V Carving into Plywood

[KeystoneChuck]

Does anyone have pics or feedback on V Carving into Hardwood Plywood. I am looking for an alternative to pure MDF. I found 3/4" Birch Plywood and its about the same as 3/4" MDF. Wood like to use for 7"x24" indoor Gel stained signs.

[LittleGreyMan]

Hi,

Birch plywood cuts very well and is much more stable than MDF. Unfortunately, as it is a laminated product, you may encounter some defaults in the wood or mis-glued parts, causing break-up of the top layer of details.

[KeystoneChuck]

Thats what I was afraid of. I use MDO for my outdoor signs and I hate that very issue with it. Kicking around idea of Azek board or other PVC but like MDO you don't get the ability to stain and bring out the natural beauty of the wood. Open to suggestions on indoor and outdoor materials that carve well and don't break the bank. I sell at my local market and money is an issue. My online sales are a different matter, the higher I make the prices the more they want. Its crazy.

[sunshinejim]

I am having good luck with 3/4" MDF with an oak veneer on both sides. Can hardly tell the difference from solid oak when hanging on a wall. The oak veneer finishes and stains well and I seal the edges with a white glue watered down and then it finishes really nice. I put a piece in a bowl of water overnight and there was no penetration or breakup of the MDF.

[LittleGreyMan]

Thanks sunshinejim.

Seems interesting. I'll see if my supplier sells that and give a try with a sample.

[Longknife]

I've had some really great results with hardwood veneered MDF. Cons are it's heavy, hard on bits, and creates a crap load of dust. It machines great though with almost no touch up or sanding (really easy to sand) and takes paint really well.

I started out by machining, painting, sanding then staining. It worked but with a species like oak, the paint really soaks into the veneer and you have to be careful to not sand through, plus you take some sharpness out of the machining. I found anything other than black was tough as the staining afterwards got into the carving (not noticeable with black).

I now stain, seal and paint mask. Then machine through the paint mask, paint and reseal. Works much better.

Obviously I would never put these outdoors though. I've found full sheets for $60-$100 here and there locally, but they were clearance and I can't find anybody who stock this material regualrily anymore. Admittley, I quit look though as I have a fair bit of stock and I'm not doing many projects.

[sunshinejim]

I have a cabinet shop that I buy all my wood panels from - they ordered several sheets of the MDF and have them in stock for me. They told me, and it is true - once you use a bit for the MDF do not go back and try to cut normal wood. I keep two sets of cutters separate and that seems to extend the life of the MDF cutters. I cut the design, seal the edges with watered down white glue and then coat with several coats of lacquer, then my artist paints the design and then I give it several more coats of lacquer. For exterior signs I use an exterior varathane finish.

[LittleGreyMan]

They told me, and it is true - once you use a bit for the MDF do not go back and try to cut normal wood.

Right. Never use HSS tools with MDF. It's very abrasive and HSS bits stop cutting very quickly. We use diamond bits for roughing and carbide bits for finishing.

I hate machining MDF, but for carving, your solution seems interesting.