: OK, how do you cut Okoume without ripping the crap out of the surface?
: I got out my brand new cheap Black and Decker one speed jig saw last night,
: put in a new blade, and cut about an inch off one end of a sheet of
: plywood to get a water stain off. First thing I noticed is how hard it is
: to cut in a straight line as it vibrates a lot. The top surface looked
: fine, although it did rip out a small piece of the veneer in one spot. The
: bottom, however, looked bad. About an eighth of an inch of shattered
: veneer all along the cut.
: Not a problem if I'm going to scarf it there, but a definite problem if I'm
: not.

Two alternative solutions:

1) Use double faced carpet tape to hold a cheap and thin piece of standard grade ply to the back face of your work piece. You will want the tape either right spot on to the cut line, or very close to it. This will either eliminate, or at least severely limit tearout. Do not cut to the line, but stay a few millimeters outside. You can file or sand or whatever to the very clean line later.

2) Judge the amount of maximum tearout spacially and cut outside the line by slightly greater than that amount. Use a laminate trimmer or a router (if you have confidence in your ability)- otherwise use a rasp or belt sander to the line (I use a pair of Nicholson rasps extensively).

Hope this helps.

Leo S.

: I changed from a wood cutting blade to a metal cutting blade, thinking the
: smaller teeth would rip less. It cut a straighter line, but the tearing
: was actually worse on the bottom as well as on the top.

: I'm thinking it has to do with the vibration. I was cutting an inch off with
: the board just hanging over the edge of the table. This was a very
: discouraging start, I must say, but I'm confident you all will give me
: lifesaving advice.

: Thanks,

: Patsy