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Cutting a veneer door

Featured Replies

I need to cross cut my veneer oak door.  Becuase of the size I know the tool will move across the wood not the wood across the tool.

I plan in using my circular saw and I know cut good side down but I need to keep the teath from lifting up the veneer.  My cross cut saw with 80T 12" still leaves small splinters.   What type of saw blade or tape or wood can I use to support the thin veneer.  I thought about creating a zero clearance bottom for the saw.  Then taping with a good quality duct tape to cut thru.  But the duct tape may actaully do more harm than good when taken off.  Possibly a good painters or masking tape?  I thought about a sacrifical board fastened to the top side of the cut but how to keep it clamped to the wood is the issue.

Any advice would be highly appreciated.

  • Author

I have a oak veneer door that must become shorter to work.  Because of the size the tool will move over the wood not the wood over the tool.  My cirular saw is the tool of choice.  But how best to keep the veneer from getting lifted up where the saw blade pushes up on the material.  Tape, zero clearance insert on the saw.  Sacrifical wood backup on the top side but how to keep it tight to the veneer.  Saw as to travel over the sacrifical top so it must be wide and how to clamp?  Tape duct seems good but risky when taking it off.  Paint tape does not grab enough.  Zero clearance on the saw bottom how best to create it.  How thick should it be?  Best kind of blade for this application?

Any advice is appreciated.

 

Edited by Michael Thuman
Added blade type

  • Popular Post

This is what I use Michael, you can make your own to fit your saw and the exact blade you are using. You'll have a nice clean edge.

using-the-jig.jpg

 

00a48f79a5778c33dab6c05c5255bcb8.jpg

 

I have several for my routers too, zero clearance, and set the straight edge at the measured line.

  • Popular Post

Mark the cutting line on the top of the door...

apply a wide strip of masking tape on the door to protect the door’s finish from the circular saw’s base plate.... put masking tape over/on the cut line also...

score the cutting line at least a 1/16'' deep with a utility knife.... (face and edges)..

A clamp on metal straightedge works the best as a scoring guide and you will be scoring through the tape also... don't put the guide on the waste side because if the knife slips you won't be scoring the good face, only the waste piece...

You don’t need to score the underside of the door...

reset the guide for the CS so that the saw's blade cuts just a fine skosh below the scribed line.... all of the blade will be cutting into the waste piece only...

pull up the tape and lightly ease over the cut's  edge with a sanding block.

This sawing method works well on sheets of plywood and wall paneling crosscutting...

 

 

Draw the cut line then score it with a sharp utility knife before cutting. I've used tape first, drew the line and then scored the line. It worked for me but my doors were not veneered with oak.

2 hours ago, Michael Thuman said:

I thought about creating a zero clearance bottom for the saw. 

In addition to all of Stick's recommendations, "0" clearance will help too and easy enough to do if you have some 1/8" Masonite or even 1/4" Masonite or ply.  Strips of a good quality, wide 2 sided tape should hold it in place.

3 hours ago, Michael Thuman said:

What type of saw blade or tape

Painter's tape..

Saw Blade... ATB grind, 10° Hook Angle, High 40+ Tooth count...

ATB = Alternate Bevel...

2 hours ago, Stick486 said:

all of the blade will be cutting into the waste piece only.

your cut is along side the score... not into it...

Michael, you posted the same topic twice under two different titles, so I merged them into one topic. Thanks for the great topic!

I use blue tape then, a guide similar to John's. 

  • Author
18 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

In addition to all of Stick's recommendations, "0" clearance will help too and easy enough to do if you have some 1/8" Masonite or even 1/4" Masonite or ply.  Strips of a good quality, wide 2 sided tape should hold it in place.

double side tape will actually stay put?

  • Author
20 hours ago, John Morris said:

This is what I use Michael, you can make your own to fit your saw and the exact blade you are using. You'll have a nice clean edge.

using-the-jig.jpg

 

00a48f79a5778c33dab6c05c5255bcb8.jpg

 

I have several for my routers too, zero clearance, and set the straight edge at the measured line.

This looks good if you are cutting the OSB top on the table.  But then how do you clamp your fixtrue to the table to all the saw to pass?

  • Author
17 hours ago, John Morris said:

Michael, you posted the same topic twice under two different titles, so I merged them into one topic. Thanks for the great topic!

My bad I hit submit but it did not show up so I did it all over again and that one showed.  Thanks for the merge.

 

  • Author
20 hours ago, John Morris said:

This is what I use Michael, you can make your own to fit your saw and the exact blade you are using. You'll have a nice clean edge.

using-the-jig.jpg

 

00a48f79a5778c33dab6c05c5255bcb8.jpg

 

I have several for my routers too, zero clearance, and set the straight edge at the measured line.

 

19 hours ago, Stick486 said:

Mark the cutting line on the top of the door...

apply a wide strip of masking tape on the door to protect the door’s finish from the circular saw’s base plate.... put masking tape over/on the cut line also...

score the cutting line at least a 1/16'' deep with a utility knife.... (face and edges)..

A clamp on metal straightedge works the best as a scoring guide and you will be scoring through the tape also... don't put the guide on the waste side because if the knife slips you won't be scoring the good face, only the waste piece...

You don’t need to score the underside of the door...

reset the guide for the CS so that the saw's blade cuts just a fine skosh below the scribed line.... all of the blade will be cutting into the waste piece only...

pull up the tape and lightly ease over the cut's  edge with a sanding block.

This sawing method works well on sheets of plywood and wall paneling crosscutting...

 

 

Stick thanks but you always cut the bottom of the door not the top.

 

  • Author

All here is the best proceedure I have thus far.

1. Zero clearance on the bottom of the saw with double sided tape and covered in tape to make sure no scratchs are put in the good material.

2. With painter tape tape all six side wheere the cut is going to be.

2. Score a line with a good sharp razor and a metal edge on the cut side to cut thru the veneer all four sides.

3. Setup saw with 40+T ATB 10 degree hook to cut on that scored line but also to the waste side.

4. Carefully remove tape and break sharp edges so that the door if it ever sags or hits anything will not splinter the veneer.

Do you all agree? :)

 

 

Being that I can't saw a straight line, I'd use a guide like John suggested.

1 hour ago, Michael Thuman said:

double side tape will actually stay put?

Works for me; YMMV...use several strips of narrow or wider, good quality carpet tape. Clean the saw base plate thoroughly before applying. It won't last forever but should stay put for several doors.

Caution...remember it will disable your blade guard on a hand held circular saw.

 

 

 

29 minutes ago, Michael Thuman said:

1. Zero clearance on the bottom of the saw with double sided tape and covered in tape to make sure no scratchs are put in the good material.

Other points are all good. I've never covered the add-on base plate with tape nor ever had an issue particularly if you use hardboard (Masonite). If you're concerned about scratching, rather than apply tape over the base plate surface, apply a good coat of Johnson's or Min-Wax paste wax. You'll have far less friction than using tape. Cover your finished surface with tape if you choose, but tape on the cut-line is sufficient. My $.02

1 hour ago, Michael Thuman said:

double side tape will actually stay put?

it's for the CZ plate..

DO NOT put it on the door..

and yes it will hold the ZC plate quite well...

1 hour ago, Michael Thuman said:

 

Stick thanks but you always cut the bottom of the door not the top.

 

top pf the door as it lays on the saw horses as in the face of the door...

there was no mention of the top end of the door...

 

 

Edited by Stick486

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