View Full Version : Sanding birch ply.
Wakefield Turntables
27-09-2019, 17:08
Guys,
I like to sand some rough edges from birch ply. I have a belt sander in the workshop. I'd really like some suggestions for the best type of belt to use on the sander so the I can sand a rough edge piece of birch ply into something nice and straight.
Thanks
Andy
the best advice i can give is use a plane,i wouldn't sand an edge to get it straight with a belt or any other sander to be honest
If just light sanding I'd be inclined to do it by hand or with a block. Electric sander might dig in a bit quick.
Very fine hand plane would work too
Planing plywood is likely to result in a lot of broken grain at the edges. Belt sanding it can easily lead to heavy grooves at the end of the belt. Hand sanding is just impractical unless the edge is already pretty straight. By far the best solution is to take it to someone with a table saw and it will be staright and square in seconds with only the lightest sanding required.
I was assuming it was fairly straight.
Planing plywood is likely to result in a lot of broken grain at the edges. Belt sanding it can easily lead to heavy grooves at the end of the belt. Hand sanding is just impractical unless the edge is already pretty straight. By far the best solution is to take it to someone with a table saw and it will be staright and square in seconds with only the lightest sanding required.
not if you come in from both ends :ner:
Wakefield Turntables
27-09-2019, 19:01
I might end up just buying a table saw. I'm going to experiment tomorrow at work.
not if you come in from both ends :ner:
Sorry, but no, irrespective of which end you come at it from (even both simultaneously) - because it is ply! The very nature of ply is that the grain of each layer is at ninety degrees to the other, which means that no matter what you do you are always planing across the end grain at some level.
anubisgrau
27-09-2019, 20:21
truly wondering how people make this:
https://scontent.fbeg2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/21742922_1856232507728473_3191232776893413260_n.jp g?_nc_cat=110&_nc_oc=AQkURwJp8zDjEeq-M2ZXxlmXU-hHFwoRnhfrQgfxI5mcclxf0nDcBDmZMSyyytgKm0M&_nc_ht=scontent.fbeg2-1.fna&oh=35b163f97a4df392c8ee57b48649b335&oe=5E3AAD9B
yes mark but the 2 outside sheets have the grain running length ways dont they,im not saying a plane is the final finish by the way,i also dont need a pompous lecture on ply,i was a cabinet maker for 20 years!
Bigman80
27-09-2019, 20:49
yes mark but the 2 outside sheets have the grain running length ways dont they,im not saying a plane is the final finish by the way,i also dont need a pompous lecture on ply,i was a cabinet maker for 20 years![emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
walpurgis
27-09-2019, 20:50
truly wondering how people make this:
https://scontent.fbeg2-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/21742922_1856232507728473_3191232776893413260_n.jp g?_nc_cat=110&_nc_oc=AQkURwJp8zDjEeq-M2ZXxlmXU-hHFwoRnhfrQgfxI5mcclxf0nDcBDmZMSyyytgKm0M&_nc_ht=scontent.fbeg2-1.fna&oh=35b163f97a4df392c8ee57b48649b335&oe=5E3AAD9B
With radiused corners, sanding is no problem.
walpurgis
27-09-2019, 20:59
And you can use a belt sander to produce straight and nicely sanded edges on ply.
Clamp the belt sander on its side to a suitable board. Fix another board to the existing one in front of the sanding belt face to raise the workpiece. Clamp a piece of 2" x 1" wood or similar to the upper board to act as a movable guide at the back of the workpiece and you're ready to go. Just take off the absolute minimum on each pass and do it very slowly, moving the guide as necessary.
I've done this and it works!
A router with a profile cutter (a bearing guide above the bit) will probably give the most accurate finish.
You do need a straight edge to follow thought.
Clamp the straight edge on top the board you want to finish, but set it back a mm or so, the bearing runs against the straight edge whilst the cutter trims the edge of the board below.
I've planed 18mm birch ply to get out initial irregularities and get a straight edge no problem - just have to go easy near the corners and set the blade low.
Also used a shuffle sander with no bother - does tend to add a slight dip to the edges though.
After that, finishing work with sand/glass paper stuck to wood block with double sided works well (if laborious)
Would avoid using any kind of basic circular saw - leaves radial grooves that can be an absolute sod to remove. Basically the DIY amateur jobs are too small and just not up to it.
Place I used to work years ago had an electric bench plane that worked wonders ... if you can find a helpful wood working shop ;)
Place I used to work years ago had an electric bench plane that worked wonders ... if you can find a helpful wood working shop ;)
Like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZBxK8RXGHo
Check out my latest speaker build using panels of birch ply.
All were cut using a hand saw and finished on a belt sander with 80 grit fitted. Dead straight and true, no gaps in those joints.
I used a straight edge and builders square to check as I went.
http://www.jkwynn.co.uk/Project_Images/Yam_Rev/YamRev_Cabinet.pdf
I tried a circular saw on the first cut, it ripped it up, I was amazed how good I got with a hand saw, in terms of straight and square.
yes mark but the 2 outside sheets have the grain running length ways dont they,im not saying a plane is the final finish by the way,i also dont need a pompous lecture on ply,i was a cabinet maker for 20 years!
Perhaps you need a pompous lecture on the nature of wood grain then because what you say can only be true of two of the four edges! I’m sorry you viewed my post as pompous but at least I resisted being rude - a shame you did not! Oh, and for what it’s worth, my experience of doing this sort of thing, on a daily basis, is going on 30 years now.
:upyours:
[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
:upyours::upyours::upyours:
A router with a profile cutter (a bearing guide above the bit) will probably give the most accurate finish.
You do need a straight edge to follow thought.
Clamp the straight edge on top the board you want to finish, but set it back a mm or so, the bearing runs against the straight edge whilst the cutter trims the edge of the board below.
Yes, I agree and use this method often - particularly where complex curves need to be recreated (though I use an inverted router which makes life slightly easier, but makes no difference to the finish).
walpurgis
02-10-2019, 19:22
I have to find a way of cutting mitred ends on long panels using a short table saw. It will require some thought, but I'll do it one way or another :).
oceanobsession
02-10-2019, 19:54
I use 6 inch sticky sanding pads different grit grade used for car paint etc , then use a long plane screw the blade up and stick the sanding discs to the side , lye the plane flat on a bench with the wood you want to get straight you can clamp the wood , ive done this with 40mm solid oak to straiten it up
hope this helps phil.
Check out my latest speaker build using panels of birch ply.
All were cut using a hand saw and finished on a belt sander with 80 grit fitted. Dead straight and true, no gaps in those joints.
I used a straight edge and builders square to check as I went.
http://www.jkwynn.co.uk/Project_Images/Yam_Rev/YamRev_Cabinet.pdf
I tried a circular saw on the first cut, it ripped it up, I was amazed how good I got with a hand saw, in terms of straight and square.
Fabulous work - like the use of layers to avoid tedious router stuff :thumbsup:
Must admit I'm a great fan of the handsaw approach nowadays - and you get plenty of exercise .....
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.3 Copyright © 2026 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.