Jointing plywood

I read an article not too long ago that didn’t recommend it:

http://woodgears.ca/jointer/plywood.html

Rule of thumb is, if it’s man made, no.
So that rules out plywood, MDF, Masonite, etc.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

Glue will dull the knives rapidly but just a now and then deal youll be ok. Even frequent use would be ok if neccessary. Just need more frequent sharpening and setup but that is easy enough. Have at it

dear MrRon planing ply is more than except-able on a jointer and you can achieve a good finish…But it is best to only use one side of the blade…if you keep the section nearest the guard/furthest away from you just for man made boards…leaving the rest of the blade for premium quality for hard/soft wood….this way only a small piece is worn..
hope this helps

-- jjempson

Thanks for the replies and answering my question.

MrRon:

I have jointed plywood before several times, and it can be done….didn’t hurt my blades any….I haven ‘t did a lot, but I have did it…..go for it…..

-- " Don't ever wrestle a pig in a mudhole....he'll be having more fun than you..!!

Here’s a TIP if you decide to joint the plywood. Make a releif cut on the heal of the board first so the cross grain plys don’t tear out when you make the full pass.

Just like jjempson, I use the far edge of my blade for riskier cuts, then move my fence forward for the cleaner stuff.

-- "Hard work is not defined by the difficulty of the task as much as a person's desire to perform it.", DS251

Yeah. I’ve both jointed AND planed ply, but I try not to make a habit of it.

I think it’s put together with epoxy, and THAT’s the big issue. Hard on blades.

-- -- Neil

get that cnc built and use it for jointing. these machines work great for this I dont use my jointer anymore for 90deg only if I have to bevel.

-- nelson woodcrafters

I too have done it before, not much of a cut but I don’t see any problems with it.

-- Don, Royersford, PA

Yes , I’ve jointed the edges safely as well. Not a lot , but more than once : )
I would NOT run it through a planer though !

-- When did quiet and quite become the same word ? I'm guessing about the same time as your and you're did.

Yes it can be done. The glue WILL dull the blade quickly, as a few other suggested ,use one edge of jointer knife only. Now a days I have a special 4” jointer for this purpose….....plywood (glues), painted boards (paint is also hard on blades), edges of panels with formica, I do a lot with reclaimed lumber so this little jointer takes the beating leaving my bigger jointer for serious solid woods only..!

-- "My mission in life - make everyone smile !"

Thanks for all the great tips. I don’t need to joint plywood often, just to take the fuzziness off the edge. DS251: Taking a relief cut off the heel is a good idea.

OK to do by me. Have to be careful because of chip out. Blades were made to dull when you use them. I’m a philosopher.

-- Phil Zoeller louisville, KY

The way to do it is use only the 1” closest to the pulley on the
jointer. Jointing plywood often will “burn” that section of the
knives and may wear a hollow in the knives there. This way
the rest of the knife length can be used and sharpened as
normal while the burned section is used for the nasty business
of jointing ply.