Pre-finishing birch panels

I've done it both ways.

If you don't pre-cut you may scratch the finish running the saw against it. I tried to cut from the back of the panel but then you need to make sure the finished side on the saw horses is cushioned. Any movement can scratch.

I think pre-cut is a safer way to go. As I learned the hard way on one piece, it you are off with your cut you haven't wasted time finishing the panel.

I split the difference on some pieces. I put two coats on, made my cuts, then did the remaining coats.

I've used the belt sander myself. A nice idea I picked up on a Mobiltec video. Thanks.

A palm sander takes longer but moving slowly is not a bad thing. It works for me.

I like the French polish system for shellac best, but not over my head. And I used a trim pad with very nice results on large pieces. Very fast. Spraying shellac sounds great but I wonder about overspray going everywhere. Plus I don't like cleaning the spray gun.

I like a circular saw with a fine tooth blade although I use a jig saw on more radical curves. I think my jig saw cuts are always a little less exact. Cutting the panels a little heavy and adjusting is good advice. If you try cutting from the front it will likely splinter with either saw but especially with the jig saw. At $40+ a panel for domestic birch, I was measuring three times and cutting once.

On the roof I lay the panel in and mark the line. Why? Because on my Shasta campers the walls were a little loopy. You can pull and push the wall a little to meet the panel but I think there are limits.

Mobltec I'm sure will have some excellent suggestions.

I use a jigsaw for funny cuts. The blade is extra sharp and made for fine cuts, very little chattering. That being said, the plywood we can get today often wants to shred/peel or worse. I cut on the top with the jig and on the underside with the skill. The BLADE is most important: new, sharp and made for fine cuts.

Almost forgot, I'm using battery saws for the panels. A little lighter in weight and not so apt to power thru...

Another good way to prevent splintering is to have a 4 x 8 sheet of particle board to cut your birch on. Set the skil saw blade deep enough to cut into (but not through) the particle board, and cut the panels face down.

I should have added, it in effect makes the birch and particle board one sheet, so there's no edge to chip. You can do it with any wood really, but particle board is so perfectly flat that there's less chance of there being any gaps where the edge could chip. Putting some weight on your birch to keep it flat with the particle board helps.

What glue do you use. In having mixed luck with titebond 3