How to Bend Plywood -- A simple technique to make bent plywood through "kerf cutting".

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4 жыл бұрын

I needed bendable plywood for an RV project, so I used this "kerfing" technique to make it. (Over the years I've done basically the same thing with sheetrock...). Figured I'd catch it on film in case any of you all were wondering how-to.
I mention "test cuts" as being important, but I don't really show a lot of them in the video. Rest assured that I spent about twenty minutes running test pieces to dial in 1) blade height and 2) kerf spacing. The video leaves out that boring process, but it's an essential one.
Here I'm using a Sawstop but really any tablesaw will do--or even a cross cut saw. The plywood I'm using happens to be baltic birch, but this technique would work with regular big-box plywood too.

Пікірлер: 41

@NicholasYaekle 3 жыл бұрын

This video made my day immensely easier. I thought I was going to have to stop and readjust my table saw each time but your two lines made me almost scream with excitement! Thank you!

@JustaJourneyman 3 жыл бұрын

Glad I could help. Sometimes we all get a little too focused on precision, and this "two line" method is a good example of when an imprecise method just works a lot better in the real world.

@trisic2697 5 ай бұрын

Great tip on spacing the cuts. I'm glad I saw this!

@mariesacul722 2 жыл бұрын

I don't know a thing about woodworking. But, this is awesome. I wish you'd have shown photo of end result. It fascinates me.

@EmmanuelChadee 9 ай бұрын

You are a boss this was so cool

@philbrownred6500 2 жыл бұрын

Thats a damn good idea using those marks.

@JustaJourneyman 2 жыл бұрын

I'm a big fan of writing directly on things. With Sharpie just a little alcohol (or hand sanitizer) and it comes right off.

@toepunch001 4 жыл бұрын

Best walkthrough on kerfing I have found yet. Thanks

@JustaJourneyman 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@i2oadi2unnei2 4 жыл бұрын

Great tip & trick! I just learned something new today! 👍🤙

@Heyjaybird 3 жыл бұрын

Helped a whole heap..tyvm

@keithmarlowe5569 7 ай бұрын

Thank You for all the replies and guidance. For those just discovering this video: 1) MDF does not work. 2)3/4 pine plywood from Home Depot seems like it will work, but I wasn't successful. I may revisit after I have more off cuts to experiment with 3) PVC trim "boards" work spectacularly, at least for the cutting and bending. This would be awesome for outdoor projects. One cool thing about building with PVC is you can glue it together with the same primer and cement used for pipe, and it cures very fast. What I don't know yet is if it will work for gluing up the bend. One other tip: Prime PVC with bonding primer and you can paint it. Do use spray paint.

@feebhill Жыл бұрын

Great video, thanks so much!

@JustaJourneyman Жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@guidoitaliano7722 3 жыл бұрын

Great vid

@JustaJourneyman 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@rahabsong899 3 жыл бұрын

캣타워 cat Tower 만들때 써봐야겠어요..Thanks!!

@JustaJourneyman 3 жыл бұрын

I'm glad this came in handy for your project!

@freewaybaby 3 жыл бұрын

Old person, but new to woodworking here. I don’t have (and don’t want) a table saw, so yes, it’s probably dumb to use a circular saw and fence, but that’s what I’m going to try. I need about a 28” wide piece...don’t know how long yet. This is for an outdoor project. Pretending I get the cuts done acceptably, do I need to fill in the kerf cuts with something, before painting, for weather protection? The cut side will not be directly exposed to rain, but temps in Texas summer, humidity, etc. Thanks for your input....I can’t hear the laughing or see eyes rolling, so, it’s okay! I always do things the hard way.😜

@freewaybaby 3 жыл бұрын

@David Thiel Thank you so much for your advice! I didn't know there was a different type of plywood! I just got regular plywood and lots of exterior paint, hoping that would hold in the weather, but was going to seal all the exposed edges with some sort of sealer. I will definitely look into the marine varnish. I had looked at some YT videos on what they use on boats and all I came away with was... "do NOT want to fiberglass this thing!" LOL And YES, I do need "good luck". It won't look like I picture it in my head, but it will be sturdy and that's the first order of business in this particular project! Thanks again!

@JustaJourneyman 2 жыл бұрын

So... how'd it work out?

@younginfamou6053 3 жыл бұрын

Kerf ports here we goo

@JustaJourneyman 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@alexkafka84 4 жыл бұрын

Hi. What kind of plywood to use? My one braked down just after 10 degrees.

@danLyoutube 4 жыл бұрын

He says it's Baltic birch!

@JustaJourneyman 4 жыл бұрын

Lots of different plywoods will work, but you want something that has as many solid layers as possible. Baltic birch is an excellent choice, but you can bend other types of plywood too.

@johnslaughter5475 3 жыл бұрын

Would a thin kerf blade make things easier?

@JustaJourneyman 3 жыл бұрын

Not necessarily easier (or more difficult) but a little different.

@DmitriIvanov 4 жыл бұрын

Great technique, I will try this! Nice video, but take care of your framing sometimes :)

@JustaJourneyman 4 жыл бұрын

I hear you on the framing. Meant to go back and reshoot but ran out of time! (Autofocus issues on this one too!)

@DmitriIvanov 4 жыл бұрын

@@JustaJourneyman Dude tell me about it - I hate refilming things because of some error - mostly it just goes into my videos as well X) about the autofocus - when its a tripod shot switch to manual focus and lock it in on what you're doing - it wont hunt then.

@user-bt5qt9pp4x 6 ай бұрын

"Don't go this fast" I can picture some youtuber out there going that fast, holding the workpiece up to the camera to show the audience and suddenly blood cartoonishly spurts out from several different lacerations in his hand. Something Tim the Toolman Taylor might do

@bearforceone747 2 жыл бұрын

Dad wants to bend some plywood

@ianward3278 3 жыл бұрын

better to laminate than curf cut, you end up with ghost lines in time,

@ianward3278 3 жыл бұрын

@David Thiel even biskets will show..they always do. The only true way is to make jigs and laminate .same as wood glue.it will show a line in time.most woodworkers never see the product after they are gone.

@ianward3278 3 жыл бұрын

@David Thiel I understand but if you want a better and stronger ger build stay away from curf .historically it was solid build up or laminate.that is the true method curf is lazy

@JustaJourneyman 2 жыл бұрын

Agreed. This works for most folks, but if you want to do it right, bent lamination is the way to go.

@keithmarlowe5569 2 жыл бұрын

@@JustaJourneyman What about a few plys of bent lamination over kerf?

@JustaJourneyman 2 жыл бұрын

@@keithmarlowe5569 If you're going to bother laminating, then I wouldn't bother kerfing. That would just be double work. Laminating is "better" in many ways, but kerf cutting is quite acceptable and really works well in any number of contexts.