portrait I'm working on. I'll see if there are any areas I can stick a couple of brads in  when I finish my coffee. If not I'll try that on the next one.  I may also try the hot melt instead of blue tape on the next one.

I've been doing hardwood or one off ply but want to start making copies of stuff to sell this winter. Making 3-4 at a time beats the heck out of making singles! That gets me to thinking...very dangerous...do any of you stack cut something like 1/8" or 1/4" hard Maple or Walnut? If so is there any difference in the procedure between that and 1/8" or 1/4" BB ply?

Great ideas guys! Thanks!

When I stack hardwood like walnut or maple 3 pieces are usually my limit.  Some of the softer solid  woods, like pine and poplar, I will stack 4 but I will not to exceed 1" total in any stacks.

[ben2008]

19 hours ago, OzarkSawdust said:

I'm trying to do some other types of cutting, and I'm using 1/8" . I've tried stacking 3 together and taping the edges with blue painter's tape. I can cut the tight stuff fairly close to the edges ok...but when I cut in the middle it vibrates and breaks off. I can cut a single 1/4" without a problem, never tried stacking 2 pieces of 1/4" though. Do you guys that stack cut a lot use 1/8" or 1/4"? 

OK...some of you "prolific stack cutters" please give me a step by step setting up to cut and taking it apart. 

If you have a hold down foot, try using it.

[OzarkSawdust]

5 hours ago, ben2008 said:

If you have a hold down foot, try using it.

I forgot all about that. It came off at unboxing...not sure where it is!

[OzarkSawdust]

7 hours ago, NC Scroller said:

When I stack hardwood like walnut or maple 3 pieces are usually my limit.  Some of the softer solid  woods, like pine and poplar, I will stack 4 but I will not to exceed 1" total in any stacks.

Cool!! That means I can make 2 or 3 of these crosses at a time! They take me quite a while to do, and I got several requests for them at the craft shows last winter. I use 1/4" stock. I sold 5 of them in about 2 months, and could have sold more if I had them, and COVID hadn't shut down the last 4 shows I was booked at.

Edited July 18, 2020 by OzarkSawdust

[Rolf]

19 hours ago, ben2008 said:

If you have a hold down foot, try using it.

I have never seen a hold down foot that does more than get in the way. If you have it so snug on the wood to keep the layers together it creates real drag and you risk breaking off the delicate bits on fretwork.  The foot can help new scrollers until they get used to cutting as it helps with that terrifying moment when the wood starts hopping up and down scaring the stuff out of us, I love doing that at presentation, it really gets peoples attention. LOL. yes I can be mean.

Edited July 18, 2020 by Rolf

[David Helmanson]

like i read from an Charles Dearing said to use two sided clear tape in the middle of your projects... go on his website wooden visions and read some of his pointers plus he has some awesome patterns i you want some tough ones ...  or i usually tape like a square pattern in the middle works out good less vibration in between layers good luck