Plywood Scoring Tool

Plywood Scoring Tool Diagram When I cut plywood with a circular saw, I typically use a straightedge guide like the one shown in the drawing to the right. The hardboard bottom prevents one side from chipping out on the finished edge. The problem is the waste side. That side usually splinters and can be unusable for other projects. The best way to get around this is to score the top veneer of the plywood before making the cut. To do this, I made the scoring tool shown in the photo.

Plywood Scoring Tool Diagram The tool is nothing more than a scrap of MDF with a utility knife blade mounted in a shallow recess, as in detail ‘a.’ The blade is attached with two roundhead screws so that just the tip is exposed. And to keep the tool square and upright, I added a short support piece. The depth of the recess is equal to the width of a saw blade (detail ‘b’). When you pull it along the straightedge, the tool scores the waste side of the cut.

Have a nice weekend,

Phil Huber
Online Editor, ShopNotes

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