Best way to cut 1/8 ply?

[bluebanjo]

Hi guys and gals, what do you think is the best way to cut pieces of 1/8 plywood? I have a tablesaw, a skilsaw, a jigsaw, a dremel, a utility knife, a sawzall and a crosscut handsaw at my disposal.

This stuff seems too floppy for any of my real saws and just a little too stiff for my boxcutter.

What has worked for you?

Ruth in Edmonds WA, trying to get a '65 shasta up on its lil feet for Weiser Idaho in mid-June-

[Chris C]

Cuts nice with a builder's saw (Skil saw), router, or jig saw. If you cut it with a builder's saw, cut with the good face down. If you use a router, put two good faces together and cut both at once. (This would also work for a builder's saw.) If you use a jig saw, there's a really nice abrasive blade available in the DIY stores. Just has a ragged front edge and doesn't seem to chip at all.

[rainjer]

I have been using a utility knife for most of the cuts. If possible I rough cut with the utility knife & then use the router to bearing trace the finish cut.

[Joseph]

I used my ancient jig saw. Worked fine.

Joseph

[bluebanjo]

Thanks for the tips guys. Seems like the jigsaw is the lucky winner. I will check out the abrasive type saw blade at my local orange box store on one of my 17 daily trips over there for stuff I forgot on my last trip.

[Ira]

I will check out the abrasive type saw blade at my local orange box store on one of my 17 daily trips over there for stuff I forgot on my last trip.

This man, my friends, is a natural-born treadrop builder!

And after just nine posts too!

[Miriam C.]

Ruth,
I bought a collection of Jig saw blades some are for rough cut and some for super smooth. I would use the smooth for thinner wood and go slow.

Miriam

[halfdome, Danny]

I cut everything on my 10" unisaw (tablesaw) with a 60 tooth carbide blade, 1/8" plywood ? No problem at all. A jig saw will make the wood jump. Danny

[bluebanjo]

"This man, my friends, is a natural-born treadrop builder!

And after just nine posts too!"

Getting to be called a natural-born teardrop builder is a proud moment for me -- even if I are a girl

and even tho I am merely rehabbing a little Shasta, not building a tear



But the kicker is -- today somebody offered me a FREE 4x8 trailer frame that's been hanging around in their backyard. Heck, maybe I ought to come in out of the cold and build a tear after all. Meanwhile I am enjoying sharing my travails with you-all, including the 17 trips to the hardware megalomart.

Thanks guys/gals for the merriment.

[AmyH]

Hello neighbor, you're just up the way from me. I'm just south of you, in Shoreline. I am glad that you brought up this question, because I have been trying to figure out how to cut the 1/8" ply without getting a ratty edge. I am thinking I might use my dozuki pull saw, at least then I'll get a little bit of a workout!

Good luck with the Shasta rebuild.
Amy

[Chris C]

Amy, the only problem with your Dozuki is it is designed to cut nice straight lines...................that's okay if your teardrop is all straight lines.

[Miriam C.]

Ruth I guess you have been bit. Never turn down a trailer, you never know when you will want an ultralite.


Miriam