Appleply Plywood Cutting

[pete]

I have a job to cut 12 animals out of 1.5" Appleply - which will be two .75" sheets laminated together. Or I could cut them out of each .75" sheet and then laminate the products - I think the laminated full sheet will be too heavy - probably about 140lbs - any advice on either technique? The products will be stained and polyurthane protected - for indoor use.

Any other issues I will need to be aware of to cut Appleply? Any suggested feeds and speeds? I will probably be using .25" downspiral and upspiral bits - the Brady "poorman's compression bit" technique of using the down bit first and then the up bit to break through the bottom of the sheet.

Thanks. Pete

[seana]

Peter,

If it was me i would glue the sheets together before cutting, trying to line up the edges and get them exact become a real pain. I realize that the sheets will be heavy but you must have some people around your shop that owes you a favor to help you load the sheets. The other thought would be to glue them up on the bot if it isn't needed for other projects.

If you go this rout i don't think you will find a .25 bit with the cutting length that you need. I really don't have any experience cutting apple ply so don't have any suggestions on feeds and speeds.

I'm sure others will give you suggestions about feeds and speeds.

Good luck

Sean

[bcammack]

Someone made an awesome vacuum sheet loader out a pot lid, gasket material, and a trolly hoist like Harbor Freight sells.

[mrdovey]

The easy way to deal with heavy sheet goods is to build something like:

http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/Projects/PanelCart/ (http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/Projects/PanelCart/)

One of the tricks I've used a few times has been to peck drill a pair of blind holes on mirror-image parts, then tap in a short dowel to ensure alignment and prevent creep when I glued 'em together. If you try this, be sure to have your x- and y-axis alignment square (DAMHIKT).

[pete]

Thanks for your inputs - I have submitted my bid and will see what happens to the job - I have some time to round up the bits I need and work on building up a panel lifter - of course, if I had some neat plans for an existing panel cart - that would be good too. Thanks again everyone.

[knight_toolworks]

actually you have a shopbot you can make it dirt easy to line up the parts. just draw it with some dowel holes that don't go all the way through. then flip the second piece and boom they match. or if they will be sanded and such you can drill through and not flip the parts. everything will line up perfectly. I do this all of the time. this method works for gluing other parts together.
if you glue them up it will be hard to cut 1.5" deep with a 1/4" bit. I have done it but they flex and you may not find one long enough in a downcut.

[mrdovey]

Pete...

How detailed do you need for plans to be? :-P

Hint: at the bottom of my PanelCart web page, click on "Up" and then on "SignMaking" - scroll down to the third photo to see how I sometimes use my cart to extend my Bot's table.

The only critical measurement is height, and only you know how high your Bot's table is.


...Morris

[ryan_slaback]

I would be somewhat concerned also about bit flex of a .25 inch bit in something that thick. If it were me I would cut them out individually as mirror images and insert some .5 inch deep drill toolpaths in each. Then when you laminate them have some locating pins. That should get the edges to line up perfectly without much work.