Wood

[Mr_Gargus]

Hey guys. I know I just recently made a post, but a new question has arisen and I can't get it out of my head.

 

What kind of plywood is ideal for scroll saw portraits? The current wood I have right now is like three layers of wood. Its fairly nice, and I like the thickness of it. But because it is in three layers, if I get a really small peninsula, and the blade snags the wood the right way, either the top or bottom layer will chip off. other than that its good. However I want a wood that is thin, but not flimsy, all one layer so they don't chip off, and doesn't splinter at all. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Travis]

You'll want cabinet grade plywood. I'd check your yellow pages for a hardwood dealer that works with cabinet shops. Basically, this is much better quality than the stuff you find at the big box stores. They are much tighter plies and are usually void-free. A lot of folks who do portrait-style cuttings use Baltic Birch plywood (which is different than Birch plywood). Finnish Birch is another good choice. They don't have much grain pattern, which makes the details of the cutting stand out. But any cabinet grade plywood works well.

 

If you're cutting 1/8" plywood, try stack cutting 3 layers. The extra layers provide a lot of support. Plus you get 3 cuttings for the work of one! I just use blue tape tight around the edges to keep things from shifting while cutting. Sometimes I'll tack a small finishing nail in a corner (in the waste area or in an area that will be covered by a frame)

[Clayton717]

I use 1/8" - 1/4" baltic birch for my portrait cuttings. and stack cut 3 - 4 at a time.

[wombatie]

I use 2.5mm marine ply if I have a frame from the shop to put it in. Fit nicely and its nice looking too.

 

Marg

[Mr_Gargus]

hey, thanks guys. and actually, stacking them is a really good idea! Then I can keep some of my work for myself, and give the other one to the person I was making it for!

 

@Travis:

How much is that cabinet plywood gonna cost me?

[Travis]

I think a sheet is $50 or so. You'll need to have a table saw to cut them down into manageable sizes, though. Check out http://www.sloanswoodshop.com/plywoods.htm). You can check out hobby stores (models, planes and such). They'll have some good plywood too, although a bit expensive.

[Mr_Gargus]

Thanks, I'll look into it.