Cutting Cabinet Plywood with 7 ¼ Circular Saw

I have read that the Festool saws do well.

Disclaimer: I've never tried either solution.

-- Mark

P.S. I also recall reading about "zero-clearance insert" for a circular saw.

I just made 20+ linear feet of cuts on cherry veneer plywood with a Black and Decker circ saw with a new Oldham 60-tooth carbide-tipped, 7-1/4" blade, with the good side face-down. The cuts were very clean with virtually no chip-out. The cuts were good enough to use in my house, I'm not sure how that translates into "professional use".

-JBB

Sandwitch it between a couple of sacrifical scrap.

Freud has a 40 tooth carbide 7 1/4" blade that does pretty well. I use it on a PC saw for cut off's and plywood cuts that I can't make on the table saw. Face side down on a circular saw, face side up on the table saw. and score the veneer with a utility knife.

I have had good luck by making a scoring cut with the saw. I set the cut to about 1/8" and then run the saw backwards across the plywood. Since, you are making a very shallow cut, there is very little tendency for the saw to climb out of control but keep a good grip on it. Then reset the saw for full depth and make a regular cut.

I made the panel-cutting guide found in Sunset Woodworking (forget the exact title). After sizing sheet goods with a 9" contractor saw, it was a revelation.

It uses Borg Birch plywood instead of masonite.

I've been planning to make a smaller version suitable for half and quarter sheets. After reading the article, I'm now planning to use masonite for the smaller version.

I'm using the Freud "Finishing" blade (40T ATB, thin kerf) on a PC lefty circular saw.

With patience, it's more than Good Enough absent a Unisaur or a dedicated panel slicer.