Any tricks to flattening out thin plywood?

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majordude

majordude

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It's damn near impossible to find 1/64" or 1/32" ply in The OC let alone finding any sheets that are flat. Any tricks to making flat fins? I'm almost thinking about trying an iron because a heavy book doesn't seem to help. :confused2:
 
I've used heavy duty C-clamps and 2x6's. Basically squeeze the ever-loving crud out of the fins as the glue dries. Altho' a brute force method, it seems to work well, especially doing balsa/birch laminates or Basswood/birch laminates for fins.
 
majordude said:
Well, the root will be straight but the fin itself is slightly twisted. :-(
Click to expand...

Never found that at all. Seems the glue remoistens everything and the thick 2x6's hold everything in place.
Of course make sure that the 2x6's you use are not warped.

Other than substituting the 2x6 wood for 1" plate iron, it's a good method for me at least.
 
I mist both sides of the thin ply with water, put the ply on wax paper, cover with wax paper, place weights (usually books) on top of that, and in a few days maximum, it has flattened out nicely, ready for laminating, etc..
 

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