I'm building a shoe rack with lift-up doors, and I've got the cabinet built. For the top, I'm planning to use a single 10' piece of plywood, cutting a 4" back piece for no-show hinges, plus three 3' x 1-1/2' panels for the doors. My idea is to veneer the entire top before cutting for a seamless grain appearance. However, I'm worried about tear-out when cutting through the veneer. I've searched for tips on cutting veneered pieces, but there isn't much guidance out there. Would love some advice on achieving clean cuts without ruining my veneer. Alternatively, I could cut first and then veneer each piece, but that sounds like a lot of extra work. What do you think?
2 Answers
I’d recommend using a TrackSaw if you have access to one. They’re great for reducing tear-out and can be used with a fine tooth blade. TrackSaw guide rails come with splinter guards that improve the cut quality. If you don't have a TrackSaw, using painter's tape on your cut line can also help reduce splintering. By the way, how are you planning to apply the veneer? I’ve read that vacuum pressing is the best, but that could be tricky for such a large sheet without the right equipment.
A solid approach is to glue the veneer onto the plywood first and then carefully score the veneer with a sharp knife along the cut line before you saw. This way, the splintering happens on the waste side and not on your finished piece. If you're up for it, scoring both sides of the cut line can really help minimize any tear-out. Just take your time with the scoring—it’s way easier than trying to make one big cut!
I was thinking about using a sacrificial MDF board and just cold pressing it with plenty of cauls and clamps. Unfortunately, I don't have a TrackSaw. Maybe I'll just invest in a quality fine-toothed blade for my table saw. I already have a zero clearance insert, so I'll try making a few practice cuts first to see how it goes!