Blades for TSC55

[MTMWARDROBES]

Hi All
Just wondering if someone can tell me I purchased a TSC55 a few months back and i am really happy with the saw but i am getting a lot of chip out on the melamine boards. We do a lot of wardrobe fit outs and use a lot of melamine boards. When the saw was new i got really nice clean cuts but as time goes on these cuts are getting really untidy, we are now getting lots of chip out on both the top and bottom of the boards.
I am currently using the standard 48 tooth blade that came with the saw. is it just that melamine is hard on blades and i need to have the blade sharpened or can someone tell me if there is a better blade that i could be using?
how often should i be getting the blade sharpened? and how do you know when its time to change out the chip guard.?

Thanks for any suggestions
Andrew

 

[Holmz]

http://www.amazon.com/Festool-496309-Surface-Laminate-48-Tooth/dp/B00329GMRQ

 

[ear3]

+1 on the laminate blade.  And at this point, you'll probably need to get the 48T blade sharpened after all the melamine cutting, which dulls the standard blade pretty quickly.

As for the chip guard, a visual inspection will show if it needs to be replaced or not (you can also test by seeing at what depth the blade starts running into the guard).  It's good to have a few units dedicated to specific thicknesses.  Once you cut, for example, an 1 1/2" thick board with the guard attached, you no longer get the full zero-clearance protection on any cuts of thinner pieces.

 

[Cheese]

Is it just that melamine is hard on blades and i need to have the blade sharpened or can someone tell me if there is a better blade that i could be using?
How often should i be getting the blade sharpened? 

Melamine is real tough on blades, read an article a number of years ago that stated they could only break down 20-30 sheets of melamine before they needed to change blades. I tried to find the article but ran across this instead. [big grin]
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tools-accessories/best-ts55-blade-for-melamine/

Almost forgot... [welcome] to the FOG!

 

[MTMWARDROBES]

Thanks for the info guy's the articles were really interesting and Holmz the wife isn't happy that you put me onto Amazon just spent $500 there, they have some really good prices even with shipping its much cheaper than if i purchased it here the laminate blades are $160 here and i grabbed a few of the Festool quick clamps only paid $33.00 here they are $99.00 each.
Thanks again for the help
Andrew

 

[Holmz]

Usually it is only my wife that I made unhappy. The rest seem happy.
I just spent about the same on a couple blades and some surfix gear.

 

[Jimmy FineCut]

Get the festool special blade 496308

I use one when cutting melamine with my tsc55.

Just cut all these with it. No score cut just go a little slower.

[attachimg=1]

 

[Cheese]

[eek]
It appears that the 496308 blade and the 496309 blade are used for the same purposes. Does anyone have any further information on these two blades?
https://www.festool.com/Products/Ac...496308&name=Special-saw-blade-160x2-2x20-TF48
https://www.festoolusa.com/power-to...id-surface-laminate-48-tooth-saw-blade-496309

 

[Jbmccombe]

I believe these are the same blades. Just a different part number in N Ameriac than the rest of the world