Routing that Lovely Hardwood Plywood

[BUB 209]

Why didn't I ever notice this before? I was rabbeting out a cabinet back and getting these nasty little tearouts, the result of:

1. the cross grain underneath the microthin layer of hardwood veneer having sway and tearing right through, so next time I will try
2. A sharper router bit. If there's a way they can make that top layer thinner, they will do it.

[Leon]

You can also use a utility knife to score the top veneer layer to help eliminate tear out.

[Upscale]

Score it properly with a good straight edge and a sharp razor knife and you can eliminate those tear outs completely.

[Tom Dacon]

While I agree with the recommendations to score the wood before routing it, you might also try a sharp downward-cutting spiral router bit.

Tom Dacon

[J. Clarke]

I was thinking the same thing, but using a downcut bit I think it would be a good idea to do a pre-cut with a smaller diameter straight or up-spiral to hog out most of the material, because the downcut spiral isn't going to be self-clearing if you're not doing a through-cut.

[Leon]

Umm, down cut or not, a rabbet cut will not capture the waste as a dado will. There will be no problem with build up using a down spiral.