crashmans' O-Top 12 build is finally under way!!

[wounded horse]

If you're burning ply, apart from the blade maybe being not sharp, it suggests you have a runout problem, that is, the relationship between the blade and whatever fence/sled you are using. As you cut you are trying to apply flex to the blade. This is a dangerous place to be. With a good carbide blade, fence/blade parallel and the sled back push bar at 90 degrees to the blade, you should go through 1/2" ply like butter.