# A few questions from a newbie



## theRushen (Feb 26, 2013)

Hi

I have just completed building my long awaited workshop (15 years in waiting) prompted by a new venture. I have had some experience in wood working over the years mainly at college as an art student. 

I am having square Marine Plywood panels cut to size by my local wood merchant that will arrive with nice sharp edges. 

1. I need to sand the edges in preparation for wax polishing which I will be doing with a cotton buffer attached to a power drill after a sealer has been applied and rubbed down. I intend on clamping several panels together to increase productivity. In an attempt to make the process as speedy as possible I would like to sand the edges by some automated means. Can anyone suggest a method other than hand sanding with a block or is that simply the best option? 

2. I would like to take some of my square blocks and round the corners off using a router. Can anyone suggest a method/tutorial that I can use to produce multiple panels of this type?

3. Lastly, can anyone suggest a method of clamping the several panels together that will allow me access to all 4 edges to sand and polish without having to reset the clamps as I work my way round each edge?

Thanks

Ezra


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Welcome to the forum, Ezra.


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## theRushen (Feb 26, 2013)

Hi james

Thanks for the welcome. 
Looking forward to getting involved.

Ezra


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## markristow (May 30, 2011)

Screw the pieces together and work all edges at leisure. When done plug the holes with a small dowel, but this could take as much time as moving the clamps!


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Welcome aboard. What are you making that you need marine plywood for? That's usually more expensive then other plywoods. You could always make a large belt sander for sanding the edges, or a large sanding disc. But I would think that fastening the pieces together, sanding, then unfastening, would take longer than just sanding one at a time. Certainly would for me with what I do at any rate. And pictures are always helpful.


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## Willway (Aug 16, 2012)

Hi Ezra, are the panels large enough that you could use a router table? I don't think anyone can help without more details. I understand you may be creating something unique and want to keep it to yourself, but without understanding exactly what you want to accomplish it's hard to offer help.


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## IRONMULE31014 (Feb 16, 2013)

Welcome, Ezra


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Hey, Ezra; welcome!
What size are these panels?
Are you sanding the tops/bottoms as well?
How are you planning on finishing _only_ the edges without straying onto the tops/bottoms?
It sounds like a perfect application for a stationary belt (or disc) sander, assuming the panels aren't huge... _one at a time _
G1531 6" x 80" Edge Sander


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## theRushen (Feb 26, 2013)

Hi All

First up many thanks for your replies. Your time considering my issues is very well appreciated.

So firstly...

What am I aiming to achieve? Hand crafted wood mounts for placing photographic prints on to. I intend on offering several different mount options which will include clear polished and tinted polished edges (18mm +). Some unpolished with rounded (routed) edges/corners (9mm). I am well aware that MDF is the most stable medium for prints and plywoods have issues over warping however MDF is soulless. I intend on finding a way to make plywood work for me. Like all woods, in moist conditions they warp. From what I have read I suspect laminating sheets of ply will ultimately be the answer to stabilising ply as effective photo mounts.




> JOAT
> What are you making that you need marine plywood for?


Actually I am experimenting with both Marine and Birch Plywood, both hardwoods of course. The reason for Marine is twofold. Firstly because I am interested in the variation of hardwood veneers found in marine ply which when sanded and polished are beautiful and every sheet seems to be different and they make an excellent background to prints. Also marine ply tends to be almost cavity free as does birch ply.




> Willway
> are the panels large enough that you could use a router table?


Yes they are. Size I am working on at the moment are (smallest 170 x 170 mm largest 500 x 500 mm although up to 1000mm would also be available) I have recently bought, off ebay, a router table and low wattage (700) router, which may well not be sufficient but i'll find out soon enough. My plan it to buy good quality cutters. This seems pretty consistent which much of the advice I have read on routerforums. You can get away with poorer quality router but not so table and cutters. 

Are you suggesting I use the router table to prepare edges for polishing. If so how?




> DaninVan
> What size are these panels?


(smallest 170 x 170 mm largest 500 x 500 mm although up to 1000mm would also be available)




> Are you sanding the tops/bottoms as well?


No just the edges



> How are you planning on finishing only the edges without straying onto the tops/bottoms?


I am not too bothered about straying as I want the panels to be obviously hand made. Showing process helps to demonstrate that. On one side will be affixed a print in any case. 
If I were to clamp together several panels to work on at a time then this would prevent polish from being placed on the sides for the interior panels in any case.

It sounds like a perfect application for a stationary belt (or disc) sander, assuming the panels aren't huge... one at a time 
G1531 6" x 80" Edge Sander

This looks perfect although a bit outside my startup budget. One for later maybe. I have identified similar but on a smaller scale Clarke CS6-9C Belt & Disc Sander - from Machine Mart




> markristow
> Screw the pieces together and work all edges at leisure. When done plug the holes with a small dowel, but this could take as much time as moving the clamps!


Not an option for my purposes.

Thanks again for all your thoughts so far.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Ezra, what size radius do you want on the corners?


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## theRushen (Feb 26, 2013)

Mike said:


> Ezra, what size radius do you want on the corners?


Hi Mike, FOr the thin 9 mm ply I just want to get a subtle corner that would be created by the first attached image so creating a round edged and rounded corner panel.
The second I am looking to create (50-80mm) radius corners on an 18mm panel using a template and the second attahched image router bit.


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## theRushen (Feb 26, 2013)

*Radius*



Mike said:


> Ezra, what size radius do you want on the corners?


Hi Mike, FOr the thin 9 mm ply I just want to get a subtle corner that would be created by the first attached image so creating a round edged and rounded corner panel.
The second I am looking to create (50-80mm) radius corners on an 18mm panel using a template and the second attahched image router bit.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Hi Ezra

Subtle corner with a bead in plywood? (BTW that cutter is called a beading cutter or beaded edge cutter).
In 9mm plywood you either going to need a very small beading cutter or you are are going to have to mount the material on a carrier to act as a guide because the bearing on larger beading cutters won't contact the bottom of the plywood. I have to say that I'd be concerned that with such a small beading cutter you might get excessive tear-out or roughness because plywood doesn't really lend itself to fine details all that well and in addition it might end up looking visually rather odd, depending on how the plies run. The only plywood with a tight enough grain is probably going to be birch. MDF can take a fine bead, but you need to use the high density versions such as MR-MDF, etc

the other thing, I'd say, it to increase the diameter of your trimmer bit. A larger diameter cutter will give you a cleaner cut (I tend to use 19mm or larger for template work). If you do eventually move to larger quamntities you might be as well to consider TC-RT (replaceable tip) tooling which has a higher initial cost, but low running costs - and the tips are sharper than brazed TCT cutters, too so they cut cleaner. I tend to use top bearing template trimmers










Regards

Phil


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

This one works the best for me on plywood,note the angle (skew) cuts plywood like butter and very clean.
Plus it's only 13.oo with free shipping
==


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