# routing baltic birch plywood



## 2jawchuck (Jan 6, 2010)

I joined this Forum to see if anyone has advice on routing a cove or bead on baltic birch plywood. The edge will be sealed, primed, and painted and I'd like to keep the amount of sweat required to get a nice finish to a minimum.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Greetings Charles, and welcome to the router forum. Thank you for joining us.

I have yet to work with baltic birch, but intend to soon so I cannot help you other than to say I personaly would not paint baltic birch, just too good looking to cover it up.


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## Mike Wingate (Apr 26, 2009)

Keep up the feed rate or the ply may burn. Take care on the corners, a bit at a time or it may chip. I coat edges in sanding sealer as it holds the ply together a bit better.


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## 2jawchuck (Jan 6, 2010)

Thanks for the tips Mike. I'll be making 100 3"x5" plaques out of 3/8" baltic birch plywood and my plan is to cut strips of the 3" width then rout both sides of each strip, full length, with the cove bit. The strips will then be cut into 100 pieces 5" long which will then have the ends coated with sanding sealer before making the final rout across the ends. This will be my first use of baltic birch plywood and ending up with tearouts and fuzz on the corners was a concern. Sealer can only help.


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## 2jawchuck (Jan 6, 2010)

I too think the baltic birch plywood to pretty to paint, but this is a project for my sister. I'll be providing 100 3"x5"x3/8" thick plaques with cove edge routing. She'll then seal them all over, paint the edges gold, decoupage the fronts, and then cover them again with 2 more coats of sealer.

I never question a woman's judgment, even my sister's, in matters like this. Life is too short and her memory too long.


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