Found a tape hack for clean plywood routing edges

I had a cabinet project last week and needed to route plywood edges. Each try left the wood splintered and rough, which got me annoyed. I was about to quit, but then I recalled a tip from a buddy who does woodwork. He told me to put painter's tape along the cut line before routing. I gave it a shot, and the tape kept the fibers neat, giving a smooth edge. This hack saved me loads of time on cleaning up the wood after. Do you use tape for routing, or have other tips to stop splintering?

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3 Comments

paigem457mo ago

Tried that exact trick with green painter's tape on some birch ply! It worked great for keeping those edge cuts clean.

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ruby_rivera767mo ago

Yeah, the green tape trick is one of those things that either works perfectly or makes a huge mess. I tried it on some maple ply last week and ended up with more tear-out than before I started. Guess my technique needs work.

5

logan_allen687mo ago

Birch ply veneer gets torn with that tape.

1