Taking the bow out of 1/2" plywood

putttn · Post by **putttn** » Mon May 18, 2009 10:58 pm

I've got a 3' x 3", 1/2" plywood sheet that has a bow of about 1" in the center if laid flat on a table. Is it possible to take the bow out? How would one go about doing so. I have it clamped to my table now with some Bowclamps forcing it to the table. Didn't take much pressure to push it down but wondered if it would flatten it out?

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Mon May 18, 2009 11:38 pm

putttn wrote:I've got a 3' x 3", 1/2" plywood sheet that has a bow of about 1" in the center if laid flat on a table. Is it possible to take the bow out? How would one go about doing so. I have it clamped to my table now with some Bowclamps forcing it to the table. Didn't take much pressure to push it down but wondered if it would flatten it out?

That depends on how much time you have.

tnerb · Post by **tnerb** » Tue May 19, 2009 12:34 am

putttn wrote:I've got a 3' x 3", 1/2" plywood sheet that has a bow of about 1" in the center if laid flat on a table. Is it possible to take the bow out? How would one go about doing so. I have it clamped to my table now with some Bowclamps forcing it to the table. Didn't take much pressure to push it down but wondered if it would flatten it out?

Try dampening it and put spacers under each end to raise it off the bench. then over bow the plywood in the opposite direction of the original bow. Leave it alone for a few days. It works for me......... Sometimes!