Trimming a panel door: avoiding splits

[mike004]

Advice please on trimming 1/2 inch off the bottom of an 40mm wide internal white panel door.
I had a go with a saw. Despite using insulation tape to cover the cut area, the plywood panel has split quite badly at the bottom.I will probably have to put some wood profile over this and paint it.
I am thinking of buying a cheap jigsaw. The 20 pound models claim to cut through 80mm. Will this do the job more effectively?
Thanks
Mike

 

[Bilioustrumpstaine]

Was the hand saw sharp ? If not I would go buy a new one and try again.

£20 for a jig saw, it won't be the best on the market, maybe have a look for a cheap electric plane.

If you do go down the jig saw route buy some decent blades as the ones that will come with it will be crap.

 

[big-all]

score the wood with a sharp stanley type knife 1mm above the cut line

jigsaws can do a fantsic job as Bilioustrumpstaine says with a new blade
but get a bad un and splintering is the least of your worries as the blade wanders off line by several mm underneath

below 5mm belt sander for me above 5mm circular saw hand saw planer

dont forget to chamfer the cut edges to stop the carpet splintring the edge

 

[r896neo]

As bigall said score it well with a sharp stanely blade and or Use a plane.

Also clamp a scrap of wood at either end flush with the cut line to make sure you dont get break out.