Plywood is a type of engineered wood that is made by gluing together several thin layers or "plies" of wood veneer into a flat sheet. The veneer sheets can be made from various wood species, both hardwood and softwood. Some of the most commonly used woods for making plywood sheets include basswood, birch, oak, pine, spruce, fir, mahogany, maple, cherry, and walnut.
To make plywood, the logs are first peeled into thin veneer sheets using a rotary lathe or a slicing machine. The number of layers used in a plywood sheet can vary, with the thickness and strength of the panel depending on the number and quality of the layers used.
The veneer sheets are then coated with adhesive and stacked together, with the grain direction of each layer perpendicular to the layer below it. This cross-grain construction gives plywood its strength and stability.
The stack of veneer sheets is then pressed under high pressure and heat, causing the adhesive to cure and bond the layers of veneer together. After the pressing process, the plywood sheets are trimmed to their final size and sanded to a smooth finish.
Plywood sheets have a wide range of applications including construction, furniture, home improvement, crafts and DIY projects, boat building, etc.
The thickness of plywood that an xTool machine can cut depends on the power of the laser and the type of laser cutter. Specifically, the xTool D1 pro 20W, a diode laser, can cut basswood plywood up to 10mm in one pass, and the 40W version can cut 15mm basswood plywood up to 15mm in one pass.
The most common standard size for plywood sheets is 4 feet by 8 feet. However, plywood sheets can also be found in other sizes. Common thicknesses include 1/4 inch (6 mm), 1/2 inch (12 mm), 3/4 inch (18 mm), and 1 inch (25 mm).
The xTool Selected plywood sheets come in 12'' x12''x 1/4'' and in 12'' x12''x 1/4'', which are thin plywood sheets used for DIY projects. (Please allow a ± 1/2 inch deviation for length and width sizes and a ±1/12 inch deviation in thickness.)
Cutting plywood sheets can be done with a variety of tools, depending on the thickness of the plywood and the level of precision needed. Some common methods for cutting plywood sheets include circular saws, table saws, jigsaws, hand saws, and routers.
A laser cutter can also be used to cut plywood sheets, especially for more precise cuts. A laser cutter uses a high-powered laser to cut through the wood, creating a very clean and precise cut. The cutting depth and speed can be controlled, allowing very precise cuts to be made.
However, not all types of plywood can be cut with a laser cutter. Some types of plywood contain formaldehyde, which can be toxic when heated and released by the laser cutter. It's important to make sure the type of plywood you are using is suitable for laser cutting. Check the ultimate guide to plywood laser cutting.
